Description
Ground beef casserole delivers a hearty, comforting melody of flavors that dances across your palate. Cheesy layers and robust seasonings combine to create a satisfying meal home cooks will savor with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Grains and Starches:
- 2 cups cooked elbow macaroni, penne, or white/brown rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces / 411 grams) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (8 ounces / 227 grams) tomato sauce
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Dairy and Cheese:
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F, preparing a 9×13 baking dish with a light grease coating.
- Heat a skillet over medium temperature, combining ground beef, finely chopped onions, and minced garlic. Cook thoroughly until beef turns completely brown, carefully draining accumulated fat.
- Introduce tomato sauce, cream of mushroom soup, and sour cream into the skillet. Sprinkle Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, allowing the mixture to gently simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
- Fold cooked pasta into the savory beef mixture, ensuring uniform distribution of ingredients throughout the pan.
- Transfer the entire mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly to create a consistent layer.
- Generously blanket the top with shredded cheddar cheese, creating a complete coverage across the casserole surface.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven, baking for 25-30 minutes until the cheese transforms into a melted, golden, and slightly bubbling layer.
Notes
- Customize the protein by swapping ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles for a lighter meal.
- Boost vegetable content by adding chopped bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach during the meat cooking stage for extra nutrition.
- Try cheese varieties like mozzarella, pepper jack, or a blend to create different flavor profiles and keep the dish exciting.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta and checking that cream of mushroom soup is gluten-free certified.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg