This easy Hamburger Casserole is loaded with flavor from sweet onions, red bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and elbow macaroni. It’s all in a perfectly seasoned tomato sauce base and topped with Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese.
Discover a simple and delicious hamburger casserole recipe perfect for busy weeknights. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, this dish will quickly become a family favorite.
Enjoy this hearty casserole with a simple garden salad, crusty cheese garlic bread, minestrone soup, or tomato salad.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Ground beef: use ground beef with a little fat in it for flavor
- Onion: preferably yellow for sweetness
- Bell pepper: any color bell pepper works
- Garlic: fresh, of course
- Seasonings: Italian, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper
- Tomato sauce: or crushed tomatoes
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: I love the extra flavor and color
- Elbow macaroni: use any short pasta shape with this recipe, including rotini, elbow macaroni, farfalle, penne, egg noodles, or cellentani pasta.
- Cheese: cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend cheese works well
How to make Hamburger Casserole
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni al dente according to package instructions. Drain well in a colander in the sink.
Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper about halfway through the browning process. Continue cooking until the veggies are soft and the ground beef is browned. Drain any excess grease. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
Stir in the tomato sauce, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and cooked macaroni. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Spoon the ground beef mixture into a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Top with a mixture of shredded cheddar cheese and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
Preparation Tips
- Cook the noodles al dente, which means slightly firm. They will be simmered for a few minutes and then baked.
- You can substitute Italian sausage, ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
- Cook in the oven long enough to heat the casserole and melt the cheese.
- Other cheeses to try include provolone, Parmesan, Fontina, mozzarella, and, if you like spicy things, Pepperjack.
Hot to Freeze This Casserole
Already baked: First, let the casserole fully cool. Then, wrap the dish in several layers of plastic wrap. Place on a level shelf in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and remove the casserole from the fridge 40 minutes before baking to bring it to room temperature. Reheat at reduced power in the microwave.
Before baking: Prep the dish and wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap. Place on a level shelf in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and remove the casserole from the fridge 40 minutes before baking to bring it to room temperature. Bake according to the recipe directions.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover the dish with foil and place it in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through.
Alternatively, reheat in the microwave at reduced power for short increments until warm. It is always best to remove the casserole from the refrigerator 40 minutes before reheating to bring it to room temperature.
More Ground Beef Recipes
Easy Hamburger Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 red or green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounces) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- Kosher salt to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray for easier cleanup.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni al dente according to package directions. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. About halfway through the browning process, add the onion and the red bell pepper. Continue cooking until the onion and bell pepper are soft and the ground beef is browned. Drain any excess grease. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and Italian seasoning, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and cooked macaroni. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
- Spoon the beef mixture into a 9×13-inch casserole. Top with a mixture of shredded cheddar cheese and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.
Notes
- Cook the noodles al dente, which means slightly firm. They will be simmered for a few minutes and then baked.
- You can substitute Italian sausage, ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
- Cook in the oven long enough to heat the casserole and melt the cheese.
- Other cheeses to try include provolone, Parmesan, Fontina, mozzarella, and, if you like spicy things, Pepperjack.
Nutrition
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Clarice
Wow! This post definitely made me hungry. It’s been a while since we had some hamburger casserole and would love to prepare it this weekend. Thank you for sharing the recipe. We’d love to try rotini and pepper jack for a change.
Nikki Wayne
Oh my! The whole family would really love this for sure! Thanks for sharing this with us, can’t wait to try this recipe
Barbie Ritzman
It’s been years since I’ve had hamburger casserole. It’s a great comfort food that brings back memories of my childhood.
Luna S
Love this! It is such a fun and easy way to spice up your weekly meal schedule with something even the kids will love.
Marysa
Sounds like an easy and fun dish! I haven’t made a casserole in ages and it is good to have some easy dishes for our busy nights.
Nicole
I grew up eating something similar so I had to try this recipe. We loved it and it think that it was better than my Mom’s recipe.
Alita Pacio
I love how easy this hamburger casserole is to make! It is a one-dish comfort food at its finest.
Heather klein
The whole family loved this recipe, it’s definitely a keeper. It smells amazing while it cooks.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Heather! I am so glad that your family loved it.
dana
The ultimate comfort food, right here. We love this recipe. It’s a favorite here during the cooler months or when we’ve just had a super busy week and are feeling run down. This is a hug in a bowl!
Beth Pierce
I agree, Dana!
Dannii
My kids LOVED this. I froze a few portions for easy after school dinners too.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Danni! It sure does freeze well!
Hayley Dhanecha
Such a delicious and perfect dish for whole family, ideal for mid-weel meal!
Andrea
I love this so much. It’s quick, easy, fantastic and feeds a hungry crowd. Perfect for my family.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Andrea! So glad that you liked it!
Whitney
My whole family loved this and it was easy to prepare. Thanks for sharing!
Jupiter Hadley
This sounds like such a good midweek meal! It reminds me of hamburger helper – which I cannot find in the United Kingdom now that I have moved here.
Tisha
I love how simple this is and so perfect an busy weeknight
Sandra
Such a perfect meal for my picky eaters!! A huge hit at my house!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sandra! So glad that they enjoyed it. You should try other cheeses like mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, Fontina, and, if you like things a little spicy, Pepper Jack.