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Cheeseburger Casserole
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This easy to make Cheeseburger Casserole recipe is the perfect quick weeknight dinner for your family!
CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE
If you love beef, pasta, cheese, onions, garlic, and lots of spices then this is the casserole for you! This recipe is loaded with lots of flavor and is also easy to make too. Double bonus!
When I put together this recipe, I decided that I needed to step outside of the recipe box and create something that my family would remember and love! This cheeseburger casserole definitely did the trick.
The pasta cooks right in the pot and soaks up all of the flavor of the spices. It really doesn't get any easier than this, and that's what I love about it. A pot and a casserole dish, that was it! That was all I got dirty while cooking this recipe.
WHAT IS CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE
Cheeseburger Casserole is my take on an old time favorite from when you were a child -- hamburger helper! We all had it, and we all loved it!
Now that we are all grown up, I'm sure you are like me and long for something that wakes your inner child, but is also much much better than the box mix.
This recipe is not only easy, but it can be made in one pot or a casserole dish. It just depends on how you want the cheese.
I prefer cheese layered in the middle and on top, that's why I make it as a casserole. You can't go wrong with melty cheese if you ask me.
WHAT IS IN CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE?
In this recipe you have the basics: beef, pasta, and cheese. But I take it a step further and use a combination of ingredients and spices that come together to make something that is truly magical when it hits your mouth.
Here are a few of the extra goodies that I include in my recipe:
- Garlic
- Chili Powder
- Salt & Pepper
- Italian Seasoning
- Finely Chopped Onion
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Tomato Sauce
- Diced Petite Tomatoes
- Beef Bouillon Cubes
- Sour Cream
- Whole Milk
- Cheddar & Mozzarella Cheese
HOW LONG DOES THIS CASSEROLE TAKE TO MAKE?
This recipe really does come together quickly. I love to make it on a busy weeknight when I don't have a ton of time to cook.
I get my hamburger meat nice and small when cooking. Since I'm not one for big chunks of meat in my recipes, I usually use my secret trick to break up meat: my potato masher!
Once my meat is browned, I add the onion, garlic, and spices. Let that all cook together for about 5-7 minutes.
Next, add the pasta, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire and stir together. Let cook for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
Once the pasta is tender, it's time to add the creamy ingredients: sour cream and milk!
Layer the meat mixture with cheese in a 9x13 and bake for 10 minutes. Seriously, it's that easy!
If you prefer the one pot method for this recipe just skip layering the cheese in the 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheese on the top of the meat and pasta mixture in your skillet. Stir to combine and serve!
No matter how you dish it up, it's delicious and I'm sure it's going to become a new family favorite for you too!
Easy Cheeseburger Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion (diced finely)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 3 cubes beef bouillon
- 2 cups large elbow macaroni (dried)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1.5 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 1 tbsp parsley (dried)
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium bowl, add water and bouillon cubes. Microwave on high for 4 minutes, or until the beef bouillon cubes are dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium high heat until no longer pink. Drain grease and return beef to pan.
- Turn heat down to medium and add onion, salt, pepper, minced garlic, Italian seasonings, garlic powder, and chili powder. Stir well and let cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes (still in their juices) and stir together.
- Next, add the dried large elbow macaroni and beef bouillon broth to the beef mixture and stir together.
- Cover and let simmer over medium-low for 5 minutes. Uncover and stir. Cover again and let simmer for another 5 minutes, or until pasta is tender and done.
- Uncover mixture and stir in sour cream and milk.
- Pour ½ of the beef and pasta mixture into a 9x13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle ½ of the mozzarella and ½ cheddar cheese over the casserole.
- Pour the remaining beef and pasta mixture over the top of the cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the sides of the casserole are bubbling.
Comments
Debbie McKinley says
Hubby and I really enjoyed this casserole. Hearty and filling. Didn’t have Worcestershire sauce but was still very good. Thank you for posting!
Kassi says
Used my son’s ground deer meat from his kill last season, doubled everything because, well I’m feeding 2 teen athlete boys and my teen daughter plus my husband who eats like he’s 16. Had to use tomato sauce since I didn’t have paste, left out the tomatoes all together and used beef broth instead of bouillon cubes and water. Everything turned out absolutely delicious! Perfect for deer meat!