Johnny Marzetti Casserole Recipe

I used a can of undrained stewed tomatoes instead of the sauce as I had it on hand and it contained onions, celery, and peppers - a perfect shortcut for busy days when chopping veggies is not an option. I opted for all ground beef and a mixture of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, simply because that's what I had available. The dish turned out fantastic - chunky, cheesy, and absolutely delicious.

This recipe was both simple to prepare and delicious. I opted for whole wheat rotini pasta and added diced tomatoes seasoned with Italian herbs, resulting in a flavorful dish. The best part is that this meal freezes beautifully, and the leftovers taste just as amazing!

I cooked this dish last night and it was absolutely delicious! I made a few tweaks to the sauce by using only tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes. Additionally, I enhanced the flavor by adding 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce, 1 teaspoon of Basil, 1 teaspoon of Oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt, and 1 tablespoon of packed brown sugar. As for the cheese, I couldn't find Mexican blend so I used a Colby/Monterey Jack blend and it turned out great. I topped it off with sharp cheddar. Even my 13-year-old, who usually avoids tomato sauce, devoured his plate!

I am amazed by the longevity of this recipe - I'm 80 years old and recall my mother preparing it for Saturday nights. Similarly to the original poster, my mother would also make it the night before to allow the flavors to meld. However, she preferred to cook the pasta very al dente and include a 14oz can of stewed tomatoes in addition to the tomato sauce. Additionally, she always created her own blend of Italian cheeses from scratch (pre-shredded cheese wasn't available back then) using grated provolone, parmesan, and mozzarella. She never included cheddar in her pasta dishes. I can't pinpoint why, but I remember that the ground beef we used to have had a richer flavor compared to today's. Nevertheless, this dish truly evokes memories of my youth, and yes, she always added a splash of whatever red wine we had on hand, even for us kids - just a touch to enhance the flavors.

Alright, so on my family's weekly menu board, I had "Pasta Bake" listed under Monday. I decided to rename this dish because, well, I wanted something special since Tuesday was reserved for Zuppa Toscana! Just stating the facts here! Fast forward to today, Thursday, and I just took my last bite of that amazing "Pasta Bake". I'm telling you, everyone needs to put down those Hamburger Helper boxes. For the cost of buying pasta and meat that can last so much longer than a boxed meal, this recipe is definitely worth keeping stocked up on ingredients. I followed the recipe as instructed, except I skipped adding extra cheese on top. Not a big deal, the dish was plenty cheesy without it. What impressed me the most is that the entire pan was wiped clean! We devoured it all. The dish has a wonderful texture that holds up well as leftovers in the fridge. I simply paired it with a salad and some breadsticks for a delightful meal. Oh, and I always like to boost the seasonings with herb mixes, regardless of what the recipe calls for in this type of dish. Remember, make it your own!

I found this recipe to be decent. It provides a good foundation, but I would recommend adding more garlic and Italian seasoning next time. A little extra sauce would also enhance the flavor, along with a pinch of crushed red pepper. I personally thought it was a bit bland as it is. Additionally, I might consider using mozzarella instead of cheddar for a different twist.

Hearty, flavorful, and absolutely delicious! I wasn't expecting much, but this dish exceeded my expectations - it's the ultimate comfort food! I opted for ziti pasta, removed the excess fat from the cooked meat, added vegetables, my homemade tomato sauce, and I will definitely be making this again! - August '23

This dish is the ultimate comfort food. My Sicilian/American mother used to prepare it at least once a month. Her special touch included adding 4 cloves of pressed garlic and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, which elevated the flavors beautifully.

Fantastic recipe! I definitely made some adjustments to suit our preferences. I swapped the tomato sauce for spaghetti sauce and added two cans of tomatoes. I doubled the amount of onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and also threw in some finely chopped zucchini. It was delicious! I prepared it in the morning, let it sit in the fridge all day, and it turned out wonderfully! This is a dependable recipe, particularly if you have hungry men or kids at home. I highly recommend adding those extra veggies – they really enhance the flavor!

Great experience!

I appreciate the effort put into these Italian recipes. However, I noticed a discrepancy between the pasta specified in the recipes and the pasta shown in the pictures. For example, the recipe calls for Rotini pasta, but the images display Penne pasta. It's important for aspiring cooks to use the correct ingredients to achieve the desired outcome. While pasta substitutions can be made, it may cause confusion for those new to Italian cuisine. I believe that aligning the pasta types in the recipe with the photos will enhance the cooking experience for viewers. Thank you for the delicious recipes, and keep up the fantastic work!

I followed the advice to chill overnight before baking. I also added a splash of Bloody Mary mix before baking (just a touch!) and it turned out to be almost as delicious as my favorite lasagna, but with much less hassle. Thank you for the great recipe!

Our new go-to dish for the whole family! Extremely simple to make!

I will definitely be making this dish again—it's my new favorite casserole/lasagna recipe! I managed to score excellent deals on all the ingredients, spending under $20 for the entire meal. The outcome was incredibly delicious, and I couldn't resist having three servings because it was that good. When serving, I cut the casserole in half lengthwise, then halved it two more times. Turning it to slice through the middle lengthwise, I made a final cut down the center. This recipe is absolutely amazing. I followed the ingredients in the recipe to the tee, layering the noodles on the bottom, adding 8 oz of cheese, and pouring the sauce over it. Upon noticing that the sauce wasn't fully mixing through the noodles as it should be, I gently stirred it to blend everything together, resulting in a perfect cheese melt-in. After baking, I topped it off with the remaining 8 oz of cheese.

I recommend reducing the initial baking time to 20 minutes as all the ingredients are already hot when mixed together; there's no need for the full 45 minutes to heat through. Plus, sprinkle the sharp cheddar cheese on top for the final 5 minutes to avoid overcooking the casserole. In addition, next time I'll mix the macaroni with the sauce and cheese instead of just layering the sauce on top.

My husband truly enjoyed it. The only change I made was using Fiesta cheese instead of cheddar.

I sprinkled some Frank's hot sauce into the mixture before baking and drizzled a bit more on top after it was done. Absolutely delicious!

We have prepared this dish several times! We absolutely adore it!