Preheat Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside. This ensures even cooking and prevents sticking, making cleanup easier.

Cook the Beef:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with diced onion until the meat is browned and the onion is soft. This ensures the meat is cooked through and the onions are tender, creating a flavorful base.
• Drain any excess grease, then season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. This removes excess fat and adds flavor to the meat mixture, ensuring a delicious outcome.
• Note: To ensure the ground beef is cooked through, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 160°F (71°C). This ensures the meat is safe to consume.

Make the Sauce:

• Add the tomato sauce, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream to the skillet with the beef mixture. Stir until well combined and heated through. This creates a creamy, flavorful sauce that binds the ingredients together, ensuring a cohesive and delicious casserole.

Assemble the Casserole:

• Spread half of the cooked pasta in the bottom of the greased baking dish. This creates the first layer of the casserole, providing a base for the other ingredients.
• Layer half of the beef mixture over the pasta, then sprinkle with half of the shredded cheddar cheese. This adds a layer of savory meat and cheese, creating a flavorful middle layer.
• Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, beef mixture, and cheddar cheese. This creates a layered casserole with even distribution of ingredients, ensuring every bite is flavorful.

Add Mozzarella:

• Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the top layer. This creates a melty, cheesy topping that adds a gooey, delicious layer to the casserole.

Bake:

• Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 20 minutes. This ensures the casserole heats through evenly, preventing it from drying out.
• Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. This creates a golden brown, bubbly cheese topping that is visually appealing and delicious.

Serve:

• Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped parsley if desired, and serve warm. This adds a fresh, vibrant garnish and completes the dish, making it visually appealing and delicious.