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A comforting casserole combining seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, creamy sour cream and cream cheese filling, and tender egg noodles, topped with melted sharp Cheddar cheese.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 (8 ounce) package egg noodles
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large white onion, finely diced
  • ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, or more to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Cook 1 pound ground beef in the skillet, breaking it up, until crumbly and cooked through (about 5–7 minutes).
  3. Drain off excess grease from the browned beef.
  4. Stir tomato sauce, sugar, garlic salt, and salt into the browned beef and simmer gently for about 20 minutes; remove from heat and keep covered.
  5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  6. Cook 8 ounces egg noodles until al dente (7–9 minutes) and drain well.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
  8. Soften 3 ounces cream cheese (room temperature or brief microwave).
  9. Mix 1 cup sour cream, the softened cream cheese, and 1 large diced white onion until smooth and combined.
  10. Layer half of the drained noodles in the prepared casserole dish.
  11. Spread half of the sour cream mixture over the noodles.
  12. Top with half of the beef mixture.
  13. Repeat the layers with the remaining noodles, sour cream mixture, and beef.
  14. Sprinkle ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
  15. Bake the casserole at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
  16. If the cheese begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil for the first 15–20 minutes of baking, then remove to finish browning.
  17. Optional: sauté the diced onion with the ground beef while browning for a milder, softer onion flavor instead of mixing raw onion into the sour cream filling.
  18. Optional: toss the diced onion with the cheese topping before baking if you prefer a bit of crunch and sweeter flavor after baking.

Notes

Make sure to brown the ground beef thoroughly and drain off excess fat to avoid a greasy casserole., Simmer beef and tomato sauce for 20 minutes to deepen flavor and reduce excess liquid., Cook noodles al dente (7–9 minutes) to maintain texture after baking., Soften cream cheese before mixing for a smooth filling., Grease casserole dish well for easier slicing and serving., If cheese browns too quickly, cover with foil for first 15–20 mins, then uncover., Drain beef and noodles thoroughly before layering to avoid sogginess., Variations include swapping ground beef for turkey, chicken, Italian sausage; using different pasta shapes; adding vegetables or lentils for vegetarian versions; substituting different cheeses; and adding spices like smoked paprika or red pepper flakes., Assemble up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate to save time., Can freeze both unbaked and baked casserole up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/grandmas-hamburger-casserole/