Cheeseburger Casserole
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Posted: 08/07/23
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Easy and delicious Cheeseburger Casserole is the perfect quick, delicious weeknight dinner recipe for your family. Super simple ingredients like elbow macaroni, ground beef, onions, tomatoes, spices and cheese turn into a comforting casserole recipe packed with flavor.
Cheeseburger casserole is the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. This cheesy dish is super creamy and loaded with seasoned beef and tasty noodles. If you love hamburgers and you like mac and cheese, this dish is like a perfect combination of the two!
Casseroles have saved my tail more times than I can count. When I need a quick all-in-one meal, I typically turn to a casserole. This cheesy hamburger casserole is always a hit, as well as chicken cordon bleu casserole. Make this for dinner the next time you need something quick and packed with protein!
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Why You’ll Love this Easy Cheeseburger Casserole
- Prep this dish in 15 minutes, and then continue on with your evening while it bakes in the oven.
- This easy cheesy hamburger casserole makes eight hearty servings! Great to make when you’re serving a crowd.
- Looking for more meal prep options? This casserole is perfect for meal prep and stores well.
Ingredients for Cheeseburger Casserole
- Lean ground beef – Get 93/7 ground beef for best results. If you get 80/20, just be sure you strain it extra well so that the casserole is not greasy.
- Elbow macaroni – You can use another type of small noodle if you don’t have elbow macaroni on hand.
- Mozzarella and cheddar cheese – This combo of cheese is great! I also like using Colby Jack cheese or a Mexican blend.
- Onion – Use yellow or white onion for their mild flavor.
- Petite diced tomatoes – Add a little kick to your casserole recipe by using diced tomatoes with green chiles.
- Minced garlic – Minced garlic is a great fresh and flavorful seasoning to add to this casserole.
- Sour cream – Along with the cheese and milk, sour cream aids in making it really creamy!
- Whole milk – Feel free to use 2% milk or 1% milk in place of the whole milk if you prefer.
- Tomato paste – Tomato paste will give this casserole a sort of underlying “ketchup” taste! A hamburger always needs ketchup.
- Worcestershire sauce – Use a dash of Worcestershire sauce to add a deep layer of delicious flavor.
- Seasonings:
- Italian seasoning
- Dried parsley
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
How to Make Cheeseburger Casserole
Preheat your oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, prep a casserole dish by greasing it with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
Prepare the elbow macaroni according to the instructions on the package. Once cooked to al dente, drain off the water.
While the pasta cooks, place the ground beef in large skillet and cook over medium heat until there is no pink left.
Drain the meat, then add it back to the pan. Place the diced onion, seasonings, and minced garlic to pan and sauté until the onions are translucent. It should take about 5-7 minutes.
Once that is done, add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes to the pan. Mix well.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the elbow macaroni, sour cream and whole milk. Then, add the beef mixture to the bowl and stir until evenly distributed.
Pour half of the mixture into the bottom of your prepared casserole dish. Then, sprinkle half of the mozzarella and cheddar over the first layer. Repeat the layers until all the beef and macaroni is gone and the cheese is used up.
Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes. Once those 20 minutes have passed, remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Remove from the oven once cheese is melted and beginning to brown, then serve immediately!
What to Serve with Cheeseburger Casserole
This creamy casserole would pair well with any vegetable dish. Air fried broccoli, bacon wrapped green beans, air fryer asparagus, and broccoli salad would all be absolutely delicious.
Dinner rolls and baked potatoes would be tasty as well. Crock Pot mushrooms would be a delicious side with a different flair!
Serve s’mores bars or chocolate peanut butter bars for dessert.
How to Store Leftovers of Easy Cheeseburger Casserole
FRIDGE: Place leftover casserole into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until fully heated.
FREEZER: Leftovers of this casserole tend to freeze pretty well. Allow the casserole to cool completely. Then, transfer leftovers to an airtight container or wrap the casserole dish tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw before reheating.
What can I add to cheeseburger casserole?
This hamburger casserole recipe is easily adaptable and you can add a lot of yummy ingredients! Cooked bacon bits would be delicious. As well as diced jalapeños, diced bell pepper, green onions, fresh parsley and so much more. You can really add anything that you’d like.
Pro Tips!
- Make sure you cook the noodles to al dente, not a minute over. Since they’ll go in the oven too, you want them to be able to hold up and not be mush.
- Smooth out each layer of beef noodle mixture and cheese so that they are even and will heat thoroughly.
- If you want the top layer of cheese to be more brown, turn the broiler on for a minute or two. Just watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
You’re going to love this delicious cheeseburger casserole! Take the stress out of dinner plans and make a hearty casserole with beef and cheese.
More Hamburger Recipes You’ll Love
- Hamburger Soup is the best hearty soup to make on a cold day!
- Homemade Hamburger Helper is so much better than the stuff in a box. You won’t want to make it any other way!
- Have leftover elbow noodles and beef? Make this tasty Hamburger Macaroni Soup.
- I love to make Hamburger and Zucchini Skillet when I want a tasty way to get more vegetables in.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Cheeseburger Casserole
Easy, delicious pantry staples packed into a comforting Cheeseburger Casserole for a quick family dinner.
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced finely
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon parsley dried
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes undrained
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- Prepare pasta according to package directions. When it is done cooking to al dente, drain off pasta water.
- Meanwhile cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat until no longer pink. Drain grease off of ground beef when it is done cooking.
- Turn heat down to medium and add onion, salt, pepper, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder and parsley. Stir and let cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato pasta and diced tomatoes, mix until combined.
- In a large bowl mix together the cooked elbow macaroni, sour cream and milk. Add in the ground beef mixture and stir until combined.
- In the prepared pan pour half of the ground beef and pasta mixture into the bottom. Then sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the cheddar cheese over the pasta and ground beef. Repeat layers.
- Cover the pan with foil and cook for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. After 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and take off aluminum foil. Then place back into the oven an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
- Serve immediately.
Tips
FRIDGE: Place leftover casserole into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until fully heated.
FREEZER: Leftovers of this casserole tend to freeze pretty well. Allow the casserole to cool completely. Then, transfer leftovers to an airtight container or wrap the casserole dish tightly in plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 527kcal (26%), Carbohydrates: 51g (17%), Protein: 31g (62%), Fat: 22g (34%), Saturated Fat: 11g (69%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 92mg (31%), Sodium: 610mg (27%), Potassium: 609mg (17%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 6g (7%), Vitamin A: 767IU (15%), Vitamin C: 8mg (10%), Calcium: 351mg (35%), Iron: 3mg (17%)
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