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5.0 from 6 votes

Ground Beef and Corn Casserole

An easy, cozy ground beef casserole with corn, bacon, squash, and noodles in a zesty tomato sauce with plenty of melty cheddar cheese on top!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 620 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dry egg noodles, elbow macaroni, or medium shells pasta
  • 4 lices bacon, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup diced zucchini or yellow squash
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned corn
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite-diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch cayenne (or more to taste)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside.
  2. Cook noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water for about 1 minute less than al dente, according to package instructions. Drain.
  3. While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the pan. Add the ground beef and cook for 3 minutes (the meat doesn’t need to be completely cooked through at this point). Add the onion, zucchini or squash, and garlic; cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5-7 more minutes.
  4. Stir in the corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
  5. Add the cooked, drained noodles and the cooked bacon to the beef mixture; toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish; top with shredded cheese.
  6. Bake, uncovered, until the casserole is hot and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.
  7. Garnish with fresh parsley or green onion.

Notes

  • Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste preferences. For instance, you might like to add an extra teaspoon of brown sugar for a slightly sweeter tomato sauce, increase the cayenne to make it spicy, or use a bit more chili powder for a zestier flavor.
  • Boil the pasta in well-salted water. This is your opportunity to really season the noodles.
  • Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than al dente. The noodles will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to slightly under-boil them so that they don’t become mushy after baking.
  • Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, basil, or oregano) for a bright, fresh touch. Sliced green onions are also good!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/6 of the casserole Calories 620kcal (31%) Carbohydrates 60g (20%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 26g (40%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 8g Trans Fat 0.3g Cholesterol 142mg (47%) Sodium 860mg (36%) Potassium 1043mg (30%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 1120IU (22%) Vitamin C 18mg (20%) Calcium 342mg (34%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 620

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/6 of the casserole
Calories 620kcal 31%
Carbohydrates 60g 20%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 0.3g 15%
Cholesterol 142mg 47%
Sodium 860mg 36%
Potassium 1043mg 22%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 1120IU 22%
Vitamin C 18mg 20%
Calcium 342mg 34%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.