A simple yet delicious ground beef casserole with a little southwestern tang to it. It's a great base to start with and adjust to your family's vegetable ingredient liking. Use a spicy salsa if you like...
Southwestern Pasta Casserole
Servings: 6 Difficulty Level: 2 (of 5) Prep Time: 15 minutes Ready In: <60 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 pound small pasta (macaroni, medium shells, ziti, etc.)
• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 8 ounces grated cheese (Mexican 4-cheese or cheddar/mozzarella mix)
• 1 pound (16 ounces) salsa
PROCEDURE:
• Preheat the oven to 150°.
• Coat a 9x13” casserole dish non-stick spray.
• Cook the pasta until a minute or two shy of being Al dente. It will cook further later on.
• Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large saute pan. Drain off the grease. Add the black beans and diced tomatoes and warm through. Add the cooked pasta and toss to combine.
• Pour 1/2 of the meat mixture into the casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of the grated cheese, then 1/2 of the salsa. Repeat the process for the second layer.
• Bake for 35 minutes. Serve with fresh, hot cornbread or warm flour tortillas.
Enjoy,
CHEF PHIL
