Ground Beef Casserole recipe

close up of full scoop of beef casserole coming out of dish.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Low Fat

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1

Servings: servings

Calories: 466cal

Author: Ashley Fehr

Ground Beef Casserole is cheesy, hearty, and flavorful as can be! A boldly seasoned ground beef tomato sauce is served with plenty of tender pasta under a layer of gooey melted cheese. Freezer friendly and great for making ahead!

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Ingredients

Ground Beef Casserole Sauce

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion (finely chopped)
1 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups tomato pasta sauce (marinara)
½ cup water

Pasta

12 ounces dried egg noodles or rotini (375 grams)
1 cup reserved pasta water
4 oz cream cheese (cubed, room temperature)
¼ cup cream (any kind)
2 cups shredded cheese (marble, mozza or cheddar)

Instructions

Ground Beef Casserole Sauce

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, onion and pepper until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, ground mustard and pepper and cook 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the pasta sauce and water. Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes while you cook the pasta.

Pasta

*Preheat the oven to 400 degrees if baking right away. You can also prep to bake later (instructions below).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente (or even a touch less -- we will be baking it yet!).
Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain the pasta.
Pour the pasta into a lightly greased 9x13" baking dish.
In the empty pot, add the cream cheese and cream, cooking and stirring over medium heat until melted. Add ½ cup pasta water and stir until smooth, adding additional pasta water as necessary.
Pour over the pasta in the baking dish and stir to coat.
Top with the sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
*To bake later, prepare up to the point of pouring on the sauce but do not add the cheese. Let cool 15 minutes then cool in the fridge until cold, sprinkle with cheese, and cover with foil. Refrigerate up to 4 days before baking and serving.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Ground beef: any kind of ground meat will work here: chicken, turkey, pork, or Italian sausage.
Vegetables: this is a great clean out the fridge recipe as you can add a wide variety of vegetables and they all work well: mushrooms, carrots, corn, peas, spinach, kale, you name it. You can even skip the meat and add a whole whack of vegetables (sautéing those that need it before adding the sauce)
Seasonings: this recipe is easily customizable. You can add taco seasoning, black beans and corn for a Mexican twist. You can omit the mustard and add in Italian seasoning for an Italian twist.
Pasta: because we are cooking the pasta first, you can use any kind you like. *Note: I have retested this recipe according to your recommendations and reduced the amount of pasta. If you made it the original with 1 lb of pasta and enjoyed it, feel free to use that amount.
Cream cheese: A lot of similar recipes call for sour cream, but we are just not big fans. We love how the cream cheese adds a little something extra special to the pasta, but you can add in sour cream if you like.

Prep ahead:

Fridge: you can prepare up to the point of adding the cheese (let it cool before you add the cheese), then cover and refrigerate up to 4 days before baking.
Freezer: you can also prepare up to the point of adding the cheese, cool completely, wrap tightly and freeze up to 4 months. To bake, I recommend thawing first overnight in the refrigerator so that it bakes evenly.

Nutrition