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Hamburger Casserole
You'll love how easy this hamburger casserole is to make! Baked with noodles, ground beef, seasonings, cheese and vegetables, this recipe goes together in minutes.
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Hamburger casserole is one-dish comfort food at its finest. Noodles are mixed with ground beef and vegetables and then topped with cheese and baked to bubbly perfection. Since it doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare, this hearty casserole recipe is perfect for a quick meal on busy nights.
Need more easy dinner recipes full of simple ingredients? This chili recipe is a favorite, as is Grandma’s classic goulash. We also love crockpot mac and cheese for an easy meal.
HAMBURGER CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need:
- 4 cups dry egg noodles, cooked
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 14-ounce can diced Italian style tomatoes
- ½ cup frozen peas and carrots
- ¼ cup frozen corn
- 2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese
- Salt and black pepper
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
PEAS AND CARROTS: If you don’t enjoy peas and carrots, you could add more corn and bell peppers as a substitute.
MEAT: Any type of ground meat such as ground chicken, ground turkey, or even sausage would work in this great recipe in place of the hamburger meat.
CHEESE: A sharp cheddar cheese is delicious but you could either replace it or add more of a different type of cheese. Try mozzarella cheese or an Italian cheese blend. You could even add a bit of cream cheese or sour cream to the beef mixture to increase the creaminess.
SPICE: To kick up the heat a notch, add a dash of red pepper flakes to the mixture.
PASTA: Any bite-size pasta would be a great choice in this recipe. Try pasta shells, penne, or rotini.
SAUCE: Any type of spaghetti sauce would work for this recipe. Choose either plain or one with spice and extra veggies.
HOW TO MAKE THIS HAMBURGER CASSEROLE RECIPE
PRO TIP:
This recipe can be assembled ahead of time the night before and popped in the oven when you are ready to bake it.
STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
STEP TWO: In a large pot, prepare four cups of dry egg noodles to al dente according to package directions, then set aside once cooked.
PRO TIP:
To test your pasta for al dente, take a bite of the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions indicate it should be done. When you bite into it, and your teeth feel some resistance, but the pasta is still tender, your pasta is al dente.
STEP THREE: Next, in a large skillet, cook the ground beef until it is almost done, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go.
PRO TIP:
Ground beef can be cooked ahead of time in larger batches and frozen until you need it. Add the ground beef where indicated and continue the recipe as written.
STEP FOUR: Add the onion and green pepper to the skillet and cook for about four minutes, then add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for one minute more.
STEP FIVE: Pour the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into the skillet and cook together for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
STEP SIX: Put the egg noodles in the bottom of the greased baking dish, then pour the meat mixture on top. Add in the peas, carrots, corn, and half of the cheese. Mix everything together thoroughly.
STEP SEVEN: Top with remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes in the oven, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.
HOW TO SERVE
Serve this delicious meal warm, garnished with fresh parsley if desired. It goes great alongside our cheesy pull-apart bread and a side Caesar salad.
MORE GROUND BEEF RECIPES
STORAGE
IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of this comforting meal in the fridge for up to three days.
IN THE FREEZER: To freeze this ground beef casserole recipe, just be sure to store it in a freezer-safe container. To serve, you’ll want to thaw and then pop in the oven at 375°F to warm through.
I love how quick and simple this hamburger casserole is to make. Everything comes together in a snap in one dish and is ready after a few minutes baking in the oven. The end result is rich, cheesy comfort food that is perfect for busy weeknights that the whole family will love.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I prepare this casserole ahead of time?
This easy hamburger casserole recipe can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge covered in aluminum foil until you are ready to bake it.
Can I use different meat in this recipe?
You could use ground chicken, turkey, pork or Italian sausage in place of the ground beef in this recipe.
Could I make this recipe vegetarian?
You could replace the ground beef with black beans for a vegetarian version of this recipe.
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Hamburger Casserole
You'll love how easy this hamburger casserole is to make! Baked with noodles, ground beef, seasonings, cheese and vegetables, this recipe goes together in minutes.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 4 cups dry egg noodles cooked
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 8 -ounce can tomato sauce
- 14 -ounce can diced Italian style tomatoes
- ½ cup frozen peas and carrots
- ¼ cup frozen corn
- 2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese divided
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare egg noodles according to directions and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until it is almost done, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go.
- Add the onion and green pepper to the skillet and cook about 4 minutes, then add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook 1 minute more.
- Pour tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into the skillet and cook together for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
- Put the egg noodles in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the ground beef mixture on top. Add in the peas, carrots, corn, and half of the cheese. Mix everything together thoroughly.
- Top with remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes in the oven, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.
- Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Video
Notes
TIP: This recipe can be assembled ahead of time the night before and popped in the oven when you are ready to bake it.
TIP: Ground beef can be cooked ahead of time in larger batches and frozen until you need it. Add the ground beef where indicated and continue the recipe as written.
TIP: To test your pasta for al dente, take a bite of the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions indicate it should be done. When you bite into it, and your teeth feel some resistance, but the pasta is still tender, your pasta is al dente.
Nutrition
Calories: 225kcal
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Comments
Pam says
Layne!!! This was delicious! I made it for dinner last night and it was a huge hit… The leftovers were just as good! I couldn’t find frozen peas and carrots combo so I used the canned. I also used two cans of diced tomatoes for a little more moisture, other than that I seasoned with Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to my taste… this is definitely a keeper! Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe!!
Scott says
Delicious, made it just the way the recipe says and the family loves it. Definitely a keeper!!!
Gloria says
This was delicious. I doubled the hamburger and the can of tomatoes. Put in extra garlic and Italian seasoning. Ans of course the best part the cheese out extra on top. Sooo good
Sue says
What can I use other than frozen peas and carrots? My husband hates peas & carrots.
Layne Kangas says
You could do more corn and peppers. Enjoy 🙂
Jen says
Made this tonight with breakfast sausage instead of ground beef because it was all I had and I was too lazy to go to the store. Delicious! Tastes kind of like a supreme pizza in a pan.
Dovie says
That sounds like an excellent spin! Could add chopped pepperoni, mushrooms and leave out the peas and corn and finish with a little basil and mozzarella.
Lisa Ghaffari says
How do I measure using spaghetti or fettuccine?
Layne Kangas says
Hi, Lisa – I haven’t tried swapping out for a different type of noodle. I would prepare four cups worth of the other noodles to substitute. Enjoy!
Gloria says
Absolutely delicious – easy to make and so flavorful!