Penne coated in a tomato and meat sauce then topped with cheddar cheese is what makes ground beef casserole a family favorite for an easy, satisfying weeknight dinner!
Why I Love This Recipe
- One-dish meal: This ground beef casserole is a simple and quick one-dish meal, perfect for busy weeknights like this cheeseburger casserole!
- Family-friendly: This ground beef pasta bake is bound to be hit with your family just like this easy tater tots casserole!
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Penne noodles: You can use penne noodles for this casserole or your preferred short-shaped pasta, like rigatoni or ziti, or even egg noodles. Use gluten-free noodles if needed.
- Ground beef: Use lean ground beef to prepare this casserole. The leaner the beef the less fat you’ll have to worry about or drain.
- Marinara: Use your favorite store-bought jar or make a homemade marinara sauce.
- Cheddar cheese: Use a few cups of shredded cheddar cheese, add more or less depending on how cheesy you like the cheesy beef and pasta casserole. Mozzarella cheese would be be great!
- For serving: It’s optional, but we like to top it with chopped basil, parsley, or sliced green onions.
How to Make Ground Beef Casserole
In a large skillet cook the beef and onions until the meat is no longer pink. Remove the beef and place it in a paper towel-lined bowl to get rid of the grease.
Place the garlic in the skillet and once it has softened add the marinara sauce, salt, and pepper and allow the sauce to simmer. Add fresh herbs, Italian seasoning, or a sprinkle of red chili flakes to boost the flavor.
Add the beef back to the skillet and stir to combine. Pour the ground beef mixture over the cooked noodles waiting in the casserole dish and then cover evenly with the cheddar cheese.
Bake until the cheese is bubbly or broil for a minute or two to get a nice and crispy top. Serve warm topped with fresh herbs.
Tips and Variations
- For extra flavor, add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Choose lean ground beef so you don’t have too much fat to drain or try ground turkey, ground chicken or even Italian sausage.
- Don’t worry so much about using the exact quantities provided here, this ground beef casserole recipe is flexible to use less beef, pasta, or cheese.
- Use tomato sauce with additional seasonings instead of marinara
- Add some Tex-Mex flavor with taco seasoning, beans and a Mexican cheese blend.
- Cook the pasta al dente so it doesn’t get too soft when you bake it with the sauce and cheese.
- Cut the recipe in half and bake in a 8×8 baking dish for a smaller crowd.
Ground Beef Casserole Serving Suggestions
This is a hearty meal, so serving it with side salad and some bread is a great option to complete dinner!
- Try some crisp salad greens drizzled with Caesar dressing or homemade Italian dressing.
- Add some garlic bread on the side. Breadsticks or dinner rolls are also great options.
Make Ahead and Freeze
- Make ahead: To make ahead the casserole for meal prep, cook pasta a little less than al dente. Assemble as directed, cover and refrigerate up to two days. Bring to room temperature before baking, then bake as directed.
- Freeze: Freeze assembled casserole in a 9×13-inch metal tin wrapped with foil for up to 3 months. Place in the fridge to thaw overnight and cook at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes, or until hot. Top the casserole with extra cheese before baking.
Storage
- Store: Store leftovers of this ground beef recipe in an airtight container up to 4 days.
- Freeze: I don’t typically like to freeze pasta that is already cooked and baked, but if you do not mind, freeze up to 3 months.
More casserole recipes we love include baked ziti with meatballs, hamburger casserole, and million dollar spaghetti casserole.
More Ground Beef Recipes
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Easy Ground Beef Casserole
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked penne noodles
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ⅔ cup diced onion , about 1/2 onion
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 24 ounce jar marinara
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt , more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , more to taste
- 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese , more if desired
For serving (optional): Chopped basil, parsley or sliced green onions
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large pot, boil one pound noodles according to package instructions for al dente. Drain, and then pour into the baking dish.
- In a large skillet, cook one pound ground beef and 2/3 cup onions over medium-high heat until no longer pink. If there's a lot of grease, remove the the cooked beef and place in a paper towel-lined bowl to absorb excess grease. Stir in 3 cloves garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Add the 24 ounce marinara, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer for a few minutes until heated through. Season to taste. Add some fresh herbs, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes if desired to boost flavor. Add the beef back in if you removed.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles and stir to combine. Evenly cover the top with 1-2 cups cheddar cheese.
- Bake 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. You can broil the last minute if desired. Serve while warm. Top with fresh herbs if desired.
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!
Categorized as: 30 Minute Meals, American, Casseroles, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Kid-Friendly, Meal Prep, Nut-Free, Pasta
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.
Turned out well. Great flavors-I really liked the cheddar in this specific dish. – Recipe Tester
Tasty and simple to put together. I used whole wheat small penne. The 1 lb. of ground beef I will increase to 1-1/2 lbs. next time and I’ll increase the seasonings to compensate for the increase.
This is a new favorite! So simple and the picky eaters in my house devoured it!
This is a dish my family loves!! Even my picky eaters! It’s family-friendly & so yummy! Great for any night of the week!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the casserole! Perfect family meal :)
Super easy to make, just like I like it. This is now in our regular rotation, the kids love it!