Buon Appetito! In fact, with the Italian Casserole on the table, it's going to be a great evening! This home-cooked favorite whisks you away to the sunny hills and marbled blue waters of Italy on a ship of bright, sweet tomato sauce, savory beef, and tender pasta shells. A magical melt of creamy mozzarella and provolone cheeses tops the Italian Casserole like a classical column of taste that amazes the eye and the tastebuds. Enjoy your culinary vacation to Italy! Salute!
Ingredients
• 2 pounds of ground beef • 1 large onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce • 1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, undrained • 1 (4-ounce) can of mushroom stems and pieces, drained • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning • 3 cups medium pasta shells, uncooked • 3 plum tomatoes, sliced • 3/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded • 3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shreddedDirections
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2
In a large skillet, cook the beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 3
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Drain the fat from the skillet.
Step 5
Stir in the spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, and Italian seasoning.
Step 6
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 7
Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Step 8
Cook the pasta shells according to the package directions.
Step 9
Drain the pasta.
Step 10
Add the pasta shells to the beef mixture.
Step 11
Gently stir in the plum tomatoes.
Step 12
Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 13
Top with provolone and mozzarella.
Step 14
Bake until bubbly and heated through, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 15
Serve warm.
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