Julie Clark
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Old Fashioned Johnny Marzetti (Ohio’s Original Recipe)
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Johnny Marzetti is a baked casserole of ground beef, Italian sausage, pasta, tomato sauce, and two kinds of melted cheese. It’s an Ohio original that’s been a potluck and church-dinner staple since the early 1900s.
Johnny Marzetti: A Traditional Ohio Caserole
This version comes straight from our family’s table, with the layering trick and cheese combination that keeps it from drying out in the oven.
This easy Johnny Marzetti casserole comes straight from our family’s table, with the layering trick and cheese combination that keeps it from drying out in the oven. Perfect for pasta night! You’ll also love our Ohio shredded chicken sandwiches.
What Home Cooks are Saying
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Tami says, “This recipe is delicious. I did not have the canned diced tomatoes or green peppers on hand so I substituted two cans ( 10 oz. each) of mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Molly says, “This was such a wonderful blast from the past! Excellent version. We made it with ground venison and it was perfect. 💗”
Why this recipe works:
We’ve made this dozens of times for church groups of 25+, and three things keep it from turning into a mushy, bland casserole like so many versions out there:
- Layering the cheese between the pasta and meat sauce (not just on top)
- Using a sausage-and-beef combo for real depth of flavor
- And slightly undercooking the pasta before it goes in the oven so it doesn’t turn to mush during baking.
What Is Johnny Marzetti?
Johnny Marzetti is named after Marzetti’s restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, founded in 1896 by Italian immigrant Teresa Marzetti,. The restaurant served a baked ground beef and noodle casserole with tomato sauce and cheese that became so popular it eventually took on a life of its own in home kitchens. And today you know them for their salad dressings!
Johnny Marzetti vs. Goulash
Johnny Marzetti and American goulash are similar, but they’re not the same dish. Goulash is typically a one-pot stovetop meal with ground beef, pasta and tomato sauce.
Johnny Marzetti is layered with cheese and baked in the oven, which gives it a browned, bubbly top that goulash doesn’t have.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This old fashioned Johnny Marzetti recipe calls for pantry staples:
Elbow macaroni is the traditional choice and what we use here, but rotini, penne, or wide egg noodles all work. Just cook them al dente since they’ll continue softening in the oven.
See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.
How to Make Johnny Marzetti
There are several steps to making this casserole, but I promise they are easy. You’ll have this on the table in no time.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente pasta. Our elbow mac took about 7 minutes. Choose any pasta shape you’d like (rotini or penne pasta is our second favorite).
- While the pasta is cooking, start browning the beef and ground pork sausage in a large skillet. Once it is browned and crumbly, drain off any fat, then add all of the veggies, spices and flavor. Cook the mixture for an additional 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Add the tomato sauce and tomatoes.
- Then start layering. This will completely fill a 9×13″ baking dish. I use a pan that is just ever so slightly bigger than 9×13” to be sure there is plenty of room. Layer cooked noodles, Italian cheese and meat sauce.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top. Bake again until the cheese is melted, about 5-10 minutes.
- If you’d like the cheese to be slightly crisp and brown, broil the Johnny Marzetti casserole on low for 3 minutes. Be sure to watch it closely though!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Johnny Marzetti?
It’s named after Marzetti’s restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, where the dish was a customer favorite starting in the early 1900s.
Is Jackie Kennedy’s casserole the same as Johnny Marzetti?
“Jackie Kennedy’s casserole” is a nickname some home cooks use for a similar baked beef-and-noodle casserole. However it isn’t an official dish connected to Jacqueline Kennedy. It’s a separate folk name that overlaps with Johnny Marzetti in style.
What is another name for Johnny Marzetti?
It’s sometimes called “American chop suey,” “johnny mazetti casserole,” or simply “hamburger noodle casserole” depending on the region.
Can I make Johnny Marzetti with egg noodles?
Yes. Swap the elbow macaroni for wide egg noodles and cook them just until al dente before layering.
Recipe Variations
- Noodles. Swap out the pasta noodles for egg noodles and cook just the same as shown below.
- Veggies. Add other ingredients such as black or green olives, mushrooms or zucchini to the Johnny Marzetti recipe.
- Meats. Use up whatever meat you have in your freezer. Ground turkey, ground chicken or even venison.
Finish off this dinner with one of our Amish dessert recipes or old fashioned strawberry cookies.
The Real Johnny Marzetti Recipe
This easy Johnny Marzetti casserole is a traditional Ohio recipe that is a great make-ahead casserole for potlucks because it serves a crowd! This ground beef and sausage casserole is full of noodles, cheese and Italian flavor.
Servings 15
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 14.4 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can with juice)
- 23 ounces tomato sauce (1-15 ounce can and 1-8 ounce can)
- 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- fresh parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Cook the macaroni in a large pot according to package directions until it is al dente (about 6-8 minutes). Drain the pasta and run cold water over it. Set aside. 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- Brown the ground beef and sausage in a skillet over medium heat until it is completely browned and crumbly. Drain off any fat. 1 pound ground beef, ½ pound mild Italian sausage
- Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, pepper flakes and garlic salt. Cook and stir for an additional 5 minutes to soften the vegetables. ¾ cup chopped onion, ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir well. 14.4 ounces diced tomatoes, 23 ounces tomato sauce
- Spray a large casserole dish (9×13 size or slightly larger) with cooking spray. Spread the pasta over the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle the Italian cheese blend over the pasta. Spread the meat sauce over the pasta and cheese. 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the casserole and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese is melted. (Place under the broiler on low for a minute or two to get the top browned, if desired.) Garnish with fresh parsley and serve. 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Video
Notes
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. This casserole also freezes well for up to 6 weeks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 15 servings, with 1 serving about ¾ cup to 1 cup of casserole. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 2mg
grew up in findlay ohio and some things i ate didnt go to far outside the area, while i know many of the recipes here jonny marzetti is always a favorite and the history is even more beautiful and very true!!! this reciepe is far different than my mothers as moving from town to town it is always a little different, i always felt a cook book would be a hot seller just with the hancock county area food. in fact alot of things didnt get as far as toledo or columbus.
Made this many a way and it’s always delightful!!!
This recipe is delicious. I did not have the canned diced tomatoes or green peppers on hand so I substituted two cans ( 10 oz. Each) of mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chili’s.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Have you ever tried to freeze half the recipe? Do you think it would be ok to freeze? Thinking it’d be easier to freeze half to use another time than to halve the ingredients.
This was such a wonderful blast from the past! Excellent version. We made it with ground venison and it was perfect. 💗
Really enjoyed reading this article! I was born and raised in Columbus Ohio and my mom often made Johnny marzetti. She got the recipe from the Marzetti restaurant in downtown Columbus after WW2 in the 40s. And the wonderful salad dressing with the same name. You brought back memories!
Love this version ! Thank you !
Love me some Johnny Marzetti. My grandfather was a good friend of theirs when they were all still alive. Went into the restaurant at least once a week, and still make this once a month.
I mean serisouly, who doesn’t love a casserole? I love stuff like this. Easy to make, and perfect for potlucks. Or just for me to eat with a fork right out of the pan. YUM!