Easy Rotelle Pasta Casserole is comfort food to the max. All gets tossed together and baked for a cozy meal the whole family will love.
Italian style casseroles are welcome any season of the year. Just ask my husband. If I am not sure what to make for dinner he'll say pasta.
When that pasta is all layered in a casserole then all the better. All that's left to place on the table is crusty bread and a salad.
My preference is to pre-cook pasta before putting together the casserole.
I know there are many recipes when you can throw in the uncooked pasta and bake it all at once but I really do taste all the extra starch.
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Do you have boxes and bags of different kinds of pasta in your cupboards? Me too! Actually, I am a visual type of person so all my pasta, beans and rice are in large kitchen jars, right on my shelves.
I had Ed build me two levels of shelves on the bottom end of each counter and it looks so pretty. Easy to see at a glance too.
One problem that I think lots of people have is trying to find things in their cupboards. The glass jars solve a lot of my problems.
Another helpful cabinet I have is a shallow one. It's only 8" deep on the side cabinets and 10" deep in the center. Ed built it for me to look like a built in cabinet.
That took about 10 years to get but he is very happy with it too. Whew! Two can deep and two cans high and I can find things with a snap of the fingers.
So I started pulling out the ingredients for Easy Rotelle Pasta Casserole and I was ready to go in about 2 minutes.
Did I mention everything is probably already in your cupboard? Go for it and get your ingredients lined up too so that you can have a delicious supper tonight.
🥘 Ingredients
- Rotelle pasta - circular paste that holds lots of sauce.
- Meatless ground beef - adds more taste and texture to the casserole.
- Coconut oil - a delicious oil that great for browning.
- White onion - is more tender than yellow onion and stands out well in taste.
- Tomatoes - for that true Italian sauce.
- Tomato paste - concentrated rich tomatoes.
- Water - for thinning out the sauce and then you cook it down again.
- Dried oregano - is aromatic and has an earthy flavor.
- Garlic powder - goes a long way in the flavor department by using just a little bit.
- Dairy-free cheese - a white cheese such as mozarella would be perfect.
🔪 Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to directions and then set aside. It is usually about 8 to 10 minutes.
- In a large skillet add coconut oil and heat to medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes.
- To the skillet add the plant-based ground beef. Separate with a wooden spoon and cook a minute or so until it resembles small crumbles.
- Add the remaining ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and then lower heat, cover, and cook 15 minutes.
- Turn off the stovetop.
- Add the pasta and incorporate it into the sauce.
- Pour everything into a large 9" x 13" casserole and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle the grated dairy-free cheese over the top.
- Bake in a 350°F degree oven for 20 minutes.
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📋 Recipe
📋 Recipe
Easy Rotelle Pasta Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 box rotelle pasta 12 to 16 ounces
- 1 package meatless ground beef 12 to 16 ounces, such as Gardein
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ cup onion white, diced
- 14 ounces tomatoes can diced, can be 15 ounces
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 ounces dairy-free cheese grated, such as mozarella
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to directions and then set aside. It is usually about 8 to 10 minutes.
- In a large skillet add coconut oil and heat to medium high heat.
- Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes.
- To the skillet add the plant based ground beef. Separate with a wooden spoon and cook a minute or so until it resembles small crumbles.
- Add the remaining ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and then lower heat, cover and cook 15 minutes.
- Turn off the stove top.
- Add the pasta and incorporate it into the sauce.
- Pour everything into a large 9" x 13" casserole and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle the grated dairy free cheese over the top.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Rebecca
Its funny when I first read it my mind went to Rotel.. the canned tomato and peppers. Then I read the recipe and figured it out but still got to thinking I wonder if the can of diced tomatoes could be substituted with a can of Rotel. A touch of a change with the herbs and voila a tex mex noodle dish (maybe some black olives) Have you or any of your followers tried that yet?
Rebecca
Oops.. I also forgot to ask about freezing directions 😉
Ginny McMeans
Ha! I forgot to add the freezing instructions. I will get that done today. Thanks for waking up my brain. 🙂
Hannah
This looks so good and cozy! I'm often tempted by those recipes that suggest just adding dry pasta, but I'm ultimately not comfortable with it. I'm always worried that it won't cook, or that it will cook too much. Like you, I'd rather just cook the pasta first 🙂
Ginny McMeans
Huge thumbs up Hannah!
Katrina Luch
Hello, this looks amazing! I' can't wait to try it. Are there freezer directions?
Ginny McMeans
Thank you Katrina! Yes, I added some information for freezing below the recipe. You will love it 🙂
Marika Wiesen
What about making ahead? Would you just make the whole thing or is there some part you can do ahead (like everything up to baking it?) and stick in freezer? Thanks!
Ginny McMeans
Yes, you make the whole thing and put in the freezer before baking using freezer safe container. Complete directions for casserole freezing is at http://veganinthefreezer.com/preparing-food-for-the-freezer/
Marcelo Johnstad
I put this casserole together when I needed something quick and easy that kids and adults would both enjoy. It s my go-to recipe when I need to make dinner for a new mom or a friend that is sick. It s a quick weeknight meal and we usually have it with a salad and garlic bread. This easy pasta casserole freezes well if you want to make it ahead of time, but it only takes about 30 minutes to make on a busy weeknight.
Ginny McMeans
You couldn't have made me happier or said it better. Thanks Marcelo!
Siena
My kids loved this. It was so easy to put together and love that it's a casserole.