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Square overhead shot of johnny marzetti in a bowl.
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5 from 1 vote

Johnny Marzetti Casserole

Johnny Marzetti is a classic ground beef casserole with egg noodles, tomato soup, veggies, and cheese -- all baked into one delicious comfort food dish!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword casserole with egg noodles, ground beef casserole, Johnny Marzetti, Johnny Marzetti casserole, Johnny Marzetti recipe
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 393kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
  • ½ lb. pork sausage (or use additional ground beef)
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, not drained
  • 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup, not diluted (I used Campbell’s Healthy Request)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8 ounces dry wide egg noodles
  • 1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)
  • 1 (7 ounce) jar green olives, drained (optional)
  • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef, sausage, bell pepper, and onion in the skillet; drain. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add tomatoes (with juice), crushing them slightly with a wooden spoon, condensed soup, brown sugar, dry mustard, and garlic powder. Simmer over very low heat for about 30 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and olives, if using.
    Browning ground beef with onion and bell peppers in a skillet.
  • Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in a large pot of well salted boiling water for about 1 minute less than the package directions for al dente. Drain well.
    Boiled egg noodles in a colander.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a large rectangular baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Remove the sauce mixture from the heat; toss with the cooked noodles.
    Process shot showing how to make Johnny Marzetti in a Dutch oven.
  • Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.
    Overhead shot of a serving spoon in a pan of johnny marzetti casserole.

Notes

  • Omit the green olives and/or sliced mushrooms if your family doesn't care for those ingredients.
  • 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 to make it spicy, or include chili powder for a zestier flavor.
  • Boil the noodles in well-salted water. This is your opportunity to really season the pasta.
  • Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than al dente. The noodles will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to slightly under-boil them so that they don’t become mushy after baking.
  • Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, basil or oregano) for a bright, fresh touch. Sliced green onions are also good!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the casserole | Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 413mg | Potassium: 594mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 3.5mg