Large pot
Colander
9x13 Baking Dish
- 2 pounds ground beef or use ground turkey, sausage, plant-based crumbles, or chicken
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil if needed
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 2 red bell peppers trimmed, seeded, and diced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms diced
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 red Fresno chili pepper cut and minced, or use crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sweet bell pepper flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 12- ounce jars ricotta tomato sauce or use 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
- 1 15- ounce can diced tomatoes
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces shredded Italian cheese blend I used a provolone and mozzarella mix)
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Brown the beef:
Place a wide pot on the stove over medium-high heat. If needed, add a drizzle of neutral oil. Add the beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, for 15 minutes until completely cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Cook the aromatics:
If needed, add more oil to the pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms and cook for 10–15 minutes until they begin to turn golden brown around the edges. Add the garlic and minced chili pepper and cook for 1 minute—season with salt and pepper.
Bloom the spices:
Melt the butter into the pot. Once bubbly, add the thyme, paprika, and bell pepper flakes if used. Cook for 1 minute.
Brown the tomato paste:
Add the tomato paste to the pot and stir to coat the aromatics in the paste. Cook for 2 minutes until the paste deepens in color.
Pour in the reserved pasta cooking water and stir to combine until a smooth sauce forms.
Finish the mixture:
Add the reserved ground beef, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and cooked macaroni to the pot. Add half of the cheddar cheese and half of the Italian cheese mix and stir until evenly combined. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and sugar if needed. Turn off the heat.
Bake the Johnny Marzetti:
Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 30g | Sodium: 464mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin C: 34mg