Combine all your favorite cheeseburger flavors into a one-pot cheeseburger casserole made with pasta noodles instead of a bun! It’s an easy cheesy twist on hamburger helper.
Love ground beef recipes? Other family favorites include homemade hamburger helper, stuffed pepper casserole and ground beef casserole!
Table of Contents
One Pot Ground Beef Recipe
I buy ground beef quite often so having a bunch of easy ground beef recipes is a must. I’ve shared everything from cheeseburger sliders to goulash!
This easy cheeseburger casserole is the unbaked version of my hamburger casserole and combines all the flavors of a cheeseburger in a one-pot dish.
Why You’ll Love Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe
- A one-pot recipe: Everything gets cooked in the same pot, even the pasta noodles!
- Family-friendly: There is plenty of room to customize this cheeseburger casserole recipe to your family’s preferences.
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Cheeseburger Casserole
Video
Equipment
- 1 6 qt enameled cast iron dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt , more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 ½ cups dry elbow noodles
- 3 ½ cups beef broth
- ¼ cup sour cream , at room temperature
- 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the beef and onion over medium heat. Break apart the beef with a spoon and cook until browned. Drain any grease, if needed.
- Stir in tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano. Cook 1 minute. Stir in the dry noodles and broth.
- Bring to a light simmer and cover with a lid. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Stir halfway through cooking to prevent noodles from sticking.
- Remove from heat and pour off any extra liquid, if needed. Stir in sour cream and about 3/4 cup of cheese. Stir until melted. Season to taste.
- Sprinkle 1/2-1 cup shredded cheese over the top and cover with the lid until cheese is melted. You could also broil the cheese for a minute if desired. Serve while hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Substitutions and Variations
- Replace the sour cream with heavy cream if preferred. For a heavier sauce, use heavy cream. You can also use mozzarella cheese.
- Toss in some chopped veggies like celery, bell peppers, or mushrooms.
- For heat, sprinkle in some red pepper flakes, chili powder, or a dash of hot sauce.
- Lighten up cheeseburger casserole with ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
How to Make Cheeseburger Casserole
In a large pot, brown the beef over medium heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Drain grease if necessary.
Mix in tomato paste and seasoning. Cook for 1 minute and then add in the noodles and broth. Bring to a light simmer, cover with a lid and cook 10-12 minutes until noodles are tender.
Remove the pot from the heat and pour off any extra liquid. Stir in sour cream and 3/4 of the cheese. Sprinkle more shredded cheese on top and cover with the lid until it melts.
Expert Tips
- I always recommend grating your own cheese for better taste and melting, but in this case pre-shredded will work just fine.
- If you like golden brown melted cheese on top, transfer the mixture to a baking dish and place it under the broiler for a few minutes.
- Cook the noodles to al dente. They will continue to cook in the heat, so this will help to avoid mushy noodles.
Recipe FAQs
Certainly! Assemble the cheeseburger casserole without the finishing cheese on top. Place it in a casserole dish and let it cool. Then, sprinkle the cheese overtop and cover with foil (this is so that the cheese doesn’t melt).
Keep it refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes with the foil on and then remove it for the last 5 minutes.
This can happen if you’ve forgotten to bring the sour cream and cheddar cheese to room temperature. Adding cold ingredients to a hot dish can cause the dairy to curdle and become grainy.
Storing
- Store: Keep leftovers store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Freeze: To freeze the entire cheeseburger casserole, transfer to a disposable aluminum tin and cover it tightly. Freeze it for up to 3 months and when ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes until hot.
More casseroles with ground beef include crescent roll taco bake, million dollar spaghetti casserole and tater tot casserole.
More One Pot Recipes
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, 30 Minute Meals, American, Casseroles, Dinner, Kid-Friendly, Meal Prep, One Pot, One Pot, Pasta, Stovetop
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This was so easy to make and it turned out amazing since the whole family loved it.
This is the yummiest weeknight meal. My whole family devoured it!
The sour cream made it so creamy and delicious. We loved it!
The perfect recipe for those that love cheeseburgers but want some pasta, too! Family loved it.