Ground Beef Casserole

Ground beef casserole brings together savory browned beef, tender pasta, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, corn, and melted Mexican 4 Cheese blend in one bubbling dish. It has the familiar comfort of a hamburger casserole, while the chiles, chili powder, oregano, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes give it a Southwest casserole direction.

The preparation is organized around a skillet-made sauce. Ground beef cooks with onion, orange bell pepper, and seasoning first, then the tomatoes and spices simmer before the cooked pasta joins the mixture. A short bake in a two-quart casserole dish finishes the dish with a browned, bubbly cheese topping.

This ground beef casserole makes 8 servings, so it is suited to a meal for 8 people. The recipe takes 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook, for a total time of 60 minutes. The finished casserole can be garnished with sliced green onions, and leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen according to the storage directions below.

For the seasoning, use Montreal Steak seasoning or prepare the listed Magic Dust mixture. The casserole also leaves room for supported protein substitutions, including ground turkey, ground chicken, ground bison, or a mixture of Italian sausage and ground beef.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 cup diced onion

• 1/2 cup diced orange bell pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon Montreal Steak seasoning or Magic Dust seasoning (see recipe below)

• 16 ounces tomato sauce

• 10 ounces can of Red Gold Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles

• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 teaspoon chili powder

• 2 cups frozen corn

• 2 ounces shredded Mexican 4 Cheese blend

• 1 1/2 cups dried macaroni style pasta (cooked al dente)

• 1 cup shredded Mexican 4 Cheese blend

• sliced green onions for garnish

• 1/2 cup paprika

• 1/4 cup Kosher salt (finely ground)

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 2 Tablespoons mustard powder

• 1/4 cup chili powder

• 1/4 cup ground cumin

• 2 Tablespoons ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup granulated dried garlic

• 2 Tablespoons cayenne pepper

The diced tomatoes are specified with green chiles already added. If that particular brand is unavailable, the supported alternative is a regular can of tomatoes plus a 4-ounce can of green chiles. For the cheese, a prepared Mexican blend works, or use a preferred cheese that includes cheddar and jack cheese in the mix.

Regular pasta is recommended rather than quick-cooking pasta because quick-cooking pasta tends to cook too long in the casserole and can become mushy. No-boil pasta is another supported option; soak it in hot water while preparing the recipe on the stove. For the meat, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground bison, or a combination of Italian sausage and ground beef may be used.

Magic Dust is made from the following ingredients:

How to Make Ground Beef Casserole

Gather a two-quart casserole dish, a large skillet, a cutting board, a chef’s knife, and measuring cups and spoons. The recipe uses two oven temperatures: 325°F for the initial preheating and 375°F for reheating a frozen casserole. For the freshly assembled casserole, follow the 325°F instruction below.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a two-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. In a large skillet, brown the lean ground beef with the diced onion, diced orange bell pepper, and red pepper flakes. Season the mixture with either Magic Dust or Montreal Steak seasoning.

3. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, dried oregano, and chili powder. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes. This skillet stage brings the browned meat, vegetables, tomatoes, and seasonings together before the pasta is added.

5. Gently stir in the cooked macaroni-style pasta. The pasta should be cooked al dente before it goes into the skillet.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Add the shredded cheese as the topping; the ingredient list also includes 2 ounces of shredded Mexican 4 Cheese blend for the casserole mixture and 1 cup for the top.

7. Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and the casserole is bubbly.

8. Garnish with sliced green onions if desired.

The recipe’s active work is concentrated in browning the meat, simmering the sauce, and combining the cooked pasta before baking. The oven stage is uncovered, allowing the cheese topping to brown while the casserole becomes bubbly. Because oven temperature may vary, adjust the baking time as needed while using the browned, bubbly finish as the doneness cue.

About Ground Beef Casserole

Ground beef casserole is also known as hamburger casserole or Southwest casserole. Its defining combination is ground beef, pasta, tomatoes, and cheese, with corn and vegetables included in the prepared mixture. The tomato base includes green chiles, while chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and the chosen steak-style seasoning shape the seasoning profile.

The recipe is designed as a straightforward casserole assembled from a skillet mixture and cooked pasta. It yields 8 servings, making the finished dish suitable for 8 people. The oven temperature can vary, so the stated baking times may need adjustment; the casserole is ready when it is browned and bubbly. For another recipe idea, explore Hamburger Potato Casserole.

Variations

The supported protein options make this hamburger casserole adaptable without changing its overall casserole format: You can also browse Best Ever Tater Tot Casserole for another option.

• Substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground bison for the ground beef.

• Use a mixture of Italian sausage and ground beef for a different meat combination.

The seasoning can also be handled in two supported ways. Use Montreal Steak seasoning, or use Magic Dust made from the listed paprika, Kosher salt, sugar, mustard powder, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, dried garlic, and cayenne pepper. If the tomatoes with green chiles are unavailable, use a regular can of tomatoes with a 4-ounce can of green chiles. For another recipe idea, explore 23 Pasta and Chicken Recipes You’ll Love to Make for Dinner!.

For the pasta, regular pasta is preferred over quick-cooking pasta because quick-cooking pasta tends to cook too long in the casserole. No-boil pasta can be used if it is soaked in hot water while the stovetop preparation is underway.

Serving Suggestions

This ground beef casserole yields 8 servings, enough for 8 people. Finish each portion with sliced green onions if desired, and a dollop of sour cream may also be used as a garnish. Another recipe you may want to try is Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole.

The casserole is described as filling on its own. For a side, pair it with a dinner salad or roasted vegetables. These additions keep the casserole at the center of the meal while providing a simple accompaniment for serving.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Let leftover hamburger casserole cool before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 to 4 days. Reheat the leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat; if the pasta mixture needs moisture, add a splash of water while reheating. For another make-ahead idea, see Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup.

The casserole can be frozen for up to three months. Allow the cooked casserole to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or transfer it to an airtight container. When baking it from frozen, preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the foil so you can take off the plastic wrap, then put the foil back on and bake the casserole while still frozen for about 1 hour. Check it for doneness and continue baking for another 15 minutes if needed. If the casserole has been defrosted, reheat it for 35 to 45 minutes.

If you do not want to freeze the baking pan, line another baking dish with 2 to 3 layers of plastic wrap, leaving extra wrap over the sides. Place the cooled casserole in the lined pan and freeze it. Once frozen, lift the casserole out using the plastic wrap, remove the wrap, and transfer the frozen casserole to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, remove it from the bag and place it in a baking dish.

For the Magic Dust, mix everything together and store it in an airtight container. Some of the mixture can also be kept in a shaker bottle for the grill.

Troubleshooting

• The pasta texture is too soft: Quick-cooking pasta tends to cook too long in this dish. Use regular pasta cooked al dente, or cook the pasta a bit less al dente if the texture has been off in previous batches.

• The casserole is too dry after reheating: Reheat it in a skillet over medium-low heat and add a splash of water to remoisten the mixture.

• The casserole needs more oven time: Oven temperature may vary. Continue baking as needed until the casserole is browned and bubbly, using the recipe’s stated baking range as the starting point.

For a frozen casserole, check it after about 1 hour at 375°F. If it is not done, continue for another 15 minutes. A defrosted casserole follows a separate reheating range of 35 to 45 minutes.

Why You’ll Love It

Ground beef casserole brings familiar pantry-style components into one baked meal: browned ground beef, tomato sauce, tomatoes with green chiles, macaroni-style pasta, corn, and melted cheese. The combination gives the dish both the recognizable appeal of a hamburger casserole and the seasoning direction of a Southwest casserole.

Its practical value comes from the sequence. The meat and vegetables brown in one skillet, the tomato mixture simmers there, and the cooked pasta is folded in before the casserole goes into the oven. That keeps the preparation focused on a small number of major steps without requiring separate layers or a complicated assembly.

The recipe also yields 8 servings, so it is sized for 8 people rather than a small single-meal portion. Ground turkey, ground chicken, ground bison, or a mixture of Italian sausage and ground beef can be used in place of the ground beef, giving the same basic format several supported directions.

Pro Tips for Success

A few details have an especially direct effect on the finished casserole. Cook the macaroni-style pasta al dente before stirring it into the skillet mixture. Quick-cooking pasta is not recommended because it cooks too long in the casserole and tends to become mushy. If using no-boil pasta, soak it in hot water while preparing the stovetop mixture.

Keep the cheese amounts organized: the ingredient list includes 2 ounces of shredded Mexican 4 Cheese blend and a separate 1 cup for the topping. The casserole is poured into a sprayed two-quart dish before the topping is added, and it bakes uncovered. This setup supports the stated browned, bubbly finish.

Use either Montreal Steak seasoning or Magic Dust when browning the beef. If making Magic Dust, mix the paprika, finely ground Kosher salt, sugar, mustard powder, chili powder, ground cumin, ground black pepper, granulated dried garlic, and cayenne pepper together. Store the mixture in an airtight container, with some kept in a shaker bottle for the grill if desired.

Finally, account for variation in oven temperature. Start with the listed 20- to 30-minute uncovered baking range at 325°F, then look for the casserole to be browned and bubbly rather than relying only on the clock.

Flavor and Texture

The finished dish centers on the combination of ground beef, pasta, tomatoes, and cheese. Tomato sauce and diced tomatoes with green chiles form the saucy base, while corn, onion, and orange bell pepper are part of the vegetable mixture. Chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and the selected seasoning give the casserole its Southwest-leaning profile.

The pasta is cooked al dente before it is stirred into the skillet mixture, then the combined casserole is baked uncovered. That sequence matters to the eating texture because quick-cooking pasta can become mushy when it cooks too long in the dish. The baked topping is intended to be browned and bubbly, with shredded Mexican 4 Cheese blend incorporated into the casserole and added across the top.

Green onions provide the stated finishing garnish. Sour cream may also be added as a garnish when serving. Together, the tomato-and-cheese base, pasta, beef, corn, and chiles make this a substantial casserole rather than a lightly dressed pasta dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will leftovers keep in the fridge and how should I reheat?

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water to remoisten the casserole if needed.

Can I freeze Ground Beef Casserole?

Yes. Freeze the cooled casserole for up to three months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or placed in an airtight container. Bake it frozen at 375°F for about 1 hour, then check it and continue for another 15 minutes if needed. If defrosted, reheat it for 35 to 45 minutes.

How should I finish the dish before serving?

Garnish it with sliced green onions if desired. A dollop of sour cream may also be used as a garnish.

What temperature should I use for the casserole?

Preheat the oven to 325°F for the freshly assembled casserole. Use 375°F when reheating a frozen casserole.

How long does Ground Beef Casserole take to make?

The prep time is 30 minutes and the cook time is 30 minutes, for a total of 60 minutes.

Nutrition

Nutrition per serving:

• Calories 340 kcal per serving

• Fat 11 g

• Saturated fat 6 g

• Cholesterol 57 mg

• Sodium 527 mg

• Carbohydrates 38 g

• Fiber 4 g

• Sugar 6 g

• Protein 24 g

• serving size: 1 portion

• calories: 340 kcal

• fat: 11 g

• saturated fat: 6 g

• carbohydrates: 38 g

• fiber: 4 g

• sugar: 6 g

• protein: 24 g

• sodium: 527 mg

• cholesterol: 57 mg