Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz. penne/ziti/rigatoni pasta
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 can (15 oz.) fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
- 6 oz. pepperoni, diced
- 1 can (4 oz.) chopped/sliced black olives
- 2–3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Parmesan and parsley/basil for topping
Instructions
- Cook the pasta till just before al dente. Drain and set aside
- While pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef over medium high heat until cooked. Spoon out any excess fat and set cooked beef aside
- In the same pan, saute onions and garlic in some oil until fragrant, about 2 minutes
- Add bell peppers and saute for another 3 minutes until vegetables sweat
- Add in beef, fire roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to a gentle boil
- Reduce heat to medium and add in pepperoni, olives, sugar, bouillon cubes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste and red wine (optional)
- Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes
- Combine pasta with pasta sauce and toss to mix
- Arrange in a 9×13 casserole dish and top with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until bubbly
- For optional more cheese browning, broil in the middle rack at 450 degrees F for 2-3 minutes
- Dish and serve hot with Parmesan cheese, parsley or basil