This layered ground beef noodle casserole is a healthy and unique recipe! It's easy, creamy, and cheesy, and makes a great dinner recipe or freezer meal!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Servings: 6servings
Author: Megan Byrd, RD
Cost: $17.48 or $2.91/serving
Ingredients
Noodle Layer:
3cupsdry rotini pasta
4ozcream cheese
1cupplain Greek yogurt
½tsporegano
½tspdry basil
½tsponion powder
Beef & Veggie Layer:
1tbspavocado or olive oil
¼cupshallotsfinely chopped
2green bell pepper chopped
2cupsmushroomssliced
1tbspgarlicminced
1lblean ground beef
¼cupred wine
14.5ozcanned diced tomatoes
6 oztomato paste
4 ozsliced olives
2 tspfresh thymechopped
½tspsalt
1tsppepper
6cupsspinachchopped
Top Layer:
½cupshredded parmesan cheese
1cupshredded mozzarella cheese
fresh basil for garnish(optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
Combine cooked pasta, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, oregano, basil, and onion powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook shallot, bell pepper, mushroom, and garlic for 5 minutes, or until veggies soften. Set aside.
In the same skillet, cook beef until browned.
Add wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, thyme, salt, and pepper to the beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes more.
Add bell pepper/mushroom mixture back to the skillet. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
In a greased 9x13 baking dish, spread noodle mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan. Top with beef mixture, spreading evenly to cover the noodles. Sprinkle cheeses evenly over the top.
Bake @ 350° for 30 minutes, covered. After 30 minutes, uncover, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Garnish with fresh basil if desired, and serve!
To Make It A Freezer Meal:
Follow instructions 1-7, using an aluminum pan instead of glass or metal baking pan.
Cover with aluminum foil and allow to cool completely in the fridge before freezing. Label and date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake from the freezer, thaw overnight in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and baked the thawed casserole, covered, for 45-50 minutes or until heated through.