This beef noodle casserole is ground beef in a rich tomato sauce, tossed with egg noodles then topped with plenty of cheese and baked to perfection. An easy comfort food dinner that’s perfect for feeding a crowd.
When I have a package of hamburger in the fridge, I often make homemade hamburger helper, ground beef stroganoff and this simple yet hearty beef casserole. It’s cheesy, kid friendly, and quick to whip up on a busy night.
I love a good casserole, and this beef noodle casserole is always on our regular dinner menu rotation. It’s a simple yet delicious combination of ground beef, tomato sauce, egg noodles and cheese. Put it all together and bake until melted and bubbly, then serve it to your family and watch the compliments roll in!
How to make beef noodle casserole
The first step to making beef noodle casserole is to brown some ground beef with onions and garlic. I use 90% lean ground beef, it’s got plenty of flavor but isn’t overly fatty. I cut the onions small so that my kids won’t even notice that they’re in this dish. After the beef is cooked, some seasonings and tomato sauce go into the pan.
While the beef is cooking, I boil my egg noodles. The noodles go into the pan with the beef and everything gets mixed together and spread into a baking dish.
The finishing touch is shredded cheddar cheese, and plenty of it!
I add a sprinkling of parsley at the very end, but that’s an optional step.
Can beef noodle casserole be made in advance?
Yes, you can make beef noodle casserole in advance. Simply prepare the beef and tomato sauce and toss it with the noodles, then cover and refrigerate. Right before you’re ready to bake your casserole, add the cheese and pop it in the oven. You’ll need to add about 10-15 more minutes to the bake time to compensate for the fact that you’re starting with a chilled casserole.
This beef noodle casserole is a great basic recipe that can be altered in different ways to be customized to your tastes. Some variations include using ground turkey instead of beef, adding more vegetables like peas or green beans, using macaroni instead of egg noodles and trying different types of cheese for the topping.
If you’re craving comfort food tonight, grab a container of ground beef and try this casserole, you won’t be disappointed.
More fabulous casserole recipes
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
Beef Noodle Casserole Video
Beef Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles uncooked
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 lbs lean ground beef I use 90% lean
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 16 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes drained, I prefer to use the small diced (petite cut) variety
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- While the noodles are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Add the ground beef to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until onion has softened and beef is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes and Italian seasoning to the beef and stir to combine.
- Drain the noodles and add to the pan with the beef; toss to combine.
- Pour the beef and noodle mixture into a 9"x13" baking pan that's been coated in cooking spray. Top with cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
I have made a few times and it is very popular with my family.
It tasted good but next time, I would use less noodles and mix the cheese into the sauce before baking.
Can I use something in place of the tomato sauce? Only ingredient I’m missing tonight!!
You can use a different tomato product like some people have tried marinara sauce!
Any one tried it eith ground sausage
Yes, many times. I always used whatever ground meat I have on hand in the freezer – so I’ve used a combination of ground beef and Turkey, ground turkey, ground pork and ground beef, Italian Sausage (the mild, or sweet) and even ground turkey sausage.
This sounds so simple and delish. Was thinking of adding cream of mushroom to the mix? Is that too crazy?
I think that should be fine!
You might try Golden Mushroom Soup instead of Cream of Mushroom
I made this for dinner tonight I had no diced tomatoes so I used a can of stewed tomatoes and cut the tomatoes up in little chunks and I also put stream beans in it and it turned out very very good I’ll be making it again
This is one of my husband’s favorite meals, so I always have freezer containers (it makes 8 servings for the portions he eats) as a ‘go to meal’ for him. The only things I guess I do differently is sometimes I add fresh chopped baby spinach, and since my husband prefers less noodles, I use 3/4’s of the amount of dried noodles called for). I also like to use a variety of ground meats, so it is usually a combination of ground Chuck (80% lean) and ground pork or ground Chuck (again the 80% lean) and either ground Turkey or mild Italian sausage. He prefers those cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles (like the Rotel brand) so that is my other swap. What I love about this is he loves the flavors, and I love the simplicity of making up a bunch of meals for him. This is definitely a winner!i
Just curious, I live alone & portion freezer meals all the time. Doesn’t the pasta get mushy after being frozen? Haven’t tried freezing pasta meals yet. Thanks in advance for a reply.
The pasta does soften in the freezer.
How many people does this serve? And I need an idea of what to serve with it. Please and thank you
It serves 6 and would be great paired with a green salad and loaf of nice bread!
Kimberly, it depends 8 think on the age group (and their appetite) of the people you are serving. For my husband (who is in his mid 80s), it is 8 dinner servings. I always serve t with a vegetable and a roll since those are his favorites.
I noticed no diced tomatos were used in the video. Should there be diced tomato or no?
Follow what’s listed in the recipe, as the recipe was altered to be improved after the video was made!
Do you use fresh minced garlic or the minced garlic in the spice section of the store?
Fresh minced garlic is best.
I use the crushed garlic cubes from Trader Joe’s.
Delicious. The only thing I would change is to put in the tomatoes undrained. The noodles were a bit dry around the edges.
Great and simple recipe. I used ground turkey because it’s what I had on hand and added spinach and mushrooms to kick up the veggies a little more. Easy directions to follow. Quick meal that works well for leftovers.
What would be your freezing recommendations, same as refrigerator, but place there night before to thaw?
You should be able to bake it from frozen, just cover it and it will take longer too!
I have a flank steak. Wonder if I could slice it really thin and use it instead of ground beef??? Thoughts?
I think it could work ok, you’ll just want to be careful not to overcook the meat!
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!
So easy to make and so very tasty! I liked how the egg noodles changed it up from other pasta/beef casseroles. Leftovers were yummy too. This recipe is a keeper!
Made this for dinner…. Was awesome
Thank you for the recipe (I shared on FB with friends/family). I found your simple-to-make recipe because we wanted beef + noodles and not a bunch of other creamy stuff. This is one of the best weeknight dinners for any family! It’s a simple flavor that you can adapt as needed (for instance, I added a few red pepper flakes). Otherwise, its just fine as written–Mine turned out just like the picture. Hey people, give it a try, you will not be disappointed!
Made this for dinner tonight and LOVED it. It’s freezing cold outside, and is perfect rib-sticking comfort food.
Going to make tonight. I’d like to add zucchini. Wondering how and when I should.
I would saute it up after you cook the beef! Then stir into the noodles with the rest of the ingredients.
I have made this recipe several times and is a favorite dish in our family. The diced tomatoes aren’t drained and I use grated parmesan cheese in place of the cheddar.