Cheeseburger Casserole | Cookies & Cups

Why You’ll Love This Cheeseburger Casserole

Today’s cheeseburger casserole is a family-style spin on cheeseburger pasta, baked in the oven instead! Tender pasta gets tossed in a savory mixture of juicy ground beef, tomato, sweet onions, and burger seasonings, then baked underneath fistfuls of melted cheese. Here’s why you need this weeknight favorite on your table, stat:

• Classic flavors. Cheeseburger casserole is a bit like a homemade take on boxed Hamburger Helper (similar to my creamy beef pasta). This recipe ditches the box mix and recreates all those gooey, cheesy, beefy flavors from scratch.
• Ready in less than an hour. The cheeseburger-inspired filling comes together in minutes, followed by a short bake in the oven. Have the whole casserole hot and on the table in less than one hour.
• Easy clean-up. The noodles become tender in the skillet as they soak up all the flavor, and then it’s a matter of filling a casserole dish for baking. Clean-up is quick, and leftovers keep for days.

Ingredient Notes

Here, I’ve included some notes on the key ingredients and seasonings you’ll need for this easy cheeseburger casserole recipe. Scroll to the recipe card below the post for a printable list.

• Ground Beef – You’ll need about one pound of lean ground beef. You can also make this casserole with ground chicken or turkey as a leaner option.
• Onion – I like to use yellow onion but another variety, like Vidalia or even red onion, also works.
• Seasoning – I season my ground beef with a blend of salt, pepper, chili powder, and Italian seasoning.
• Garlic – You’ll need two minced garlic cloves, or to taste.
• Tomato Paste and Broth – Tangy tomato paste along with low-sodium beef broth or chicken stock create the base for the sauce.
• Pasta – You can make this pasta bake with uncooked cavatappi, or another short pasta (see below).
• Milk and Sour Cream – Substitute plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, or use heavy cream for a more decadent dish.
• Cheese – I top this casserole with shredded mozzarella and grated cheddar cheese. You can substitute this simple blend with another melty cheese like Colby, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or whatever you have on hand. I recommend grating the cheese fresh from the block. Pre-shredded cheese comes with a waxy coating and won’t melt as smoothly.

What’s the Best Pasta to Use?

Similar to mac and cheese, the best types of pasta for cheeseburger casseroles are hollow and tubular. These shapes allow more cheese sauce to cling to them. I make my cheeseburger casserole with cavatappi, or “corkscrew” pasta, which is a bit like a bigger, spiralized version of elbow macaroni. Other good options are elbow macaroni, penne, ziti, and mini conchiglie (shells).

How to Make Cheeseburger Casserole

Here’s a quick look at how to make this gooey and bubbly cheeseburger casserole. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions.

Recipe Tips and Variations

• Use room temperature ingredients. Take ingredients like milk, sour cream, and cheese out of the fridge 20-30 minutes ahead of preparing your casserole. Room-temperature ingredients are easier to combine and yield the creamiest texture.
• Try not to overcook the pasta. Since you’ll be baking the pasta after it’s cooked in the pan, make sure to only cook the pasta in the sauce until it’s just al dente (cooked but still firm in the center).
• Add bacon. Stir in cooked, crumbled bacon for a bacon cheeseburger casserole.
• More cheeseburger toppings. Add burger-inspired toppings like diced tomatoes, caramelized onions, and dill pickles for even more flavor.
• Mexican-style. Swap the Italian seasoning in the recipe for taco seasoning for a Tex-Mex spin on cheeseburger casserole. You might also like this taco pasta.
• Make it vegetarian. Substitute ground meat with canned beans, lentils, or your preferred meatless mince, and use vegetable broth in place of beef or chicken broth. If you’re looking for a hearty vegetarian pasta recipe, try this baked Boursin cheese pasta or this Midwest five-cheese bake.

Serving Suggestions

Cheeseburger casserole is a meal-in-one, but I’ll often round out dinner with a side of fluffy dinner rolls or homemade crescent rolls. This casserole also goes great with a side of green salad or veggies, like air fryer asparagus. For dessert, tuck into a slice of creamy cherry cheesecake!

Can I Make This Casserole Ahead?

Yes. Cheeseburger casserole can be made ahead and then refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to bake it. Here’s how:

1. Follow the recipe as directed right up until you transfer the casserole filling to an oven-proof baking dish and cover it with cheese.
2. Wrap the unbaked casserole tightly in plastic wrap to refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the casserole completely before baking as directed.

When preparing this casserole in advance, consider adding a bit of extra broth. This helps to keep the filling from drying out once it’s in the oven. Whenever possible, let your casserole come back to room temperature before baking. It’s important to pay attention to the temperature requirements of your casserole dish to avoid a cold dish cracking in the hot oven. See the next section for directions on how to store and reheat cheeseburger casserole once it’s baked.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Fridge. Store any leftover cheeseburger casserole airtight and refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days. Reheat servings in the microwave or in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through.
• Freezer. Baked cheeseburger casserole is also great to freeze. Cover the casserole or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, plus a layer of foil. You can also store smaller portions in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store leftovers frozen for up to 3 months, and defrost them in the fridge before reheating.

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