I can still remember the first time that my Mom made this recipe. She modified a basic casserole that someone had given to her and added the oregano and some old cheddar. Over the years, I have made a few changes. I use whatever vegetables I have on hand and like to add cheese to middle of the casserole as well.
It is a lovely recipe for a Friday evening. You can make it the night before; take it out of the fridge and pop it in the oven. Serve it with some nice crispy bread and a green salad. I like to serve it with my Greek Salad, since the oregano in both complement each other.
Macaroni Vegetable Casserole
Print recipe| Serves | 4 - 5 |
Ingredients
- 1 Lb. or 500 gm lean ground beef
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red or green or yellow sweet pepper (chopped)
- 3/4 cups chopped celery
- 1 or 2 zucchinis (diced)
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 2 1/2 Cups raw Scoobi Doo noodles (may be called Succhietto (a twisted spiral shape). You may also just use your favorite shaped pasta)
- 1 Tsp salt
- 1 1/2 Tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 Tsp oregano
- 1 14 oz (398 ml) tin chopped tomatoes (low salt)
- 1 1/2 Cups grated old cheddar (I sometimes use Asiago cheese or a combination of both)
Optional
- 1 Tbsp freshly chopped basil
Directions
| Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until cooked. Drain and rinse with cold water | |
|
Chop the onion, garlic, celery, zucchini, pepper, mushrooms. I always add the onion, garlic and peppers, but you can experiment with the other vegetables, according to your tastes.  | |
| Heat a large frying pan on the stove and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the butter has melted add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is translucent and soft. | |
|
Add the ground beef to the mixture and using a spatula, break up the meat and stir the mixture until the meat has been browned. Add the oregano, pepper and salt and mix thoroughly. Then add the other fresh vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.  | |
| Carefully stir in the tomaotoes and cooked pasta to the mixture. You may need to add a quarter cup of water if the mixture seems dry. | |
| Grease one large (or two medium casseroles) and fill it half way. Sprinkle about a half cup of cheese (divide if using two casseroles). Put the remaining mixture on top of the cheese. Top with the remaining cheese. | |
| Bake in a 350 deg F oven for 30 minutes (covered) and then for another 10 minutes uncovered until bubbly. | |
| Serve with a bit of fresh basil sprinkled on top, with a loaf of crusty bread and a nice salad. | |
| Frozen Casserole | |
| If you have made two casseroles, then you can freeze one. Defrost it before cooking. If it has been in the fridge or is still a little cold, extend the cooking time until the mixture is bubbly. | |