Baked Pasta Bolognese

This is one incredible, hearty casserole, from the bottom up - tender noodles tossed with parmesan and herbs, zesty Bolognese-style meat sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese (notice that I put cheese everywhere I could!). Then, the whole amazing concoction is baked until the cheese is gooey and the (already flavorful) pasta absorbs the nuances of the sauce. Just before serving, basil jumps in to join the best party in town.

Want to prep ahead? Right on! Assemble the casserole as instructed and cover with plastic. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. Pull the dish from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Replace the plastic with foil and bake as directed.

Want to swap in ground turkey or chicken? Awesome idea! You can also use turkey or chicken sausage, or sweet or hot Italian sausage. The instructions stay the same.

Baked Pasta Bolognese

Cooking spray
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
2 teaspoons dried basil, divided
1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup beef broth
12 ounces large elbow noodles, or any pasta shape
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil leaves, whole or torn, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
To make the sauce, brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain away any fat and return the beef to the skillet.
Add 1 teaspoon of the oregano, 1 teaspoon of the basil, 1/2 teaspoon of the onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. While the pasta is still warm, add the olive oil, parmesan cheese, and remaining oregano, basil, onion powder, and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the pasta to the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the meat sauce over top. Top with the mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil (if your foil touches the cheese, spray it will cooking spray first so the cheese doesn't stick to the foil when it melts). Bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.
Top with basil leaves before serving (if using).

Serves 6