Description
Comforting 4-ingredient hamburger casserole brings hearty midwest charm to dinner tables with minimal effort. Simple ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a quick family-pleasing meal you’ll crave on busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
Main Carbohydrates:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) pasta
Dairy and Seasoning:
- 8 to 10 ounces (226 to 283 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 10 ounces (283 grams) tomato soup
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Garlic powder, to taste
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking.
- Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, then thoroughly drain excess water.
- Heat a large skillet over medium flame and brown ground beef, breaking it into crumbles while cooking.
- Season the beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, ensuring even distribution of spices.
- Pour tomato soup into the skillet with cooked beef, stirring to create a rich, cohesive sauce.
- Fold the drained pasta into the beef and soup mixture, coating each noodle completely.
- Transfer the entire mixture to a casserole dish, spreading it evenly to ensure consistent cooking.
- Generously sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top, covering the entire surface.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving to let flavors meld and cool slightly.
Notes
- Customize the protein by swapping ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian option.
- Add extra vegetables like diced bell peppers, onions, or mushrooms to boost nutritional value and create more depth of flavor.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta and checking that the tomato soup is gluten-free certified.
- Prep this dish ahead of time by assembling everything in the casserole dish and refrigerating until ready to bake, which is perfect for busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 467 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg