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Johnny Marzetti

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on May 16, 2013

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Johnny Marzetti

Ingredients

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 celery ribs, chopped fine1 onion, chopped fine10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin2 cups low-sodium chicken broth Salt and pepper 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice8 ounces rotini pasta 3 cups leftover chili

Before You Begin

Use a 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid. We like to use leftover Hollywood-Style Chili for this recipe.

Instructions

  1. SAUTÉ VEGETABLES Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine cheeses in small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, and ½ teaspoon salt; cover and cook until mushrooms release liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned and softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. COOK PASTA Stir in broth, tomatoes, and pasta. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. BAKE MIXTURE Off heat, stir in chili and 1½ cups cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over pasta and bake until cheese is light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.
Johnny Marzetti

Johnny Marzetti

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
8 ounces rotini pasta
3 cups leftover chili

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
8 ounces rotini pasta
3 cups leftover chili

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
8 ounces rotini pasta
3 cups leftover chili

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

For a natural home for leftover chili, we turned to Johnny Marzetti—a dish that combines pasta, ground beef, onion, celery, green pepper, mushrooms, and tomatoes, topped with cheese and baked. To speed the transformation from chili to Johnny, and to save on cleanup, we opted to make this a one-skillet meal. Instead of boiling the pasta in hot water and draining it, we cooked it right in the skillet with some of the other ingredients. Elbow macaroni are traditional in Johnny Marzetti, but our tasters liked the way rotini trapped more of the sauce.

Before You Begin

Use a 12-inch skillet with a tight-fitting lid. We like to use leftover Hollywood-Style Chili for this recipe.

Instructions

  1. SAUTÉ VEGETABLES Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine cheeses in small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, and ½ teaspoon salt; cover and cook until mushrooms release liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned and softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. COOK PASTA Stir in broth, tomatoes, and pasta. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. BAKE MIXTURE Off heat, stir in chili and 1½ cups cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over pasta and bake until cheese is light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.

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Appears In

Magazine

April​ / May 2010

Key Equipment

Equipment

The Best Chef’s Knives

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