CHEESY BEEF AND GREEN BEAN PASTA CASSEROLE

A creamy, cheesy ground-beef casserole with pasta, green beans, onion, tomatoes, cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

Servings: 5–6 | Cook: 20–25 minutes | Prep: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS
- -   1 lb ground beef
- -   12 oz pasta (egg noodles, rotini, penne, shells, or elbow macaroni)
- -   12--16 oz green beans
- -   1/2 medium onion, finely diced
- -   1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes (optional, but recommended)
- -   1 cup chicken broth
- -   1 cup heavy cream
- -   1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, divided
- -   1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
- -   1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
- -   1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
- -   1/2 tsp garlic powder
- -   1/2 tsp onion powder
- -   1/2 tsp salt
- -   1/4 tsp black pepper
- -   1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
- -   Up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, if needed
- -   1--2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the Pasta and Green Beans:
1. Preheat oven to **375°F**.
2. Cook pasta in salted boiling water for about **2 minutes less than package directions**.
3. For fresh green beans, cut into bite-size pieces and add them to the pasta water for the final **4 minutes**. For frozen, add during the final **2--3 minutes**. If canned, drain and add later.
4. Reserve about **1/2 cup pasta water**, then drain.

Brown the Beef and Onion:
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add ground beef and diced onion.
7. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika if using.
8. Cook for **7--9 minutes**, breaking up the beef, until browned and the onion is soft.
9. Drain excess grease.

Make the Creamy Cheese Sauce:
10. Reduce heat to medium.
11. If using tomato paste, stir it into the beef and cook for **1 minute**.
12. Add chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the skillet.
13. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Do not boil aggressively.
14. Simmer **3--5 minutes**, stirring occasionally.
15. Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in: 1 cup cheddar 1/2 cup mozzarella 1/4 cup Parmesan
16. Stir until melted and smooth. Taste before adding additional salt.

Combine:
17. Add cooked pasta and green beans to the cheese sauce.
18. Fold in chopped tomatoes.
19. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
20. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water. It is fine if the mixture is slightly loose because the pasta will absorb sauce in the oven.

Assemble and Bake:
21. Transfer to a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
22. Top with: Remaining 1/2 cup cheddar Remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella Remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan
23. Bake uncovered for **20--25 minutes**, until bubbling around the edges.
24. Broil for **1--2 minutes** for a browned cheese topping, if desired.
25. Rest for **5--10 minutes** before serving.
26. Garnish individual servings with a small amount of chopped cilantro if desired. Cilantro works especially well if you want a slightly fresher finish.

NOTES
- If you have them, one or two of these work well: - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce - 1/2 tsp mustard - A pinch of smoked paprika - Crumbled bacon
- For this version, keep the creamy cheese sauce as the main flavor.
- Save the salsa verde, salsa roja, pesto, and creamy rosa sauce for other meals.