Description
A hearty, comfort‑food classic featuring layers of savory ground beef, Italian sausage, vegetables, tomato sauce, and macaroni—topped with two melty cheeses in a cozy baked casserole.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15‑oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14½‑oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
12 oz dried elbow macaroni (cook separately)
1 (8‑oz) pkg shredded Italian‑blend cheese
1 (8‑oz) pkg shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F and spray a 3‑quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, and bell pepper over medium‑high heat until meat is browned and veggies soften (~8 minutes), then drain fat.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with juice), Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, oregano, and red pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook elbow macaroni per package instructions; drain and set aside.
- Layer cooked macaroni in casserole dish, top evenly with Italian‑blend cheese. Spoon meat sauce over cheese to cover completely. Cover dish with foil.
- Bake covered for 45 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle sharp cheddar cheese on top, and bake uncovered another 5 minutes until melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Use two cheeses for texture and flavor contrast—Italian blend under sauce, cheddar on top.
- Dice vegetables uniformly for even cooking.
- Brown meat thoroughly for deeper flavor.
- Let rest a few minutes after baking for easier slicing.
- Customize with additional vegetables or spice to taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50–55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Bake / One‑Pot plus baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous portion (~1/8 casserole)
- Calories: 630
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
