Cheesy Hamburger Noodle Casserole

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Easy Cheesy Hamburger Noodle Casserole is a hearty, kid-friendly, one-dish meal. This creamy beef and noodle casserole is packed with flavor and features lean ground beef layered with rich egg noodles, topped by chopped tomatoes and green chilies, sour cream, and not one but two kinds of cheese.

Like my Walking Taco Casserole, it’s a simple ground beef make-ahead wonder. It’s quick and easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and can be made with ingredients you most likely already have on hand.

An easy family dinner that is sure to draw rave reviews from everyone, this ground beef casserole is comfort food at its finest. Another plus, as with most pasta dishes, leftovers are even better the next day.

Hamburger casserole with noodles in a white baking dish.

Let’s face it, at the end of most days you are tired. The kids have homework or have to go to this and that activity, and the last thing you want to do is stand over a hot stove making dinner. Enter this old-fashioned Hamburger Noodle Casserole to the rescue.

And, if you have a small family, this easy and delicious hamburger casserole with noodles can make two to three casseroles. One for dinner tonight, and the other one or two to be stashed in the freezer and baked whenever you need them.

Ingredients – here’s what you will need:

A package of ground beef with other ingredients to make a casserole.

Ground beef – this recipe calls for lean ground beef, which means it has a maximum of 17% fat. You can also substitute regular ground beef, which has a maximum of 30% fat. If you are concerned with the amount of fat, you might consider rinsing the drained cooked ground beef with water before combining it with the other ingredients.
Tomatoes – canned petite chopped tomatoes work perfectly in this recipe and provide their tomato goodness and flavor.
Diced tomatoes and green chilies – add just a bit of a kick. I use original Rotel, but if you are not a fan of spice, choose mild.
Tomato pasta – pure concentrated tomato flavor adds tons of savory tomato deliciousness.
Granulated sugar – just a little is needed to cut the acidity of the tomatoes and create a more balanced dish.
Kosher salt and ground black pepper – enhance all of the other ingredients in the dish and bring them together in one cohesive mouth-watering casserole.
Egg noodles – made with unleavened dough are flat, ribbon-shaped noodles made with, you guessed it, eggs. You can substitute your favorite pasta in this dish.
Scallions – provide just a bit of onion flavor to the casserole and are also used as a garnish to provide a pop of color.
Sour cream – gives a rich, tangy creaminess to the dish. (not pictured)
Sharp Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese – are a match made in heaven and are what come together to make the ooey-gooey, cheesy topping.

Don’t let the long list of ingredients throw you; once you cook the noodles and hamburger meat, all you have to do is combine everything, and then your oven will do the rest of the heavy lifting.

Directions – here’s how to make it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat for five to six minutes, or until it is no longer pink. Break up any large pieces with a meat chopper or potato masher. Drain any fat.

Add the chopped tomatoes, tomatoes with green chilies, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper, to the beef mixture and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Adding canned tomatoes to a skillet with ground beef.

While the beef mixture is simmering, cook the egg noodles according to the package directions and drain.
Place the noodles in a large bowl and add the chopped scallions (white part only), half a cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Stir to combine.

A bowl of egg noodles topped with cheese and sour cream.

If you are making one large casserole, pour the noodle mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. If you are dividing the mixture up into several smaller dishes, divide the noodle mixture up evenly and add it to the smaller baking dishes.
Top with the beef mixture and spread out evenly. Then, sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.

A beef noodle casserole topped with shredded cheese in a baking dish.

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for five to ten more minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.
Garnish the casserole with chopped scallion (green tops) only and serve immediately.

A white baking dish with hamburger noodle casserole garnished with chopped scallions.

Frequently asked questions:

How to freeze this casserole?

Prepare the casserole as directed, but do not bake. Wrap the dish tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap the dish in aluminum foil. Use a sharpie to add the name, date, and cooking instructions. Place in the freezer for up to three months. Before baking, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Also, be sure to remove the foil and, most importantly, the plastic wrap before baking as directed.

What to serve with it?

This hamburger noodle casserole contains all of the major food groups, and I usually serve it by itself; however, if you would like to add a side or need to stretch it, a simple side salad such as my Cucumber and Tomato Salad, Southern Corn Salad, or Southern Broccoli Salad would be nice.

I also have served it with my Cheesy Texas Toast and Old Fashioned Corn Bread. For dessert, my light and flavorful Strawberry Sherbet or Mixed Berry Sherbet would be a lovely way to end the meal.

Leftovers and storage?

Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. They can be reheated in the microwave for a minute or so, or in the oven at 350 °F for a few minutes.

How to make it ahead?

This casserole can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Store it covered in the refrigerator and take it out about 30 minutes before you plan to bake it to allow it to come to room temperature. Bake as directed.

Recipe variations:

Fettuccini, ziti, penne, and ziti, as well as most other types of sturdy pasta, can all be substituted for the egg noodles in this recipe.
Feel free to add a handful of corn, broccoli, peas, or other veggies to ramp up the nutritional value of this casserole.
Change up the flavor profile of this hamburger noodle casserole by adding taco seasoning, Creole or Cajun seasonings, or Italian seasonings.
You could substitute cream cheese, cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese for the sour cream. Or, swap out your favorite kinds of cheese or cheese blends for the cheddar and parmesan. And, technically, you could make it without cheese, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Ground turkey, ground pork sausage, or Italian sausage can be substituted for ground beef.
And finally, cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup can be used in place of the can of diced tomatoes.

Sharon’s tips:

This casserole recipe, as written, serves eight. If your family is small, feel free to divide it up. It’s just my husband and me, so I usually divide it in half, then bake one half and freeze the other half for another time.
When cooking your pasta or egg noodles, only cook them to the al-dente stage. They will continue to cook in the oven, and if overcooked, they will lose their structure.
If you have picky eaters, you can leave the scallions out and add about a teaspoon of onion powder.
The chopped white part of the scallions is mixed with the noodles and sour cream. The chopped green tops are used to garnish the casserole after it is baked.

More easy casserole recipes:

If you like casseroles as we do, you might also like these popular recipes on my blog:

Do you need more easy weeknight dinner recipes or menu ideas? If so, here is a link to all of my main dish recipes.

★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

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***This recipe was originally published on October 19, 2017. It was republished on August 12, 2022, with new photos, the addition of a FAQ section, and more tips. The title of the dish was also changed from Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Casserole to Cheesy Hamburger Noodle Casserole. There are no changes to the original recipe.