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Ground Beef Casserole with noodles and tomatoes in a red oval casserole dish with a serving spoon.

Ground Beef Casserole Recipe

  • Author: Christine Pittman
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings 1x
  • Category: Entrée
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

DESCRIPTION

NOTE: This recipe has been updated. It used to call for 12 oz. of egg noodles. I wanted to use the whole package. I therefore adapted it for the larger quantity of pasta by adding more moisture, seasonings, and some kidney beans. The new recipe is better than ever and truly serves a crowd!

This recipe makes a big batch because the leftovers taste so good. Have it for dinner one day and then feast on it again the next. To stretch it even further, and to switch it up a bit, I love to put the leftovers in a pot with beef broth and turn it into a hamburger noodle soup that’s perfect to pack into thermoses for lunch.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 16 oz. wide egg noodles
  • 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. salt, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 and 1/4 lb. lean ground beef*
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 (23.5oz.) jar tomato sauce (about 3 cups)
  • 1 (14.5oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15oz.) can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning**
  • 2 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions, being sure to use at least 1 tablespoon of salt in the cooking liquid.
  3. While noodles cook, in large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add the beef. Stir to combine with the onion. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, the garlic powder, and black pepper.
  5. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally until beef is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Use a large spoon to drain off any excess liquid or fat.
  6. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, chili powder, and Italian seasoning. Stir. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Stir occasionally until mixture is heated through and bubbling.
  7. Once noodles have been drained, put them into a 9×13 deep dish lasagna pan, or large casserole dish. Add the hot beef mixture and stir. Stir in 1 cup of cheese.
  8. Top casserole evenly with remaining 1 and ½ cups of cheese. Transfer uncovered casserole to hot oven and cook until sauce is very hot and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand 3-5 minutes before serving.

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Notes

*I like to use extra lean ground beef, but whatever you like will work for this recipe. You can alternatively use ground chicken, or ground turkey. Note that ground chicken breast and ground turkey breast are too dry for this dish and you may want to include extra tomato sauce to moisten everything more.

**If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can make up a batch, or you can use equal parts dried oregano and dried basil.