Baked Rotini and Ground Beef. Rotini pasta mixed with ground beef, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce and baked to perfection.
Sometimes you are just in the mood for a calorie-filled, pleasurable eating experience. Empty of guilt or the thought of how many miles I need to walk, or how many minutes on the elliptical I need, to enjoy this dish of baked rotini and ground beef with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.
This recipe’s middle name is comfort. Juicy and greasy ground beef, starchy pasta, savory marinara sauce, and oh so gooey mozzarella cheese. So put your guilt aside, grab your favorite eating utensil, and dig into this wonderful dish.
NOTE
Before beginning the recipe remember to read the “Invent Your Recipe” section below for additional suggestions, recipe combinations, or ingredient alternatives.
How to Make Baked Rotini and Ground Beef
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees
Preparing the Pasta:
- Prepare the rotini according to the package instructions for al dente pasta. Strain the rotini and set aside.
Preparing the Ground Beef:
- While the spaghetti is cooking, in a large skillet or pot on high heat add the ground beef, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Next, cook for 5-7 minutes, until the beef is no longer pink, mixing occasionally to break up the ground beef. Drain the oil and place the ground beef into a large mixing bowl.
Brining it All Together
- Add the cooked rotini, marinara sauce, grated cheese, and half of the mozzarella cheese to the mixing bowl. Mix well to incorporate all of the ingredients.
- Next, place the mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and cover with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden in color.
How to Serve Baked Rotini and Ground Beef
- Serve the baked rotini and ground beef with a side salad or green vegetable.
Invent Your Recipe:
This recipe calls for ground beef, however, I have made this dish before with ground turkey, chicken, or pork. They all work well and the overall recipe will have a similar cook time. However, with these other choices, just be careful to not cook the meats to long as they may dry out. The turkey, chicken, and pork have a much lower fat content, so the meat can dry out if cooked too long.
For more great recipes check out our beef recipes page.
The Recipe
Baked Rotini and Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 lb. rotini
- 1 lb. ground beef 80/20
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
- 16 oz. mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup grated cheese
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees
Preparing the Pasta:
- Prepare the rotini according to the package instructions for al dente pasta. Strain the rotini and set aside.
Preparing the Ground Beef:
- While the spaghetti is cooking, in a large skillet or pot on high heat add the ground beef, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Next, cook for 5-7 minutes, until the beef is no longer pink, mixing occasionally to break up the ground beef. Drain the oil and place the ground beef into a large mixing bowl.
Brining it All Together
- Add the cooked rotini, marinara sauce, grated cheese, and half of the mozzarella cheese to the mixing bowl. Mix well to incorporate all of the ingredients.
- Next, place the mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and cover with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden in color.
To Serve:
- Serve the baked rotini and ground beef with a side salad or green vegetable.
Invent Your Recipe
Nutrition
