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Ground Beef Casserole

Family-pleasing ground beef casserole, with flavorful ground beef, vegetables, pasta, and lightened creamy sauce, baked with cheese on top.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 559 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef 90% or 93% lean
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 1 bell pepper red, yellow, or orange, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes and green chilis (such as Rotel)
  • 1 8-ounce can added tomato sauce
  • 12 ounces whole wheat pasta noodles such as egg noodles, elbow macaroni, or penne
  • 1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided (about 2 cups)
  • 4 green onions thinly sliced, divided

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  2. In a wide, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the beef, onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until it is fully cooked through and the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Increase the heat slightly and continue to cook and stir until most of the liquid cooks away.
  3. Stir in the garlic. Let cook, stirring constantly, until super fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes in green chilis and the tomato sauce. Let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta until just below al dente—it shouldn’t be completely crunchy but should still be too firm to eat. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside
  5. Pour 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water back into the now-empty pot you used to cook the pasta. Add the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, cornstarch, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until smoothly combined. Stir in one-third of the cheese, continuing to whisk until it is mostly smooth. Don’t worry if the cheese doesn’t melt completely.
  6. Add half of the green onions, the noodles, and the remaining 1 cup pasta water. Stir to combine, then carefully spoon the noodles and the liquid in the pot into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. It will look like a mess at this point.
  7. Spoon the beef mixture evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with the cheddar.
  8. Bake ground beef casserole until the cheese is browned and it is bubbling around the edges, about 30 minutes. If desired, pop the pan under the broiler for a minute or two to further brown the cheese. Watch carefully. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining green onions, and let stand for 15 minutes prior to serving.

Notes

  • TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover ground beef casserole in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat or gently in the microwave.
  • TO FREEZE: Store in freezer-safe, airtight storage container for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in refrigerator, and then reheat.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1of 6 Calories 559kcal (28%) Carbohydrates 46g (15%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 11g (55%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Trans Fat 0.3g Cholesterol 97mg (32%) Potassium 519mg (15%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 1260IU (25%) Vitamin C 45mg (50%) Calcium 356mg (36%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 559

% Daily Value*

Serving 1of 6
Calories 559kcal 28%
Carbohydrates 46g 15%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 0.3g 15%
Cholesterol 97mg 32%
Potassium 519mg 11%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 1260IU 25%
Vitamin C 45mg 50%
Calcium 356mg 36%
Iron 2mg 11%

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