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
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Rich
My mother used to make something similar when I was growing up. Loved it so I had to try this. It was very good and it reminded me of my mom’s recipe.
angie
We loved this. It was tasty and easy. I will make it again.
Stephanie
Yum! Everything I like baked into one fabulous dish. Makes for such an inviting family meal.
Heather
Sorry, update on my comment….I meant that I added cumin, not fennel. Lol
Heather
Making this for the 2nd time and it’s delicious! I add fennel seed to the hamburger and Rotel tomatoes or diced tomatoes and a can of green chilies. Makes it a little of a Mexican casserole. Easy to make and will be on my rotation now
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Heather. I am so glad that like the hamburger casserole. Thanks for the tips. My readers love tips.
khoingn
I love any kind of hamburger recipe! This one is so yummy and cheesey. It has become of of our new favorites. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome. I am so glad that you like the hamburger casserole.
Sonia
This Hamburger Casserole sounds mouth-watering! I love how it’s packed with so many flavorful ingredients like sweet onions, red bell pepper, and garlic. And the addition of elbow macaroni and a perfectly seasoned tomato sauce base makes it even more delicious. I can’t wait to try it with fresh garden salad and crusty garlic bread. Yum!
May
Sounds yummy, and so hearty too. We are vegetarian, but there are plenty of vegetarian crumble options we can use to substitute. I like easy dishes like this!
Barbie Ritzman
The hamburger casserole dish you mentioned sounds delicious! It definitely has a nostalgic feel to it, and I’m sure it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Rosey
Hamburger casserole would make my son happy. He’s a big fan of dishes like these.
Jennifer L Prince
What a great recipe to make for dinner! I love all in one dishes, and this hamburger casserole is easy and delicious. A true winner!
LisaLisa
Oh, I’m making this recipe. I bet my kids would really enjoy this dish plus, I like how easy it is to create. I’m loving your page and I just bookmarked it!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lisa! Enjoy!
Rich
Great hamruger casserole. I served it with a simple garden salad and everyone loved it.
Cinny
Mmm…that looks delicious and easy to prep. I’m certain my family would love to taste test this.
Doreen
Do we drain the diced tomatoes?
Beth Pierce
No you do not. Sorry about the delay. I had a very sick pet and trying to catch up.
May
Looks easy enough! And the ingredients are easily available. We’re just about to do our supermarket run later today, I’m going to try this with my kid. Could be something he can teach at the volunteer event he has on 1st of July.
Beth Pierce
That sound like a great idea, May!