Hamburger casserole is the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Cheesy pasta noodles are combined with ground beef and tomato sauce in a casserole dish. Serve it with a side salad and biscuits and you'll have a dish the whole family will want seconds of!
Hamburger Casserole Overview
Hamburger anything is a favorite around here. From the crockpot hamburger soup to our one-pot taco pasta, I'm always finding ways to use ground beef in my dinner recipes because it's affordable and so easy to cook with.
This hamburger casserole recipe will surely become a new go-to meal idea. It's easy to make - just cook the ground beef, boil the pasta, then dump all ingredients into a casserole dish to bake!
It's a filling flavorful weeknight meal idea. With simple tastes and textures that kids even enjoy, you really can't go wrong here.
Recipe Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked spiral noodles
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion - diced
- 24 oz jar of pasta sauce
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes - drained
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
How To Make Hamburger Casserole
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP 1: Preheat oven to 350°F.
STEP 2: Add 3 cups uncooked spiral pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Cook al dente, then drain and set aside.
STEP 3: In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook 1 lb lean ground beef and 1 cup chopped yellow onion until beef is browned and onion turns translucent. Fold a paper towel and swish it around using a spatula to absorb any excess grease.
STEP 4: Now add 24 oz pasta sauce, 14 oz drained diced tomatoes, 2 cups sliced mushrooms, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper to the pot and stir everything together. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to let simmer for 5 minutes.
STEP 5: Remove the pot from heat then add the cooked pasta noodles. Stir everything together.
STEP 6: Pour the mixture into a 9x11 casserole dish and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese over top, then sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
STEP 7: Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes then scoop onto plates and serve.
Recipe Tips
- I recommend using fresh mushrooms as they will add a completely different texture to the casserole. Canned mushrooms just don't taste the same.
- Feel free to use mild cheddar or old cheddar cheese. Colby or marble cheese would also work well for this recipe.
- Cooking your pasta ahead of time makes this meal even more of a breeze. Boil the pasta in water, drain and rinse. Then store in the fridge in an airtight container until you're ready to make the hamburger casserole.
- Batch prep ground beef in advance. Sometimes if I find a sale on ground beef I will stock up and cook it all in one big batch with some onion. Then I'll divide and freeze 1 lb each in freezer bags. I frequently use this method to save time and money.
- Make Freezer Meal - Prep all ingredients in an aluminum casserole pan and cover it with plastic. Store in the freezer for 1-3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge first, then cook for 25-40 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the casserole is heated all the way through.
How do you know when hamburger casserole is cooked? Because the ground beef is already cooked in advance, there's no need to worry about an undercooked hamburger casserole. Baking at 350°F for 30 minutes is enough time to ensure that the casserole is fully warmed through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Should I cover my hamburger casserole with foil while baking? Some people prefer to cover their casserole with foil for 20 minutes and then remove it for the last 10 minutes. I haven't had any problems with baking without foil for the full 30 minutes so I stick with that method. It's just personal preference.
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate - Let the hamburger casserole cool completely, then cover it with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge up to 4-5 days.
- To Freeze - You can slice pieces into squares and individually wrap them in plastic wrap. Add them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for future meals.
Hamburger Casserole
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Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked spiral noodles
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion - diced
- 24 oz jar of pasta sauce
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes - drained
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add 3 cups uncooked spiral pasta to a pot of boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Cook al dente, then drain and set aside.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook 1 lb lean ground beef and 1 cup chopped yellow onion until beef is browned and onion turns translucent. Fold a paper towel and swish it around using a spatula to absorb any excess grease.
- Now add 24 oz pasta sauce, 14 oz drained diced tomatoes, 2 cups sliced mushrooms, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper to the pot and stir everything together. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat then add the cooked pasta noodles. Stir everything together.
- Pour the mixture into a 9×11 casserole dish and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese over top, then sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes then scoop onto plates and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-calculated and meant to be an approximation only.
