Macaroni Casserole (No-Boil, Simple Baked Pasta Dinner)

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This simple no-boil macaroni casserole is made with floor turkey and greens, with the pasta cooking proper within the sauce. Easy to prep, comforting, and minimal cleanup.

Simple Macaroni Casserole

This simple, no-boil Macaroni Casserole is a longtime favourite for a cause. As a substitute of cooking the pasta individually, the macaroni bakes proper within the dish with the sauce and water, absorbing taste because it cooks. The result’s a comfy, comforting casserole with fewer steps and fewer cleanup—no further pot required. It’s the identical streamlined methodology I exploit in my Sausage Macaroni Casserole, and it’s good for busy nights while you need one thing heat, easy, and satisfying.

Why This Recipe Works

I come from the college of cooking pasta in loads of water, so when somebody kindly shared this recipe with me over a decade in the past, I gained’t lie, I used to be skeptical! However I liked the end result, and since then I’ve made it many instances, tweaking it to my style. We find it irresistible!

Household-friendly: Nice for youths and even sneaks in some veggies!
One-pan comfort: No have to boil the macaroni individually. It bakes in the identical dish as all the pieces else.
Simple to make forward and bake proper earlier than dinner. It reheats properly, too!

Substances You’ll Want

Right here’s extra information on all of the macaroni casserole components. See the recipe card beneath for the precise measurements.

93% Lean Floor Turkey retains it gentle whereas including protein.
Olive Oil for sautéing the veggies
Greens: Onion, pink bell pepper, celery, carrots, and mushrooms (white button or child bella)
Diced Tomatoes: Drain a can of petite-diced tomatoes. For those who don’t have petite tomatoes, common diced tomatoes may even work.
Marinara: Make my fast marinara sauce or use your favourite jarred sauce to save lots of time.
Water: Though we’re not boiling the pasta individually, we nonetheless want water to assist it cook dinner within the oven.
Seasoning: Kosher salt and Italian seasoning
Mozzarella Cheese: I used whole-milk mozzarella on prime as a result of I like my cheese melty and gooey, however you should use part-skim mozzarella in case you favor.
Elbows (AKA macaroni): I by no means used to love complete wheat pasta till I tried DeLallo. I’m so impressed with the way it tastes. It’s change into my household’s favourite.

The best way to Make Simple Macaroni Casserole

After making the tomato sauce with turkey and greens, mix all the pieces with the raw pasta in a dish and bake till heat and tacky. See the recipe card on the backside for printable instructions.

Brown the bottom turkey in a nonstick skillet. Season with salt, then break it into smaller items because it cooks. Switch to a plate.
Sauté the greens: Add the oil, then cook dinner the onion, bell pepper, celery, and carrots till tender.
Mix all the pieces: Add the turkey to the greens together with the mushrooms, diced tomatoes, marinara, water, salt, and Italian seasoning.
Simmer: Deliver the skillet to a boil, scale back the warmth, and simmer for 20 minutes. Style the sauce to verify the flavour; add extra salt or Italian seasoning if wanted.
Assemble the macaroni casserole: Spoon the turkey combination right into a 9-by- 13-inch pan to cowl the underside. Then layer with the raw macaroni, the remaining sauce, and mozzarella.
Bake: Cowl the dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes. Let it relaxation for quarter-hour earlier than serving.

Variations

Meat choices: Swap turkey for floor rooster or sirloin. You possibly can additionally use candy or spicy Italian turkey sausage.Marinara Sauce: Save time and use your favourite jarred sauce.
Vegetarian macaroni casserole: Skip the turkey and add extra veggies.
Don’t like mushrooms? Omit them. Be happy so as to add extra of one other vegetable or strive one thing new, akin to chopped zucchini, yellow squash, or eggplant.
Swap water with rooster broth for extra taste or rooster bone broth for further protein.
No Italian seasoning? Season the casserole with dried oregano, parsley, thyme, or a mix of all three. You possibly can additionally use onion and garlic powders.
Make it spicy: Use a spicy marinara or add crushed pink pepper flakes.
Pasta: Use any small pasta form, akin to ditilini, or mini shells. It’s also possible to use common pasta, which cooks sooner than complete wheat, so verify it round 30 to 40 minutes.
Can I exploit cooked pasta? For those who favor to boil the macaroni individually, omit the water and bake the casserole for 25 minutes, or till heated by way of.
Dairy-free pasta: Skip the cheese or use a plant-based various.
Wash even fewer dishes. Brown the turkey and sauté the greens in a Dutch oven. After the sauce simmers, stir within the pasta, prime with cheese, and bake in the identical pot.

Correct Storage

Can I make this baked macaroni casserole forward of time? If you wish to assemble it early, put together it by way of step 8. Cowl the dish with foil and refrigerate for as much as 24 hours. Whereas the oven preheats, let it sit at room temperature, then bake as instructed.
Refrigerate leftover baked pasta for as much as 4 days.
Not feeding many individuals? Halve this recipe and bake it in a 9-by-9-inch baking dish to serve 4.
The best way to freeze after baking: Let the casserole cool earlier than freezing. For particular person servings for future lunches, retailer the pasta in 1.5-cup glass containers. Alternatively, freeze half in a bigger dish for a future household dinner. Leftovers will maintain for as much as 3 months within the freezer.
The best way to thaw: Place the dish within the fridge the day earlier than consuming. Then microwave or bake at 350°F till heat.

For extra dinner concepts utilizing macaroni, try these 5 scrumptious pasta recipes to encourage your subsequent meal!

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook dinner: 1 hour 30 minutes

standing time: 15 minutes

Complete: 2 hours

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Dimension: 1 /sixth slice

Cook dinner Mode

In a big deep non-stick skillet, brown the bottom turkey over excessive warmth till cooked by way of, seasoning with a pinch of salt and breaking it up into smaller items because it cooks. Put aside on a dish.
Add olive oil to the skillet, scale back warmth to medium and add the onion, pink pepper, celery and carrots; sauté till the greens comfortable, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Return the turkey to the skillet together with the remaining components apart from the pasta and cheese. Deliver to a boil after which decrease warmth to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Whereas simmering, warmth oven to 350°F.
Spoon simply sufficient of the turkey/vegetable combination to cowl the underside of a 9×13 pan. Cowl with raw pasta. Spoon remaining sauce combination evenly excessive and sprinkle with cheese.
Cowl with foil and bake 50-55 minutes. Take away from oven and let stand, coated, for quarter-hour.
Divide into 6 servings.

Final Step:

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Serving: 1 /sixth slice, Energy: 456 kcal, Carbohydrates: 40.5 g, Protein: 28.5 g, Fats: 19.5 g, Saturated Fats: 8 g, Ldl cholesterol: 89.5 mg, Sodium: 825 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 85 g