Ground Beef Casserole

With pasta noodles covered in a thick and creamy tomato sauce and topped with cheese, this ground beef casserole is incredibly simple to prepare. The flavor is strong despite the straightforward ingredients!

Ground Beef Casserole

Is there anything better than pasta noodles covered in a rich, cheese-filled tomato sauce? This casserole's flavor is out of this world!

To get a sense of how this comes together and what tastes and flavors you can expect, let's go over a few of the ingredients:

Ziti Rigati: The ridges all around this tube-shaped pasta allow the sauce to really cling to each pasta noodle and even fill the tubes!
Ground Beef: A little Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and flour are added to the ground beef along with sautéed onions and garlic to help the sauce thicken even more.
Tomato Sauce: This gives the sauce a nice flavorful foundation and adds texture with the addition of juicy diced tomatoes.
Sour Cream: Indulgence is increased in this casserole by the addition of sour cream, which gives the tomato sauce a creamy, cool contrast. If necessary, heavy cream or half-and-half can be used.
Cheddar cheese: some for the sauce and some for the top of the casserole.

How to Make It

While the onions and garlic are softening, brown the beef in a skillet. Add flour, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and Italian seasoning. Cook for two to three minutes after combining.
Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes. Simmer after bringing it to a boil.

Drain the pasta after cooking it per the directions on the package. After taking the sauce off the heat, allow the base to cool slightly. Stir to combine before adding the sour cream and 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Add the pasta and mix.

Transfer to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish that has been lightly greased if your dish is not oven-safe.
Add the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 10 minutes, uncovered, at 400 degrees, or until the cheese is melted. Garlic bread with cheese is served as a side.

Pro Tips

A variety of pasta will work well with this recipe, I recommend a tube or spiral-shaped pasta as it clings to the sauce really well. Rigatoni would be excellent.
The sour cream adds a hint of tang that my family really enjoys in this casserole, but half-and-half or heavy cream may also be used.
Use freshly shredded cheese for creamy results. Bagged shredded cheese contains cellulose, which prevents it from melting well. I use Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow.
Make sure the base isn’t too hot when you add the sour cream and the cheese, as you don’t want the dairy to separate.
1 lb. of ground beef can be used instead of 1.5 lb.

Make-Ahead Method

To prevent the noodles from being overcooked when reheated, cook the pasta for 1 minute less than al dente.
Place the casserole in a casserole dish after assembling it as directed. Allow it to cool before covering and storing it in the fridge for up to two days.
For 20 minutes, bake with a cover at 350°. After 10–15 minutes, remove the cover and continue to bake.