Zucchini and Ground Beef Pasta Casserole

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Zucchini and Ground Beef Pasta Casserole

This ground beef pasta casserole is a quick, easy, and comforting weeknight dinner packed with zucchini, marinara sauce, and melty cheese. Requiring just 10 minutes of hands-on prep, this recipe is perfect for busy families looking for a quick weeknight meal.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: servings

Calories: 695kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow onion diced small (about 1-½ cups not packed)
1 medium zucchini diced small (zucchini should weigh around 6-8oz)
seasoning: garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper measure with your heart
1 (16-oz) box pasta I like to use Mezzi Rigatoni, and I use a brand like Barilla Al Bronzo or Rummo that is a little thicker, because thin pasta tends to get mushy in a casserole like this.
3 cups chicken broth
1 (24-oz) jar marinara sauce
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese I love using fresh here, and when I do I dice half/slice half thinly; but you can use shredded if you prefer
fresh basil optional to serve

Instructions

Prep: 
Preheat the oven to 400°F. This recipe works best in a roomy 9x13 inch casserole dish - glass pans don’t work as well as ceramic pans.
Brown beef and vegetables: 
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then cook the ground beef until browned and crumbled. Season with seasoning to taste as it cooks.  Add the onion and zucchini and continue sautéing for 3-4 minutes, until starting to soften. Take off the heat.
1 tablespoon oil, 1 pound ground beef, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 medium zucchini, seasoning: garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper
Assemble casserole: 
Place the UNCOOKED pasta in your casserole dish. Add the ground beef mixture, the chicken broth, and the marinara. Season if needed/to taste.
1 (16-oz) box pasta, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 (24-oz) jar marinara sauce
Bake: 
Tightly cover the casserole with aluminum foil. Bake, covered, at 400°F for 45-50 minutes, until the pasta is just done.
Add cheese and finish: 
Remove the casserole from the oven and carefully uncover (hot steam, keep your face away!). Stir through, then stir in the parmesan and half of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining mozzarella and finish baking for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melty and bubbly.
Serve hot with fresh basil, if you like.
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 8 oz mozzarella cheese, fresh basil

Notes

Dish type: A ceramic dish works much better than a glass pan for this recipe.
Vegetables: Feel free to skip one vegetable, or both. You can also swap in something else, I have tried diced red bell pepper, shredded carrots or diced celery; all have tasted great.
Pasta: If you use an entirely different pasta shape, your baking time may vary. If you use a thinner pasta brand, you may need 5 minutes less baking time, or a little less liquid. You can always check the casserole halfway through the baking time and gauge from there.
Mozzarella: When I use fresh mozzarella, I dice the 4oz I stir into the casserole and very thinly slice the other 4oz to top the casserole with.

Nutrition