Ground Beef Casserole

Ground Beef Casserole, a homemade convenience meal packed with a blend of savory flavors and a good heaping of cheddar cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Ground Beef Casserole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 18

Resting 15

Total Time 43

Servings

Calories 537kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lbs. lean ground beef (97/3)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large red or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cans (10 oz. each) Rotel
1 tsp. table salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Creole seasoning or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp chile powder
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1-1/2 cups dry penne pasta cooked al dente
1-1/2 cups pasta water (reserved)
1 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp. cornstarch
4 stalks green onion, sliced, divided

Instructions

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat a two-quart (11x7) casserole dish with cooking spray. ( You could use a 9x13, the casserole will just be more spread out.)
In large nonstick skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot add the ground beef, onion and bell peppers, cooking until meat is fully cooked and vegetables are softened.; about 8-10 minutes. (You may need to turn up the heat to evaporate any liquid that may be present.) Add garlic and red pepper flakes (stir constantly), cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add tomato sauce, Rotel and remaining spices. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add frozen corn, simmering a few minutes more.
Simultaneously, cook the pasta by heating 6 cups of salted water in a medium size pot. Add the dry pasta and cook until almost al dente—it should still be too firm to eat. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
Pour 1/2 cup of the pasta water you set aside back into the empty pot where you cooked the pasta. Add Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and cornstarch. Whisk the ingredients together until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese while continuing to whisk until the mixture is mostly smooth.
Add half of the sliced green onions, the pasta, and the remaining 1 cup of pasta water to the yogurt mixture. Mix them together, then transfer the noodles and any liquid from the pot into an even layer at the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Spoon the beef mixture over the pasta mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake the casserole until edges are bubbling and cheese is browning on top, about 18-25 minutes. When done baking, sprinkle with remaining green onions. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

For optimal outcomes when preparing this ground beef casserole, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition