Bacon Swiss Burger Pasta Casserole. Listening To Pete RG.

Every summer our neighbors host a group of trail mending volunteers. The volunteers set up a camp of tents in a field I can see from my kitchen window.

The dates for this annual occurrence are never the same, but range somewhere from the end of June through the end of July.

There is one constant. Once the tents go up, the weather deteriorates into days of violent thunderstorms. It’s like clockwork.

Poor campers.

Right about now I bet those soggy tent-dwellers would love some Bacon Swiss Burger Pasta Casserole.

The over-the-top Bacon Cheeseburger gets deconstructed in an over-the-top pasta dish.

Lots of beef, lots of cheese, lots of bacon, lots of condiments.

That’s a lot of lots of in this super comforting casserole. It’s extraordinarily good in a dry kitchen.

Bacon Swiss Burger Pasta Casserole

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 lb penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish.

2. In a large skillet, combine beef and chopped onion. Cook over medium heat until beef is browned and crumbly. Drain well.

3. Add diced tomatoes, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, and salt. Stir until combined then add the Swiss and cheddar. Once combined stir in the pasta.

4. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with panko and bacon.

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.

Note to make ahead: Wrap the uncooked casserole and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Serves 8 to 10

Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking With Paula Deen Magazine