Pour canned tomato sauce and these 2 ingredients over uncooked elbow macaroni into a baking dish for a cozy weeknight meal you'll crave over and over

This oven-baked, 4-ingredient Amish-style Johnny Marzetti is the kind of cozy, no-fuss casserole that fits right into a busy Midwestern weeknight. It takes its cue from the classic church-basement pasta bakes you still see at potlucks across Ohio and Indiana, but it’s streamlined for modern life: you literally pour canned tomato sauce and two pantry-friendly ingredients over uncooked elbow macaroni in a baking dish, slide it into the oven, and let the heat do the rest. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, soaking up all that tomato flavor while the cheese melts into a comforting, old-fashioned casserole that tastes like it’s been simmering all afternoon.

Serve this Johnny Marzetti straight from the baking dish with a simple green salad—think crisp romaine or mixed greens with a tangy vinaigrette—to balance the richness of the pasta and cheese. Garlic bread or buttered toast soldiers are perfect for scooping up the saucy edges. If you’d like a bit more color on the plate, add steamed green beans or roasted broccoli. A light red wine like a Montepulciano or a glass of iced tea works nicely alongside, and leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day.

Servings: 6

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a bit of oil or nonstick spray so the pasta doesn’t stick.

Spread the uncooked elbow macaroni evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. This is your base layer; no need to boil the pasta first.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is fully browned and no pink remains, 6–8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat so the casserole doesn’t become greasy.

Sprinkle the cooked, drained ground beef evenly over the layer of dry elbow macaroni in the baking dish, making sure it’s fairly well distributed so each bite gets some meat.

Pour the canned tomato sauce slowly and evenly over the beef and uncooked macaroni, making sure to cover the pasta as much as possible. Use the back of a spoon to gently nudge the sauce into the corners and down between the noodles so they’re mostly submerged.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup for later to create a bubbly, golden finish.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. This traps steam and allows the elbow macaroni to cook through in the tomato sauce without drying out.

Bake the covered casserole in the preheated oven for 45–55 minutes, or until the pasta is tender when you poke into the center with a fork and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Carefully remove the foil, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and lightly bubbling.

Let the Johnny Marzetti rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This short rest helps the sauce thicken slightly and makes it easier to scoop neat portions from the baking dish.

For a slightly heartier, more traditional church-supper feel, you can swap half of the ground beef for ground pork or mild Italian sausage—just cook and drain it the same way. If you prefer a bit of sweetness, use a basil-and-garlic seasoned tomato sauce or stir a teaspoon of sugar into plain sauce before pouring it over the macaroni. To stretch the dish for a crowd, increase the pasta to 3 cups and the tomato sauce to 4 cups, adding an extra 1/2 cup of water to ensure the noodles cook through. A layer of finely chopped onion or bell pepper can be sautéed with the beef for more flavor, and a pinch of dried oregano or Italian seasoning stirred into the sauce echoes the classic Midwestern spaghetti-night profile. For a creamier version, swap 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce for 1/2 cup of heavy cream or whole milk, which will give the finished casserole a softer, richer texture. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat covered in a low oven with a splash of water or extra sauce to keep the pasta from drying out.