Cheeseburger Casserole
This cheeseburger casserole is the perfect, hearty, and flavorful meal with pasta and ground beef baked in a cheesy, bubbly sauce that is sure to be a new family favorite.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 3 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 pound lean hamburger 92%
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 cups dried large elbow macaroni
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded from the block
- 1½ cups mild cheddar cheese shredded from the block
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add 2 cups of water and 3 beef bouillon cubes. Microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the beef bouillon cubes are dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain grease and return beef to the pan.
- Turn heat down to medium and add the chopped onion, salt, pepper, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and chili powder. Stir well and let it cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes
- Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes (in their juices) and stir together.
- Add the dried large elbow macaroni noodles and beef bouillon broth to the beef mixture and stir together.
- Cover and let simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Uncover and stir. Cover again and let cook for another 5 minutes, or until the pasta is done.
- Stir in the sour cream and milk.
- Pour half of the beef and pasta mixture into a 9×13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the casserole
- Pour the remaining mixture into the dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining half of the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole.
- Bake uncovered at 400°F for 10 minutes, or until the sides of the casserole are bubbling.
Notes
Make sure you shred the cheese fresh from the block rather than buying pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese tends to be coated with a preservative which means it doesn’t melt as well.
This recipe can be assembled ahead of time the night before and popped in the oven when you are ready to bake it.
Ground beef can be cooked ahead of time in larger batches and frozen until you need it. Add the cooked ground beef and continue the recipe as written.