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–+ servings
Garlic bread casserole being lifted out of a baking dish.

Garlic Bread Casserole

Slices of Texas toast garlic bread are covered with a ground beef marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella, and baked until melted.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Recipe Makes: 6 servings

Equipment

  • oven
  • Large skillet
  • wooden spoon
  • 7x11 baking dish (2.2 quart dish)

Ingredients

  • 4 slices Texas Toast garlic bread (frozen)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • salt (to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • fresh chopped basil (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit.
  • Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Once oil is hot and shimmery, add ground beef, season liberally with with salt and black pepper. Break up meat with wooden spoon, and cook until brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
    Ground beef in skillet.
  • Drain excess grease from skillet by pushing ground beef to one side, then tilt skillet towards empty side, and use large spoon to remove grease, or hold meat down with spoon and drain from side of skillet to discard.
  • Add chopped onion, mix in with ground beef, and cook until onion is softened, stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes.
    Ground beef and onion in large skillet.
  • Lower heat to medium, then pour in marinara sauce over beef, mix until incorporated and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    Marinara sauce added to ground beef and onion in large skillet.
  • While marinara and beef mixture cooks, place 4 slices of frozen Texas Toast to baking dish onto one layer. Add to preheated oven and set timer for 6 minutes.
    Texas Toast in baking dish.
  • Add spinach to meat sauce and stir it in. Continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove skillet from heat.
    Spinach in meat sauce.
  • Once oven timer is up, remove garlic bread from oven. Add ½ cup of shredded mozzarella on top of bread slices. Lower oven temperature to 325° Fahrenheit.
    Mozzarella on Texas Toast in baking dish.
  • Cover garlic bread and cheese with meat sauce and spread into one even layer with wooden spoon.
    Bread covered with meat and marinara sauce on a baking dish.
  • Add remaining shredded mozzarella cheese on top of sauce, then place dish in oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
    Garlic bread casserole topped with mozzarella cheese.
  • Remove baking dish from oven. Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving, sprinkle with chopped fresh basil if desired, and enjoy warm.

Recipe Notes

  • Make it Gluten Free: use gluten free garlic bread. 
  • Mozzarella cheese: I highly recommend using a block of mozzarella, and shredding it yourself. Not only is it more economical, the block of cheese has no anti-caking starchy fillers you find in shredded cheese which helps it melt better.

Recipe costs provided are approximate. Actual cost per recipe & serving will vary by location, store, brand, etc. Approximate cost shown does not include costs for any optional ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 400kcal | Protein: 26g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 815mg | Potassium: 541mg | Total Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Net Carbs: 16g | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 219mg
Cheap Cheap Eats recipe developed by Cheryl Malik