Description
Indulge in this hearty baked pasta, layered with rich parmesan béchamel, savory meat sauce, and gooey mozzarella, perfect for any comfort food craving.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb dry pasta shells
- 4 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sweat for 4-5 minutes until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic to the onions and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef to the pan, cooking until browned and fully cooked through. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in the tomato paste and tomato puree, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour to form a roux, cooking for about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, ensuring there are no lumps. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the béchamel sauce from heat and stir in the grated parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
- In a large baking dish, layer half of the cooked pasta shells, followed by half of the meat sauce, and half of the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, meat sauce, béchamel, and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let the baked pasta cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy with garlic bread if desired.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, omit the ground beef and add sautéed mushrooms or zucchini. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven for best results. You can substitute penne or ziti for the pasta shells if preferred.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 30
- Carbohydrates: 70
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 90