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This hamburger casserole has everything you love—hearty, simple, and oh-so-satisfying. It’s a family favorite for a reason! Made with noodles, ground beef, tomato soup, and plenty of cheese.
I can’t believe it took me this long to appreciate classic American casseroles! Recently, I made the CREAMIEST chicken casserole by combining chicken, cream of chicken soup, and a few dairy ingredients.
This week, I’m combining ground beef, tomato soup, and a handful of simple, inexpensive ingredients for the perfect hamburger casserole. It tastes like a hamburger in pasta bake form!
This casserole with ground beef is also absolutely delicious, super cozy, comforting, and satisfying, and it makes for a crowd-pleasing meal that even picky eaters will love. Pair it with good-for-you veggies and/or some garlic bread for a satisfying meal for busy weeknights, potlucks, and special occasions.
Why I love this casserole recipe
Like most casseroles, it’s made with a short, budget-friendly list of ingredients, requires just two pots, and needs minimal hands-on prep—ideal for busy weeknights.
Plus, this hamburger casserole makes great leftovers and is perfect for meal prepping—just assemble it ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat. The best part? The leftovers taste just as good, if not better!
Watch how easy it is to make!
Ingredients
A combination of just 5 (if not making the seasoning from scratch) simple and inexpensive ingredients is all you need to prepare this flavor-packed comfort hamburger casserole recipe.
- Ground beef: I prefer lean ground beef, though you may use slightly fattier meat if preferred (like 80/20). Ground turkey or sausage will also work great in this cheeseburger casserole.
- Cream of tomato soup: Use canned or homemade creamy tomato soup. Otherwise, an equal amount of regular jarred tomato sauce would work well.
- Cheese: A combination of freshly shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese makes for a delicious, cheesy, cheese-pull-tastic hamburger dish.
- Seasoning: I love to use homemade burger seasoning made with sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder (optional), salt, black pepper, and a pinch of brown sugar. Alternatively, you can use store-bought seasoning or other options like Italian seasoning or simply salt and pepper.
- Pasta: I prefer small pasta shapes, like macaroni, shells, penne, bows, etc. However, long, wide egg noodles will also work.
- Oil: Use any neutral-flavored cooking oil, like avocado or olive oil. For an oil-free version, use a splash (about ¼ cups) of broth.
See the printable recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make a hamburger casserole
Stary by preheating the oven to 375ºF/190ºC and greasing a 9×13-inch baking dish (casserole dish).
Step 1: Boil the pasta just a couple of minutes less than the package says, so it’s al dente. Drain it and set aside—it’ll finish cooking in the oven, so it won’t get mushy.
Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil, and stir in the ground beef and burger seasoning.
Step 3: Cook it for several minutes, stirring often, until the meat is browned and almost entirely cooked.
Step 4: Layer the cooked pasta in the baking dish, followed by the ground beef mixture, and top with cheese (saving a bit for the top layer).
Step 5: Add the tomato soup, then top with the remaining cheese.
Step 6: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 375ºF/190ºC for 30 minutes. Remove the foil after 20 minutes.
Step 7: Optionally, for a darker, crisper cheese crust, broil the casserole for 1-2 minutes at the end.
Step 8: Let the casserole rest for a few minutes, then cut, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Serving suggestions
I love to enjoy it with some garlic bread. Some of my other favorite ways to serve it are:
- With cooked veggies: Steamed, air-fried, or roasted vegetables such as roasted broccoli, roasted green beans, roasted asparagus, and more.
- Paired with a simple salad: For a touch of freshness, serve it with homemade Caesar salad or homemade coleslaw.
- With creamy purees: Creamy mashed potatoes make the perfect side dish to complement the casserole.
FAQs
Yes, you can meal prep this recipe in one of these ways:
– Cook the beef, then store in the fridge for 2-3 days (or freeze it) until ready to assemble and bake.
– Assemble the casserole in a baking dish. Refrigerate for 1-2 days, bring to room temperature for 20 minutes, and bake.
– Assemble the casserole and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, bring to room temperature for 20 minutes, then bake.
Tightly wrap the leftovers in clingfilm or place them in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
You can reheat individual portions in the microwave (1-2 minutes). Large amounts can be heated in the oven (covered with foil) at 350ºF/175ºC until piping hot (20-30 minutes).
You can substitute the noodles with zucchini noodles or use chickpea pasta or oat pasta (these are popular for those avoiding gluten or looking to increase their protein intake.)
More easy casserole recipes
If you try this hamburger casserole recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Best Hamburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb ground beef lean ground beef is best; ground turkey or sausage also work
- 20 oz cream of tomato soup 2 cans/3 cups; or regular tomato sauce
- 5.1 oz cheddar cheese 2 cups shredded
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese 1 cup shredded
- 13.2 oz pasta uncooked, 3 cups; short-shapes like macaroni, shells, penne, bows, etc., work best.
- 1 Tbsp burger seasoning or Italian seasoning OR just salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the pasta 2-3 minutes less than package directions for al dente, drain, and set aside—it’ll finish cooking in the oven.
- Heat oil in a skillet, stir in the ground beef and seasoning, and cook until browned.
- To assemble the casserole, layer the cooked pasta, beef, cheese (saving some for the topping), tomato soup, and finish with the remaining cheese. Prefer mixing? Go ahead and combine all the layers instead!
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, uncovering it after 20 minutes. For a golden, crispy cheese topping, broil for 1-2 minutes before serving.
- Allow the hamburger casserole to cool for a few minutes, garnish with parsley if you like, and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looking so good. i try this recipe. Thanks for this useful information.
Thank you for your comment!