All-In-One Italian Bake

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All-In-One Italian Bake

All-In-One Italian Bake
SERVES
8
COOK TIME
30 Min

Easy Italian recipes are sometimes hard to come by. Well, a quick stop at the dairy aisle was all it took to inspire us to whip up this easy, cheesy casserole. Plus, with June being National Dairy Food Month, we couldn't think of a better time to take advantage of all the sales that can be found in our supermarket's dairy case. So grab a spoon and dig into our All-In-One Italian Bake! It's always a praise-worthy recipe.

What You'll Need

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 (11-ounce) package refrigerated French bread loaf
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Fresh chopped parsley (optional)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

What to Do

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté ground beef 5 to 7 minutes or until browned; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and the Italian seasoning until well combined. Spoon half the meat mixture into baking dish. Dollop with cheese mixture. (The best way to dollop is to use 2 soup spoons.) Top cheese mixture with remaining meat mixture.
  3. Remove bread loaf from packaging and place on a cutting board. Cut into 18 slices, each about 1/2-inch thick. Place bread rounds evenly over meat mixture. 
  4. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; microwave 15 seconds or until butter is melted.  Brush dough with garlic butter mixture.
  5. Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. 

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Ignore my first comment, please. How I looked at "8" and saw "4", I'll never know.

This looks very good but I wonder if using Italian sausage wouldn't add another interesting layer of flavor.

Yes! Another layer of sausage would be fantastic. Go for it!

Another one to try!

I love casseroles and even with the weather warming up, I still love to have them at least three or four times a month. I just found this on accident and I am really interested in cooking this. I just have to find where they keep the mascarpone cheese in my grocery.

It is refreshing to see an Italian style casserole that isn't pasta based! Rich thick pasta dishes can be a little hot and heavy, especially in the warm summer months. If you don't have mascarpone cheese available, or if it is a bit pricey, ricotta cheese works just fine! This kind of looks like a meaty, cheesy, lasagna flavored "dip," so it would make a great party food too!

It is refreshing to see an Italian style casserole that isn't pasta based! Rich thick pasta dishes can be a little hot and heavy, especially in the warm summer months. If you don't have mascarpone cheese available, or if it is a bit pricey, ricotta cheese works just fine! This kind of looks like a meaty, cheesy, lasagna flavored "dip," so it would make a great party food too!

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