Busy nights call for effortless meals, and this Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake delivers! Made with just five simple ingredients, this hearty dish combines savory browned beef, rich pasta sauce, and plenty of melty cheese. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that’s warm, comforting, and guaranteed to please the whole family!
Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot
Method: Cook the beef and pasta on the stove, then bake to cheesy perfection.
Key Ingredients: Just a few! Ground beef, pasta, jarred sauces, and cheese.
Ease: A simple dish that comes together with minimal effort!
Top Tip: Use an oven-proof skillet and there’s no need to dirty a baking dish!
Jump to:
This pasta bake is pure comfort food! We love saucy pastas, so we use two jars of sauce—classic spaghetti sauce for that familiar, rich flavor and creamy alfredo for an extra cheesy twist. Serve it with a fresh side salad and warm garlic bread for a complete, hearty meal everyone will devour.
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Ground Beef: I always use lean ground beef so I don’t have to drain it. Ground turkey, chicken, or bulk Italian sausage can be used instead of beef.
- Pasta: I typically use penne pasta, but virtually any pasta will work.
- Pasta Sauce: We use a combination of marinara sauce and alfredo sauce for a unique and comforting casserole.
- Cheese: We use usually use cheddar cheese. Parmesan or mozzarella cheese, or a combination of a couple different cheeses will work just as well.
How to Make Cheesy Pasta Bake
- Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350°.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta al dente according to the package directions.
- While the pasta cooks brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain the excess fat off the meat if not using lean beef.
- Pour in the pasta sauces and heat through. Reduce to low heat to keep it warm if the pasta isn’t finished yet.
- Place just enough sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to cover it then add the cooked pasta to the meat sauce. Pour it into the prepared casserole dish and top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese has melted.
Tips
- Cook this in an oven proof skillet and then you won’t need to transfer it to another dish to put into the oven.
- Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-shredded cheese. Use whatever is most convenient for you, no judging here!
- It takes a 4 ounce block of cheese to get 1 1/2 cups.
Variations
I kept this recipe simple and easy, but it’s the perfect recipe to personalize with your favorite ingredients. There are many different things you could add, below are a few ideas:
- Cook some diced onion or bell pepper with the ground beef.
- Add some dried herbs like Italian seasoning or oregano to the sauce.
- Add minced garlic to the beef mixture when it has a few minutes left to cook.
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover beef pasta bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Just assemble it, then cover it and refrigerate until ready to bake. The cooking time will need to be increased by 15-20 minutes than what’s specified in this recipe.
Yes, you can freeze it and then cook it either frozen or thawed. There’s a great article explaining the best way to freeze and cook frozen casseroles at The Spruce Eats. Check that out for tips if you want to freeze this.
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Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 jar marinara sauce 24 oz
- 1 jar alfredo sauce 15 oz
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
- cooking spray
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Instructions
- Spray 9" X 13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and preheat oven to 350°.cooking spray
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-high and cook pasta al dente according to package directions.1 lb penne pasta
- While the pasta cooks brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain excess fat if not using lean beef.1 lb ground beef
- Add pasta sauces and heat through. Reduce to low heat to keep it warm if the pasta isn't finished yet.1 jar marinara sauce, 1 jar alfredo sauce
- Place just enough sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to cover, add pasta to the meat sauce. Pour it into the prepared casserole dish and top with shredded cheese.1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
- Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese has melted.
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