You’re sitting in a small trattoria in Bologna, where the spicy scent of tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs peppers the air. Doesn’t that sound fabulous? Thankfully, you can capture a bit of that magic right at home. Have both the aroma and taste of Italy with our macaroni bolognes casserole.
A Simple Recipe for Macaroni Bolognese Casserole
Bolognese sauce has its roots in Emilia-Romagna. In Italy, the sauce is referred to as “Ragù alla Bolognese” and was invented there as early as the 18th century. Originally intended as a meat sauce for tortellini and tagliatelle, it quickly secured its place in countless variations and still clearly inspires us today.
Combined with macaroni, which originates from the Naples, and melted cheese, our macaroni bolognese casserole is sure to provide a whole lot of culinary happiness.
It’s not only the richness of this dish that’s impressive, but also how simple it is to prepare that is truly astounding. When making your macaroni bolognese casserole, begin by cooking the pasta al dente. Then, fry the ground meat with onions, carrots, garlic, and tomato paste in a pan. Season the mix to taste and then deglaze with red wine. Now add the diced tomatoes and let it simmer briefly. Season the sauce further and stir in the cream. Now, add the pasta to the sauce and pour it into a baking dish. Finally, spread mozzarella over the casserole and bake it in the oven for just under half an hour.
The casserole is ideal for a cozy family evening or for festive occasions where you want to serve your guests a dish that promises both happiness and warmth. With warm wishes from our kitchen to yours: Bon appétit!
Looking for more Italo-inspiration? Try out our oven-baked macaroni alla Mamma, porchetta pork roast stuffed with gnocchi and ground beef or our arancini deep-fried rice balls.
MACARONI BOLOGNESE CASSEROLE
- Prep time: 10 mins
- Cook time: 30 mins
- Total time: 40 mins
- Servings: 4
Necessary tools:
- 1 9×7 inch baking dish
INGREDIENTS
- 9 oz macaroni
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 carrot
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 14 oz ground beef
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella
- Fresh basil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook the macaroni al dente according to package directions. Then rinse with cold water.
- Peel the onion, garlic and carrot. Dice everything.
- Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and carrot. Add the ground beef and fry until crumbly. Add garlic and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper and deglaze with red wine.
- Add the diced tomatoes and simmer the sauce briefly. Season with oregano and simmer for five minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream. Season again with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a baking dish with butter.
- Pour the pasta into the dish and top with the sauce.
- Cut the mozzarella into small pieces and spread it evenly on the casserole.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and then sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.