Easy Rotelle Pasta Casserole

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.

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

Ginny McMeans

Easy Rotelle Pasta Casserole is comfort food to the max.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 35 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Pasta

Servings 6 Squares

Calories 477 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 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.

Notes

IF FREEZING:

Freeze before baking only. Please follow any of the directions defined in my article How to Freeze Food

TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING:

Take out of freezer and put in the refrigerator at least 6 to 8 hours before baking (or the day before). Bake, covered at 350° for 20 minutes and then uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SquareCalories: 477kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 12gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 566mgPotassium: 451mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 715IUVitamin C: 12.4mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 2.1mg

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