Cheesy Hamburger Casserol (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Meat Sauce Basics

01 - 1 can (28 ounces) pureed tomatoes or your choice of pasta sauce
02 - ½ teaspoon paprika
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced finely
04 - 1 large onion, chopped into small pieces
05 - Salt to taste (2-3 good pinches)
06 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
07 - Freshly cracked black pepper, as much as you like
08 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil like canola
09 - 1½ pounds of ground lean beef

→ Assembly Ingredients

10 - 1 box of macaroni (16 ounces) or a similar medium-sized pasta shape
11 - ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
12 - ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

# Instructions:

01 - Warm up the oil over medium heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Toss in the chopped onion with about a ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir now and then, letting it soften and turn clear, about 5-7 minutes, making sure it doesn’t color.
02 - Add the ground beef to your softened onions. Break it up as it cooks with your spoon or spatula. Once there's no pink left, usually 8-10 minutes, you can pour off any extra grease if needed.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and let it cook for around 30 seconds, just until you can really smell it. Sprinkle in oregano, paprika, another pinch of salt, and some black pepper. Mix everything together well.
04 - Add the can of tomato puree to your meat mixture and stir to combine. Let this come to a soft simmer, drop the heat to low, cover lightly, and simmer gently for about an hour. Stir it every so often - this slow cooking builds layers of flavor.
05 - With about 15 minutes left on the sauce, get a big pot of salted water boiling. Toss in the pasta and cook it till it’s still very firm, about half the time on the box directions (usually 3-4 minutes). Drain and set it aside.
06 - Combine the partially cooked pasta with the meat sauce, stirring gently to coat all the noodles. Taste and add a little extra salt or pepper if you think it needs it.
07 - You can either leave everything in the oven-safe skillet or move it to a large baking dish (around 9x13 inches). Cover it with foil. If you’re planning to save it, you can stick it in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze it for a few weeks at this point.
08 - Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). If you’re starting with a dish straight from the fridge, bake it covered for about 45 minutes until it’s bubbling all around the edges. If it’s at room temp, you’ll only need 30 minutes.
09 - Once it’s hot all through, pull off the foil and sprinkle the cheddar and mozzarella evenly on top. Switch your oven to broil on high.
10 - Pop the dish under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it the whole time - the cheese should melt and get lightly golden, but it can burn quickly. Let it sit for 5 minutes once it’s out before you dive in.

# Notes:

01 - A better Homemade Hamburger Helper that’s easy to whip up and lets you know exactly what’s in it for those busy nights.
02 - This makes a large portion, great for eating half now and saving half in the freezer for another day.
03 - Amp up the flavor with extras like a dash of Worcestershire sauce or some Italian seasoning in the sauce.

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