This is the Best Beef Noodle Casserole! Layers of creamy noodles, flavorful meaty tomato sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese. This recipe was inspired by an old church cookbook recipe dated nearly 40 years ago. Originally titled Beef A La Deutch. It is a classic comfort food casserole!
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Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity! I’m super excited to share with you a recipe from my childhood. My mother has an old cookbook that her church put together approximately 37 years ago. The cover is missing so I don’t know the title of this cookbook. I assume it was printed in 1982 because there’s a calendar in the back of the cookbook for 1982. I was skimming through the cookbook and found this recipe submitted by Sandy Coury (my kindergarten teacher!). Wow! I remember my mother making this recipe for us when I was a child; it was one of my favorites. I tweaked it just a tiny bit but all the glory goes to Ms. Sandy. I hope your family enjoys this easy, delicious meal as much as we do.
There are a TON of ground beef casserole recipes out there on the interwebs! But what makes this casserole extra special is the combination of cream cheese and sour cream mixed with the egg noodles! Oh, how creamy these noodles are! I could eat them just like this (and I have taken a taste or two while making this recipe). The ground beef mixture reminds me of a thick spaghetti sauce, or a simplified Bolognese sauce. The longer you let it slow-simmer on the stove, the more flavorful it will be. But if you’re in a time crunch, let it simmer for at least 20 minutes. The mozzarella cheese adds that cheesy, melty final touch!
Ingredients for Beef Noodle Casserole
Ground beef
Minced garlic
Canned diced tomatoes
Tomato sauce
Egg noodles
Sour cream
Cheese cheese
Mozerella cheese
Green onions, optional
Salt
Pepper
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How to Make Beef Noodle Casserole
STEP 1: Brown the ground beef in a pan, then drain off the fat. Add to the ground beef the garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper and simmer covered on low heat for 20-40 minutes. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will be.
STEP 2: While the above is cooking, cook and drain the egg noodles. Place the hot egg noodles in a large bowl and add the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix well. I like to cut the cream cheese into small squares first to help with the melting and mixing. At this point, you can add the chopped green onions to this noodle mixture. However, I prefer to add the green onions at the end, as a garnish.
STEP 3: To a casserole dish, add a layer of the noodle mixture, then a layer of the ground beef mixture, then a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
CAN BEEF NOODLE CASSEROLE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?
Great question. You can assemble the casserole ahead of time, cover it, and place in the refrigerator the day before you plan to eat it. When you’re ready to bake it, bake as directed. You may need to add an additional 5 to 10 minutes of baking time to make sure the casserole is hot and bubbly.
How Long will this Beef Noodle Casserole last in the Fridge?
Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I prefer to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. Check out this 20-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids.
Optional Ingredients:
- Instead of the egg noodles (which I highly recommend!), you could use ziti, penne, or elbow noodles.
- Instead of the ground beef, you can use ground turkey. You could leave out the meat altogether if you’re having a Meatless Monday or just don’t want the meat. Just add some fresh veggies such as sauteed sliced zucchini and/or mushrooms.
- I would NOT substitute anything else for the cream cheese and sour cream. They are the key ingredients needed for the creamy texture of the noodles.
- 1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 16-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 6 oz egg noodles, cooked
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese
- 3 each green onions, sliced
After cooking and draining the ground beef, add the garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper and simmer covered on low heat for 20-40 minutes. The longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will be.
While the above is cooking, cook and drain the egg noodles. Place the hot egg noodles in a large bowl and add the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix well. I like to cut the cream cheese into small squares first to help with the melting and mixing. At this point, you can add the chopped green onions to this noodle mixture. However, I prefer to add the green onions at the end, as a garnish.
To a casserole dish, add a layer of the noodle mixture, then a layer of the ground beef mixture, then a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
If you try this recipe, let me know. I’d love to hear from you!
Give some of these other great recipes a try!
Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp and Creole Sauce
Smothered Pork Chops with Gravy
Italian Cream Cake Cookie Bars
