Johnny Marzetti
This is a recipe that has been around for decades! I never knew why it was called Johnny Marzetti and I’m sure many of my Ohio friends and family didn’t either. I find this to be a fascinating story of how this recipe came about and what other product is still in existence today…hint….Marzetti. Read what http://www.Wikipedia.org states about how the name and recipe Johnny Marzetti originated followed by my step by step directions to make this delicious dish!
Source: All information below was taken from the Wikipedia website.
Ingredients
In a large pan cook the noodles according to the package directions and drain.
In a large frying pan add the onion and ground beef.
Season with the salt and pepper and cook over medium heat
until the onions are tender and the ground beef is no longer pink.
Add the tomato soup and sugar.
Mix well.
Spray a 4 qt casserole dish with cooking oil.
Add half of the noodles to the casserole dish.
Add half the hamburger mixture on top of the noodles.
Add six pieces of cheese on top of the hamburger mixture tearing them in half
to make them fit then repeat using the last half of ingredients in the same order.
Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and bake with
a lid in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the lid carefully and let sit for five minutes then serve.
Johnny Marzetti
http://www.InDianesKitchen.com
Ingredients
- 16 oz wide noodles
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 – 10.75 oz cans tomato soup
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 12 slices American Cheese
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large deep pan boil the noodles according to the package directions & drain.
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the onion and ground beef until the onion is tender and ground beef is no longer pink.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomato soup and sugar and mix well.
- Spray a 4 quart oven safe casserole dish with cooking oil.
- Place half the noodles in the casserole dish. Top with half the hamburger mixture.
- Top with six slices of the cheese breaking them in half to fit.
- Repeat in the same order with other half of the ingredients.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top.
- Bake with a lid for 45 minutes.
- Carefully remove the lid and let sit for 5 minutes then serve.
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Categories: Casseroles, Ground Beef, Pasta
🙂 interesting story, interesting dish
Yes it really is and I was surprised I didn’t know it! Thank you for reading about it!
😁 it was fun to know
This sounds so good! I’ve never heard of it! Do you think it’s absolutely necessary to add the sugar, so what does it contribute? (I’m terrible at knowing what purpose certain ingredients serve sometimes and if they can be eliminated without changing something important!) I have to avoid excess sugar as much as possible so just wondering. Thanks yet again for another great recipe!
Yes you can leave it out. I adapted this recipe to our own liking. The old recipe I had put 2 Tbsp of sugar in it! I just find the sugar gives it a slightly different taste but it will be fine without.
Good to know, thank you!!
Sounds Italian to me but never heard of it myself. Looks ready to eat and so why not?
Created in the USA and uses American Cheese so not Italian but so good!
I work at Alfred State College in western New York. The dining hall serves a similar dish here that they call “meat cheese and noodle casserole”. Everyone loves it! Thanks for sharing this!
You’re welcome it is really a delicious meal!
I know of this dish and also had no idea that’s what its name was. Interesting!
I know right! And I have lived in Ohio my whole life!
Thanks for the dinner idea tonight!
You’re welcome! Enjoy!
just delicious!
I will ask my Ohio-transplant friends if they know of this. In any case, it looks scrumptious!
I have lived in Ohio my entire life and I didn’t know it! I even have relatives in Columbus! Thanks!
How did you like the dish?
I have made this for years. It is one of our favorites! The only thing I didn’t like was that all I got was a small bowl before it was all gone!
Maybe set aside a “Me portion” before serving, next time.
Looks tasty
Thank you!
I’m actually going to try this in that big Ninja I ended up with – heck – it says it has a baking cycle. We’ll see…. 🙂
Check the directions first. The only thing I baked in it so far was a cake. It turned out fantastic but I put it in the small pan that came with the Ninja and on top of the metal rack. I think if you bake in it you need the food to be off the bottom which is what they include the metal rack. I just don’t want to see you destroy your dinner….lol
Thanks, I’ll look into that.
You’re welcome!
What a yummy pasta al forno 😀😍
This recipe is fantastic 😁
Ciao
Sid
Thank you so much!
I was reading this to my grandson to see if would like it this evening. I got as far as the – “Add six pieces of cheese on top of the hamburger mixture tearing them in half” when he piped up and said – “no way! You can’t tear them in half”. LOL!
Hahahaha how funny! How old is he?
Eleven in a few weeks. 🙂
Well tell him Happy Birthday!
this is an addiction in our home…I make a large batch and freeze it to have as an emergency feel good dinner on hand!
Hahaha I can totally understand that! I made that 4 quart casserole dish and all I got was a small bowl!
Back in the mid 1950’s my mother decided to make this dish. The recipe came on the back of a Marzetti bag of noodles. I know the noodles were made in Ohio. They advertised on Cleveland television stations back then. My mother was not much of a cook but she gave it a try and loved it. I think she saw the dish being demonstrated on TV. I can still see her putting that in the oven to bake. We had Johnny Marzetti often growing up. The cellophane wrapper for years sat in her recipe box. She liked to garden and can her produce but…she burnt things and over cooked things.
Aw…. she tried. One thing that spoils a good recipe is overcooking it or burning it. Thanks for sharing your memory!
Looks tasty … going to try this one Diane.
Hope you love it as much as we do!
I am sure I will.
Looks so cheesy and of course it must be delicious too😋
Oh yes very delicious! Thanks!
Thank you so much, Diane! I have often thought of this childhood school favorite, trying to remember what was in it. I make a goulash that is on this order but not quite the same tasting. Guess what’s for supper?! Lol!
You’ve truly made my day! <3
That’s great enjoy dinner!!!!
This was served in my junior high lunch room. A major favorite! (I’m from Ohio😄 But I never knew this was a regional thing. Now I live in Wisconsin and have never seen it here, so that makes sense.)
Don’t feel bad I have lived in Ohio my entire life and didn’t know either! It is so good!
Looks like a quick fix Lasagna. I bet it tastes good!
It is very good. I have been making this for years! Thank you Valerie!
I think this is the perfect mash up of Italy and the Midwest. After such a filling meal, maybe you would like a light dessert? Here is a recipe for a cold blueberry dessert – https://newclassicrecipe.com/2021/10/11/blueberry-cheesecake-shooter-a-perfect-ending/
Oh yes, a wonderful dessert! Thank you Bernadette 💕
This looks fantastic, Diane! What a perfect opportunity to get out my Corningware casserole dish! Thank you for sharing the recipe and it’s history.
Thank you Kellye! My grandson is spending the week with us and he wanted to try it.