My husband grew up on this in Ohio and taught me to make it just like his mom

This Oven Baked Johnny Marzetti casserole combines elbow macaroni, seasoned ground beef, and classic tomato sauce under a thick layer of melted cheddar cheese. By tossing the pasta and sauce with cheese before topping and baking, every forkful stays rich, saucy, and wonderfully stretchy.

Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Johnny Marzetti

Ingredients:

Step-By-Step Directions:

1. Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 2 to 3-quart white oval baking dish.

2. Boil macaroni: Cook the elbow macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until just shy of al dente (1 to 2 minutes less than package directions). Drain well.

3. Brown beef and add sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it into crumbles. Drain excess fat, pour in the tomato pasta sauce, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes before removing from heat.

4. Mix casserole: Combine the drained macaroni, beef and tomato sauce mixture, and 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese in a large bowl, stirring until evenly mixed.

5. Layer and top: Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish in a flat layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.

6. Bake and rest: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot, bubbling around the edges, and the top cheese is fully melted and lightly golden. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving warm straight from the dish.