The photo appears to show a baked casserole of ground beef, shell pasta, rice, tomatoes, green bell pepper and melted mozzarella/cheese. It has a tomato-rich base and a browned, stretchy cheese topping.
Below is a photo-matched version designed to give you that same hearty, cheesy texture.
Recipe at a Glance
Serves: 6–8
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35–40 minutes
Total: about 1 hour
Oven: 190°C / 375°F
Dish: 9 × 13-inch / 23 × 33 cm baking dish
Ingredients
Beef & vegetables
500 g ground beef/minced beef
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt, divided
½ tsp black pepper
Pasta & rice
250 g medium shell pasta/conchiglie
1 cup cooked white rice, about 180–200 g
Important: Cook the pasta only until al dente because it will continue cooking in the oven.
Tomato sauce
1½ cups / 360 ml tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup / 120 ml beef or chicken stock
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp chili flakes, optional
½ tsp sugar, optional, if your tomatoes are acidic
Cheese topping
1½ cups / 150 g shredded mozzarella
½ cup / 50 g cheddar or Monterey Jack
¼ cup / 25 g Parmesan, optional
For the appearance in your photo, mozzarella is particularly important because it produces the long melted cheese strands.
Optional finishing ingredients
Fresh parsley
Fresh basil
Extra black pepper
A little Parmesan
Detailed Method
1. Cook the rice
If you don’t already have cooked rice, prepare approximately:
⅓ cup uncooked rice → about 1 cup cooked rice
Cook according to the rice package instructions.
Spread the cooked rice on a plate and allow it to cool slightly.
Why?
Using cooled or leftover rice helps prevent the casserole from becoming excessively soft.
2. Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the shell pasta.
Cook it for approximately 2 minutes less than the package’s recommended cooking time.
You want:
Al dente—not completely soft.
Drain well.
Don’t rinse unless your pasta is extremely starchy.
Toss with a tiny amount of olive oil if you’re not immediately using it.
3. Brown the beef
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add:
2 tbsp olive oil
Ground beef
Break the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
Cook for approximately 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
If there is a large amount of excess fat, drain some of it.
Leave a little fat in the pan because it carries flavor.
4. Add onion and garlic
Add the diced onion.
Cook for approximately 3–4 minutes.
Add the garlic.
Cook for another 30–60 seconds.
Don’t brown the garlic heavily—it can become bitter.
5. Add the peppers
Add:
Green bell pepper
Red bell pepper
Cook for approximately 4–5 minutes.
The peppers should soften slightly but still retain some texture.
This is important because they’ll continue cooking in the oven.
6. Add the tomatoes
Add the diced fresh tomatoes.
Cook for approximately 3–4 minutes.
The tomatoes should begin breaking down and releasing their juices.
7. Build the sauce
Add:
1½ cups crushed tomatoes/passata
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup stock
Paprika
Italian seasoning
Oregano
Remaining salt
Black pepper
Chili flakes, if using
Stir thoroughly.
Simmer uncovered for approximately 8–10 minutes.
The sauce should become moderately thick.
Don’t make it too thick.
The pasta and rice will absorb some of the liquid during baking.
8. Taste the beef mixture
This is an important stage.
Taste the sauce before adding the pasta and rice.
Adjust:
Too bland?
→ Add salt, pepper, paprika or Italian seasoning.
Too acidic?
→ Add a tiny amount of sugar.
Want more heat?
→ Add chili flakes.
Want more tomato flavor?
→ Add another tablespoon of tomato paste.
9. Combine everything
Turn off the heat.
Add the cooked:
Shell pasta
Rice
to the beef and vegetable mixture.
Fold everything together gently.
You want the pasta shells to remain intact.
If the mixture looks very dry, add ¼–½ cup additional stock or tomato sauce.
The mixture should look slightly wetter than you want the finished casserole.
10. Transfer to the baking dish
Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
Transfer the mixture into it.
Spread evenly.
Don’t compress it too tightly.
11. Add the cheese
Sprinkle evenly with:
Mozzarella
Cheddar/Monterey Jack
Parmesan, if using
For a photo-like finish, make sure there are a few areas with a generous layer of mozzarella.
12. Bake
Preheat oven to:
190°C / 375°F
Bake uncovered for approximately:
20–25 minutes
The casserole should be:
Hot throughout
Bubbling around the edges
Golden brown on top
Completely melted in the center
13. Get the browned cheese like the photo
For the final 2–3 minutes, switch to the oven’s broiler/grill function.
Watch it continuously.
The cheese can go from beautifully browned to burnt very quickly.
Remove when the surface has attractive golden-brown patches.
14. Rest before serving
Allow the casserole to rest for approximately:
5–10 minutes
This lets the sauce thicken slightly and makes serving easier.
The cheese will still be wonderfully stretchy.
15. Finish
Add a little:
Fresh parsley
Basil
Black pepper
Parmesan
Serve hot.
How to Get the Stretchy Cheese in the Photo
Use this combination:
70% mozzarella
20% cheddar
10% Parmesan
Mozzarella provides the stretch, cheddar gives stronger flavor and Parmesan adds browning and savory depth.
For extra stretchy cheese, use low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella.
Optional Flavor Variations
Spicy Beef Version
Add:
½ tsp chili flakes
½ tsp cayenne
1 diced jalapeño
Mexican-Inspired Version
Replace Italian seasoning with:
1½ tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
Use cheddar + Monterey Jack on top.
Creamier Version
Stir ½ cup cream cheese or sour cream into the beef mixture immediately before combining with the pasta and rice.
This makes the casserole considerably creamier.
Vegetable Additions
You can add:
Corn
Peas
Mushrooms
Zucchini
Spinach
Carrots
Jalapeños
For the closest appearance to the photograph, keep green bell pepper + tomato as the dominant vegetables.
Nut Information
This recipe does not require nuts.
The basic recipe contains:
No walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios or other nuts.
However, if you’re cooking for someone with a serious allergy, check packaged ingredients such as:
Tomato sauce
Seasoning blends
Shredded cheese
Stock/bouillon
Processed mozzarella
for allergen statements and possible cross-contact.
Optional crunchy topping
If you want nuts, finely chopped toasted walnuts can be sprinkled over individual portions—but this changes the character of the dish and isn’t necessary for the recipe pictured.
Approximate Nutrition
Per serving, assuming 8 servings:
Nutrient Approx. amount
Calories 450–500 kcal
Protein 25–30 g
Carbohydrates 45–50 g
Fat 18–22 g
Fiber 3–5 g
Sodium Variable
The actual values depend heavily on the beef fat percentage, cheese quantity, rice and amount of salt/stock used.
Recipe Q&A
Q: Can I make this without rice?
Absolutely.
Increase the shell pasta to approximately 350–400 g cooked/partially cooked pasta and omit the rice.
Q: Can I make it without pasta?
Yes. Use approximately 2½–3 cups cooked rice and turn it into a beef-and-rice casserole.
Q: Can I use leftover rice?
Yes—it’s ideal.
Cold leftover rice works particularly well because it is less likely to become mushy.
Q: Can I use brown rice?
Yes. It gives the casserole a nuttier flavor and more texture.
Make sure it is already cooked before adding it.
Q: Can I use ground chicken or turkey?
Yes.
Because poultry is generally leaner than beef, add a little extra olive oil and make sure the meat reaches a safe internal temperature.
Q: Can I use sausage?
Yes. Italian sausage works particularly well.
If using sausage, reduce the added salt because sausage can already be highly seasoned.
Q: Can I prepare this ahead?
Yes.
Assemble the casserole, cover it tightly and refrigerate.
When ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator while the oven preheats.
Because the casserole starts cold, it may need approximately 10–15 additional minutes of baking time.
Q: Can I freeze it?
Yes.
Cool the casserole completely, portion it into freezer-safe containers and freeze.
For best quality, use within approximately 2–3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating when possible.
Q: Why did my casserole become dry?
Usually one of three things happened:
Too little sauce
Pasta was overcooked before baking
It was baked too long
The mixture should look saucy before going into the oven.
Q: Why did the pasta become mushy?
It was probably cooked completely before baking.
Next time, cook the shells about 2 minutes less than package directions.
Q: Why isn’t my cheese browning?
Try switching to the broiler/grill for 2–3 minutes at the end.
Stay nearby and watch it closely.
Q: Why isn’t my cheese stretchy?
Use low-moisture mozzarella and don’t overbake it.
Fresh mozzarella contains more water and can behave differently.
Q: Can I use only mozzarella?
Yes.
Mozzarella alone will produce a mild, very stretchy topping.
Adding cheddar gives more flavor.
Q: Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes.
Replace the beef with a combination of:
Mushrooms
Lentils
Black beans
Kidney beans
Plant-based mince
A mushroom + lentil version would provide particularly good savory depth.
Q: Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes.
Use certified gluten-free shell pasta and check your stock, tomato products and seasonings for gluten-containing ingredients.
Q: How do I make it spicier?
Add any combination of:
Chili flakes
Cayenne
Jalapeño
Hot sauce
Spicy sausage
Q: What should I serve with it?
Because this is already a substantial meal, simple sides work best:
Green salad
Roasted broccoli
Garlic bread
Steamed vegetables
Cucumber salad
Best Photo-Matched Formula
For the closest result to the uploaded image, use:
500 g ground beef + 250 g shell pasta + 1 cup cooked rice + green & red peppers + tomatoes + tomato sauce + 150 g mozzarella + 50 g cheddar.
Bake at 190°C / 375°F for 20–25 minutes, then grill/broil for 2–3 minutes until the cheese develops those golden-brown spots.
The key to the photograph’s texture is slightly undercooked pasta + moist tomato-beef sauce + cooked rice + plenty of low-moisture mozzarella + a short high-heat finish.