Who says casseroles always have to be drenched in cream sauce? Tomato and mozarella can provide for a much-needed departure fro the norm. We simply can’t get enough of our Mediterranean macaroni casserole: Easy and quick to make, delicious and rich. Try it out today!
Quick & Yummy: Our Mediterranean Macaroni Casserole
Some days, there’s nothing better than a quick meal that you can just pop in the oven while you go off and relax. Our Mediterranean macaroni casserole is just such the dish for night like that. Zucchini and bell peppers combine in perfect harmony with salty olives and aromatic tomato sauce. Mouthwateringly melted mozarella on top completes the meal, and did we mention how wonderful it smells?
Prepping our Mediterranean macaroni casserole is really no biggie. Just make sure to cook the macaroni only al dente, as the noodles will continue cooking in the oven. As your noodles cook, you can sauté the zucchini and bell peppers. You could theoretically skip this step, but then again, you’d be missing out on some seriously gorgeous aromas! Once everything is ready, pour the tomato sauce directly into the casserole dish. Add in the pasta and vegetables, some olives, and a generous portion of mozzarella. Finally, pop that bad boy in the oven and kick your feet up as a symphony of Mediterranean aromas take you away!
The great thing about our Mediterranean macaroni casserole is that you can adapt it to your taste. If you don’t like zucchini or bell peppers, swap in other vegetables. Other Mediterranean-oriented veg like eggplants, asparagus, and extra tomatoes would place just as well with this recipe. But, really, we’ll leave the final call up to the chef – buon appetito!
Looking for other Mediterranean-inspired casseroles? Our oven-baked macaroni alla Mamma and macaroni Bolognese casserole are sure to please. If you have a little more time and energy on your hands, our five lasagna recipes are real winners.
MEDITERRANEAN MACARONI CASSEROLE
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Total time: 40 min
- Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb macaroni
- 2 zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- Olive oil, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- A few sprigs of thyme
- ¼ cup black or green olives
- 1 (8 oz.) package shredded mozzarella
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook the macaroni according to package directions al dente.
- Cut the zucchini and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Peel and dice the garlic and onion.
- In a pan, sauté the zucchini and bell pepper in some olive oil and season with salt, pepper and half of the garlic.
- Pour a can of tomatoes into a baking dish, along with the onion, remaining garlic, some olive oil, salt and pepper, and a few sprigs of thyme. Mix everything well.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce along with the vegetables and olives. Mix everything and sprinkle the mozzarella on top.
- Bake the casserole at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.