Description
Bolognese Pasta Bake is a comforting dish made with layers of pasta, rich bolognese sauce, and a blend of delicious cheeses, baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
- 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and Italian sausage and cook until no longer pink. Drain the excess grease.
- Pour the dry white wine over the meat, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the wine has mostly evaporated.
- Add the milk and simmer for about 8-10 minutes, until evaporated.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, sea salt, pepper, ground nutmeg, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, cook the rotini pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain well.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Remove the bay leaves from the bolognese sauce. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the prepared 9×13 casserole dish. Add half of the cooked rotini, then layer on more sauce. Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture over the sauce, followed by the remaining pasta. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the sauce is hot and bubbling.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute ground turkey for a lighter option.
- Add vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms for extra nutrition.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg