Description
Hamburger lovers will savor this 4-ingredient hamburger casserole that combines ground beef, pasta, cheese, and tomato sauce into a hearty midwestern comfort dish. Simple ingredients create a satisfying meal you can prepare quickly for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
Pasta and Starch:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) pasta (elbow macaroni or penne)
Dairy and Sauce:
- 2 cups (226 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (10.5 ounces / 298 grams) cream of mushroom soup
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350F (175C) to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, ensuring it remains slightly firm. Thoroughly drain and set aside.
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking meat into small crumbles. Drain off excess grease completely.
- Combine cooked pasta, browned beef, cream of mushroom soup, and most of the shredded cheese in a spacious mixing bowl. Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and transfer the mixed ingredients into it, spreading evenly across the surface.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the casserole, creating a uniform coverage.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until cheese melts completely and edges turn golden brown.
- Allow casserole to rest for 3-5 minutes after removing from oven, which helps ingredients settle and makes serving easier.
Notes
- Enhance protein by adding diced bell peppers or mushrooms for extra nutrition and texture.
- Substitute ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version.
- Use gluten-free pasta and cream of mushroom soup for a celiac-friendly adaptation that doesn’t compromise taste.
- Prevent soggy casserole by draining pasta thoroughly and ensuring ground beef is well-drained to maintain a perfect consistency.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 472 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 668 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg