Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe
on Oct 06, 2024
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Cheesy, savory, and full of bright flavors, cheeseburger casserole is the ideal comfort food! This dish is the easiest weeknight dinner that everyone will love.
Cheeseburger casserole is the perfect spin on a classic, well loved food! This casserole has all the best flavors of a burger in each warm, cheesy bite. This casserole is extremely easy to make, and uses many staple ingredients, so you can make it in no time.
I love how the noodles cook in the broth, ground beef, and tomato sauce mixture making them extra flavorful and tender! This casserole will be a big hit, and is one that you won’t want to miss out on.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You only need 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients.
- Contains all the best flavors of a classic cheeseburger in one dish.
- You can easily customize the flavor of your casserole.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Beef—The beef will soak up the seasonings giving you a juicy and savory taste.
- Cavatappi Noodles—Uncooked.
- Beef Broth—To cook the noodles and amplify the rich meaty flavor of the dish.
- Sour Cream—For a smooth and creamy texture. You can also use plain Greek yogurt.
- Tomato Paste—Helps thicken the casserole and amplify the sweet tomato flavor.
- Tomato Sauce—Adds moisture and flavor to the casserole.
- Cheddar Cheese—Shredded. To give a savory flavor on the inside and a nice crust on top!
- Garlic Salt—Amplifies the flavor of the beef.
- Dried Minced Onion—For a sharp and bright taste. You can also use onion powder.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cheeseburger Casserole
Step #1. Preheat your oven. Cook your ground beef in a pan until it is no longer pink in the middle.
Step #2. Once the beef is cooked, stir in the beef broth, garlic salt, dried minced onion, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add your pasta noodles. Reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Allow the pasta to cook until soft.
Step #3. Fold in the sour cream and half of the cheddar cheese until the cheese is fully melted and evenly distributed.
Step #4. Transfer your mixture to a casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese. Cook in the oven until the cheese is bubbly.Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
This casserole will already have an amazing texture with the sour cream, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. However, if you are worried or want it extra creamy, you can add half a can of cream of mushroom soup. This will give you additional richness as well as flavor.
Any kind of noodles work great in this casserole. Keep in mind that shorter noodles will work best because they will cook quicker and not take up as much space. In this recipe we use cavatappi noodles, but you can also use elbow, penne, or bowtie pasta. Chickpea or protein pastas will also cook just fine in the cheeseburger casserole.
Of course! The process will be a little bit different. Cook the beef as usual, then transfer into your slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sour cream, and broth and give it a good stir. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6. When there is about 30 minutes left, stir in the noodles and top with the cheese. It will look watery but don’t panic, because the noodles will soak up the broth as it cooks. Once it is done, scoop out of the slow cooker, serve, and enjoy!
How to Serve and Store Cheeseburger Casserole
Cheeseburger casserole is great for potlucks, big parties, or your everyday dinner. You can serve this casserole with a side of berry spinach salad, roasted broccoli or carrots, baked beans, or corn on the cob. For a finished look, sprinkle some chopped green onions on top before serving!
If you have any leftover casserole, you can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days! Keep it in an airtight container and reheat a serving in the microwave for about a minute, stirring halfway through. We love to have our leftovers for a quick breakfast the next day!
Expert Tips
- Freshly shredded cheese will melt down much better than bagged cheese, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use 2 tablespoons of ketchup instead for the authentic burger taste.
- There is no need to cover your casserole with tin foil while baking it. Leaving it uncovered allows the cheese to melt nicely.
- For extra flavor or spice, add some chili powder or red pepper flakes before baking the casserole.
- You can use sharp, medium, or mild cheddar cheese in this recipe.
More Easy Dinner Recipes To Consider
Pasta Dishes
Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Lasagna
Slow Cooker Recipes
Perfect Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Pasta Dishes
Pumpkin Alfredo
Dinner Ideas
One-Pot Sausage, Rice, and Peas Dinner
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 pound cavatappi noodles, uncooked
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Cook your ground beef in a large pan or skillet over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes, or until it is no longer pink in the middle.
- Once the ground beef is fully cooked, stir in the beef broth, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Bring the broth mixture to a boil and then add your pasta noodles. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover the pan with a lid. Allow the pasta to cook for 10 minutes, or until soft.
- Fold in the sour cream and half of the cheddar cheese until the cheese is fully melted and evenly distributed among the beef and noodles.
- Transfer your casserole to an 8×8 inch baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
- Cook your casserole for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- There is no need to cover your casserole with tin foil while baking it.
- Other noodles you can use include elbow, penne, and bowtie. Any kind of noodle will work great in this recipe, but shorter noodles will work best.
- The sour cream helps add some smoothness to the casserole. If you don’t have sour cream then you can use plain Greek yogurt.
- Freshly shredded cheese will melt down much better than bagged cheese, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- The beef broth both cooks the noodles and helps amplify the rich meaty flavor of the dish.
- If you don’t have tomato paste then you can use 2 tablespoons of ketchup instead.
- Store your casserole in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep it in an airtight container and reheat a serving in the microwave for about a minute, stirring halfway through.
My noodles are not cooking correctly. Very disappointed as this has already taken me over a hour to make. Noodles are still not done so we might not be able to eat this dinner tonight. If I ever try this again I’d cook the noodles in water before adding to pot.
Hmmm, I’m not sure I understand. You are supposed to boil the noodles in the broth on the stove before adding them to the pan and baking longer.
This was really easy and yummy!!
Thankyou Melissa!
Absolutely amazing and quick