Description
Hearty beef lombardi casserole brings southern comfort straight to dinner tables with rich layers of ground beef, pasta, and melted cheese. Comfort cuisine reaches new heights when families gather around this classic southern dish that promises warmth and satisfaction in every delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 pound (1 lb) ground beef
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
Pasta and Cheese:
- 8 ounces (8 oz) egg noodles
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Canned Ingredients:
- 1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6 ounces) can tomato paste
- 1 (10 ounces) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
Optional Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
Instructions
- Prepare oven to 350°F, ensuring rack is positioned in the center.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium temperature, sautéing ground beef and onions until meat browns thoroughly and onions become translucent, approximately 7-8 minutes.
- Drain excess fat from skillet, then incorporate tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings, allowing mixture to simmer and develop complex flavors for 5 minutes.
- Whisk sour cream and cream cheese in a separate bowl until achieving a uniform, creamy consistency.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, creating an initial layer of cooked egg noodles across the bottom.
- Spread the smooth cream cheese and sour cream mixture evenly over the noodle foundation.
- Carefully distribute the seasoned beef and tomato mixture across the creamy noodle base, ensuring complete coverage.
- Generously scatter shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses over the entire casserole surface.
- Transfer casserole to preheated oven, baking for 25-30 minutes until cheese melts completely and edges become golden and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving hot.
Notes
- Drain beef thoroughly to prevent a watery casserole and ensure a rich, concentrated flavor profile.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter, healthier alternative that maintains the dish’s hearty essence.
- Use gluten-free egg noodles or zucchini noodles to make the recipe suitable for those with dietary restrictions while keeping the comforting texture.
- Toast spices briefly in the skillet before adding other ingredients to unlock deeper, more complex flavor notes in the beef mixture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 45816
- Calories: 1
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 7 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 1 mg