Beef Ragu Italiano
Beef Ragu Italiano is a fantastic family meal that has all the best parts about Italian food. It has a wonderfully flavored ragu that simmers to perfection and a ton of noodles. But the best part is the super creamy, out of this world, cheesy topping--which comes together so nicely on the stove.Once the prep work is out of the way, this comforting beef and noodle casserole bakes to perfection in 30 minutes! It also stores well and makes a great leftover on a busy weeknight.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni
For the ragu:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ¼ cup chopped green pepper
- 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon sweet basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For the cheese sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Before starting: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente; drain in colander Chop onions and pepper
- In a large saucepan, make the ragu. Cook ground beef with onions and pepper over medium heat until beef is browned; drain excess grease.
- Add 1 & ¼ cups of the tomato sauce, water, seasonings (for the ragu portion of the recipe) and sugar. Bring to a boil and then cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter. Add the flour and gradually blend in milk. Stir constantly and cook until thick.
- Remove from heat and add cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until cheese melts.
- Transfer beef ragu to prepared 3-quart casserole dish or 13x9 baking dish. Top with cooked macaroni.
- Smother the noodles in the cheese sauce. Then drizzle the remaining tomato sauce on top. Use a spoon to gently spread the sauce so that it covers the cheese.
- Bake uncovered in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within five days. Once cooled, you may also freeze leftovers in freezer-safe packaging for up to 3 months.
- Reheat leftovers in a covered casserole dish. Bake in 350° oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Defrost frozen leftovers overnight in the fridge first before following these instructions.
Notes
I always use 85% or above ground beef for this recipe.
If you don't have Italian seasoning, you may use oregano instead.
You may substitute spaghetti sauce for the tomato sauce. If you choose this option, omit the Italian seasoning and sugar.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!