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This cheeseburger casserole is a hearty and satisfying family dinner idea! It’s made with beef and tender pasta, combined with garlic, spices, and a generous amount of melty cheese.
This simple cheeseburger casserole recipe is filled with all the cheeseburger essentials. It’s all baked together in a creamy sauce with tender pasta and plenty of melted cheddar cheese on top.
Why You’ll Love This Cheeseburger Casserole
- Classic flavors. Cheeseburger casserole is a homemade take on boxed Hamburger Helper. This recipe ditches the box mix and recreates all those gooey, cheesy, beefy flavors from scratch.
- Ready in less than an hour. The cheeseburger-inspired filling comes together in minutes, followed by a short bake in the oven. You’ll have the whole casserole hot and on the table in less than one hour.
- Easy clean-up. The noodles become tender in the skillet as they soak up all the flavor, and then it’s a matter of filling a casserole dish for baking. Clean-up is quick, and leftovers keep for days.
Ingredient Notes
Here, I’ve included some notes on the key ingredients and seasonings. Scroll to the recipe card below the post for a printable list.
- Ground beef – You’ll need about one pound of lean ground beef. You can also make this casserole with ground chicken or turkey as a leaner option.
- Onion – I like to use yellow onion but another variety, like Vidalia or even red onion, also works.
- Seasoning – I season my ground beef with a blend of salt, pepper, chili powder, and Italian seasoning.
- Garlic – You’ll need two minced garlic cloves, or to taste.
- Tomato paste and broth – Tangy tomato paste along with low-sodium beef broth or chicken stock create the base for the sauce.
- Pasta – You can make this pasta bake with uncooked cavatappi, or another short pasta (see below).
- Milk and sour cream – Substitute plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, or use heavy cream for a more decadent dish.
- Cheese – I top this casserole with shredded mozzarella and grated cheddar cheese. You can substitute this simple blend with another melty cheese like Colby, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or whatever you have on hand. I recommend grating the cheese fresh from the block. Pre-shredded cheese comes with a waxy coating and won’t melt as smoothly.
What’s the Best Pasta to Use?
Similar to mac and cheese, the best types of pasta for cheeseburger casseroles are hollow and tubular. These shapes allow more cheese sauce to cling to them. I make my cheeseburger casserole with cavatappi, or “corkscrew” pasta, which is a bit like a bigger, spiralized version of elbow macaroni. Other good options are elbow macaroni, penne, ziti, and mini conchiglie (shells).
How to Make Cheeseburger Casserole
Here’s a quick look at how to make this cheeseburger casserole recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. While it preheats, make the filling.
- Brown the beef. First, saute the ground beef in a skillet. Once browned, stir in diced onion along with your seasonings. Cook for a few minutes longer, until the onions are softened.
- Add the pasta and cook. Next, stir in tomato paste and garlic, followed by the broth and pasta. Simmer the mixture, covered, until the pasta is al dente. This should take about 10 minutes or so, but the exact times may vary depending on the pasta you’re using.
- Add milk, sour cream, and cheese. Whisk the milk and sour cream together in a separate bowl, then stir this into the skillet. After, sprinkle over half the shredded cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted.
- Bake. Spread the mixture into a large casserole dish. Add the remaining shredded cheese over top, and bake for 10-15 minutes. The cheese should be melted and bubbling at the edges.
- Serve. Let the casserole stand for a bit once it’s out of the oven, this will make it easier to scoop. Serve cheeseburger casserole garnished with green onions alongside your favorite sides.
Tips for Success
This classic cheeseburger casserole is a satisfying meal whether you’re just beginning in the kitchen or if you’re a seasoned home cook. Here are a few quick tips for success:
- Use room temperature ingredients. Take ingredients like milk, sour cream, and cheese out of the fridge 20-30 minutes ahead of preparing your casserole. Room-temperature ingredients are easier to combine and yield the creamiest texture.
- Try not to overcook the pasta. Since you’ll be baking the pasta after it’s cooked in the pan, make sure to only cook the pasta in the sauce until it’s just al dente (cooked but still firm in the center).
Variation Ideas
Casseroles are some of the most versatile dinner ideas. There are many ways to turn this cheeseburger casserole into a dish that suits just about any preference. Try these easy variations:
- Mexican – Swap the Italian seasoning in the recipe for taco seasoning for a Tex-Mex spin on cheeseburger casserole.
- Bacon – Stir in cooked, crumbled bacon for a bacon cheeseburger casserole.
- More cheeseburger toppings – Add diced tomatoes and diced dill pickles to really round out those cheeseburger flavors.
- Vegetarian – Substitute ground meat with canned beans, lentils, or your preferred meatless mince, and use vegetable broth in place of beef or chicken broth. If you’re looking for another hearty vegetarian casserole recipe, try my baked rigatoni pasta with vegetables and cream sauce.
Can I Make This Casserole Ahead?
Yes. Cheeseburger casserole can be made ahead and then refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to bake it. Follow the recipe as directed right up until you transfer the casserole filling to an oven-proof baking dish and cover it with cheese. Wrap the unbaked casserole tightly in plastic wrap to refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the casserole completely before baking as directed.
When preparing this casserole in advance, consider adding a bit of extra broth. This helps to keep the filling from drying out once it’s in the oven. Whenever possible, let your casserole come back to room temperature before baking. It’s important to pay attention to the temperature requirements of your casserole dish to avoid a cold dish cracking in the hot oven. See the next section for directions on how to store and reheat cheeseburger casserole once it’s baked.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Fridge. Store any leftover cheeseburger casserole airtight and refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days. Reheat servings in the microwave or in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through.
- Freezer. Baked cheeseburger casserole is also great to freeze. Cover the casserole or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, plus a layer of foil. You can also store smaller portions in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store leftovers frozen for up to 3 months, and defrost them in the fridge before reheating.
More Casserole Recipes
- Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- John Wayne Casserole
- Million Dollar Spaghetti
- White Chicken Béchamel Lasagna
Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, lean
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 cups beef broth, or chicken stock
- 12 oz cavatappi, uncooked
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- Green onions for decoration
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F and make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature (especially milk, sour cream, and cheese), it’s important for the creamiest texture.
- Brown the beef. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, breaking it up into crumbles with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the beef is no longer pink.
- Add onion. Add the diced onion, salt, black pepper, chili powder, and Italian seasoning to the skillet with the ground beef. Stir and cook until the onions are softened for about 5 minutes.
- Add tomato and garlic. Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic until well combined.
- Combine and cook. Add the beef broth and uncooked cavatappi pasta to the skillet and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente (cooked but still firm).
- Add milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream. Pour this mixture into the skillet, stirring it into the pasta and meat mixture.
- Add cheese. Add half of the shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese to the skillet and mix until melted and well combined.
- Fill a casserole dish. Transfer the mixture to a 13×9-inch casserole dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole.
- Bake. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Cool. Once cooked, remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions.
