Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Casserole is a hearty, freezer-friendly, kid-friendly, one-pan meal. And, it’s perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to Sunday suppers!
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 Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Casserole to the rescue. Depending on how many folks you are feeding, this easy and delicious one-dish hamburger casserole makes 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.
And, it’s loaded with ground beef, egg noodles, tomatoes, and what else, cheese! There are no green peppers or onions to put off your picky eaters, just pure, wholesome deliciousness! One other nice thing about this tasty dish is that leftovers are as good, if not better, the next day.
Here’s what’s in it:
To make this dish, you will need ground beef, a can of chopped tomatoes, a can of tomatoes and green chilies, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. You will also need a can of tomato paste, egg noodles, green onions or scallions (optional), sour cream (can use low or reduced-fat), cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
Don’t let the long list of ingredients throw you off, once you cook the noodles and hamburger meat, all you have to do is mix everything and then bake the casserole.
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. (I use an old-fashioned potato masher, and it works great for this task.) Drain any fat from the ground beef.
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomatoes with green chilies, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
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 scallions if you are using them, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Mix well.
If you are making one large casserole, place the noodle mixture in 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 to freeze, simply divide the mixture evenly and add it to the smaller baking dishes.
Top with the beef mixture and spread out evenly. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.
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.
What to serve with it:
Most of the time we just have the casserole for dinner and don’t bother with a salad or vegetables. However, it’s great paired with a nice side salad or some roasted vegetables or green beans.
Sharon’s tips:
If you are freezing a casserole, wrap securely in aluminum foil and place it in the freezer. When ready to bake, for the best results, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake as directed.
I use an old-fashioned potato masher to break up my ground beef as it cooks, and it works great for this task.
More casserole recipes:
If you like casseroles as we do, you might also like these popular recipes on my blog:
- Vegetable Lasagna – Pure Comfort Food
- Chicken, Sausage, and Wild Rice Casserole
- The Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
- Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Ultimate Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
- Easy Baked Spaghetti Pie Casserole
Do you need more easy weeknight dinner recipes or menu ideas, visit my main-dish category page under the recipes by category section of my blog.
★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 14.5 oz can petite chopped tomatoes
- 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 8 oz pkg medium egg noodles
- 6 green onions or scallions (optional)
- 1 cup of sour cream can substitute low or reduced-fat
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, or until it is no longer pink. Break up any large pieces. Drain any fat.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomatoes with green chilies, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- 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 scallions if you are using them, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Mix well.
- If you are making one large casserole, place the noodle mixture in 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 to freeze, simply divide the mixture evenly and add it to the smaller baking dishes.
- Top with the beef mixture and spread out evenly. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5-10 more minutes or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling.
Made this last night and my family raved about it. Will definitely be a regular staple. Only issue, timing on recipe says 45 minutes total time. Should be 80 min total time. It was definitely worth the wait, though. Can’t wait to try more from your website.
Hi Patricia, thank you so much for letting me know your family enjoyed this casserole. And, thank you too for mentioning the difference in the total time required to make it. I went back this morning and took a look and you are right! I’ve corrected it in the recipe. I’m not sure where I got 45 minutes?
Anyway, thank you again for bringing this to my attention.
All the best,
Sharon
Made the large casserole tonight, easy comfort food, this recipe is GOOD! Be sure to include Rotel fire roasted tomatoes and green chilies, mild, and the green onions, but reduce the green onions to maybe one or two, depending on how large they are. Sour cream and green onions add very special flavor to this dish. Cook the noodles to short of al dente.
Hi Marianne, I’m so glad to hear that you liked it and I love your idea for using the Rotel Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Green Chilies! Thanks so much for your comments!