Johnny Marzetti

This classic Johnny Marzetti casserole is a hearty baked pasta dish with ground beef, tomato soup, and cheese. A cozy, budget-friendly dinner the whole family will love!

Johnny Marzetti is a blast from my past, and it’s the type of comforting meal that I grew up enjoying during the cool weather months. Just the smell of the ground beef browning in a skillet takes me back to my mom’s kitchen!

Ingredient Notes and Tips

• Ground beef and pork sausage: A mix adds flavor, but you can use all beef if preferred.
• Whole tomatoes + tomato soup: A signature combination for the sauce. Crushing the tomatoes yourself adds rustic texture.
• Brown sugar and dry mustard: Add depth and balance the acidity.
• Egg noodles: Cook just shy of al dente so they don’t get mushy when baked.
• Mushrooms and green olives: Optional, but traditional. They add earthy and briny notes.
• Tip: Let the sauce simmer low and slow. This builds flavor and thickens it nicely before mixing with the noodles.

How to Make Johnny Marzetti Casserole

• Brown the meat, green pepper, and onion in a skillet until the meat is no longer pink.

2. Add the tomatoes, soup, and seasoning.

3. Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes, stirring in the mushrooms and olives at the end (if using).

4. Boil the noodles in well-salted water for 1 minute less than al dente. They will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to slightly under-boil them here.

5. Combine the cooked noodles with the meat sauce.

6. Transfer to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese. I use sharp cheddar, but a blend of Italian cheeses (or another good melting cheese) would also be great.

7. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the filling is hot and bubbly. Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, basil, or oregano) for a bright, fresh touch. Sliced green onions are also good!

Recipe Variations

• Swap out the ground beef and sausage and use only ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, Italian sausage, or any combination of these.
• Instead of the egg noodles, try other pasta shapes such as medium shells, penne pasta, rotini, or elbow macaroni.
• Add More Veggies: feel free to include crisp-tender steamed, roasted, or sauteed broccoli, green beans, carrots, corn, zucchini, spinach, or frozen peas in the casserole. You can also include diced celery when you cook the meat.
• Swap out the cheddar cheese and use Monterey Jack, mozzarella cheese, Colby, or Pepper Jack.
• Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste preferences. For instance, you might like to omit the brown sugar for a less sweet tomato sauce, add cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, or hot sauce to make it spicy, or include chili powder for a zestier flavor.
• Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The baking instructions remain the same. You can even prepare the full recipe, but divide the ingredients between two 8-inch pans and freeze one casserole for later.

Serving Suggestions

Pair Johnny Marzetti with easy sides like homemade garlic bread, cranberry walnut no-knead bread, fried apples, roasted broccoli, Southern-style green beans, or our favorite house salad with candied pecans.

Preparation and Storage Tips

• Make Ahead: Assemble the entire casserole up to 24 hours in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Before baking, allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Freeze the casserole before baking. Wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, the assembled casserole will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
• Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• How to Reheat: If reheating an entire casserole, cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in a 350°F oven until warmed through (about 20 minutes). Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.