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Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

I remember when I was a kid, my favorite ready-to-eat meal was Chef Boyardee’s beefaroni. I begged my mom to buy them for me all the time, and when I introduced my kids to it, they loved it too! The thing is, I don’t want to feed my children processed foods, so after a lot of trial and error, this is my take on homemade cheesy hamburger casserole (aka beefaroni at my house!).

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

Let’s say it’s like a cheeseburger macaroni casserole, but with a very tomatoey sauce, that is just delicious. Every time I make this for my kids, I know they will clean their plates.

Try making this cheeseburger casserole recipe for your family, and let me know how they like it! Other favorites at my house are Cheesy Taco Pasta, Hamburger Macaroni Soup Recipe (Ready in 35 Mins!), and Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie Recipe. Hamburger recipes are always the kid’s favorites!

“The full recipe with ingredients can be found in the recipe card below.”

How To Make a Cheesy Hamburger Casserole?

  1. We start by making the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and saute the chopped onion and bell peppers for about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef and minced garlic and cook until no pink is left break it up as it cooks, so no big clumps of meat are left.
  3. Pour in the pureed tomatoes, and add the Italian seasoning, paprika, and sugar. Lower the heat and simmer for one hour. Now season with salt and pepper.
  4. At this time, preheat the oven to 350 F.
  5. Cook the macaroni until al dente. You don’t want to overcook it because it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain it and mix it into the sauce.
  6. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top, put the lid on, and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the pasta is fully cooked.

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

What To Serve with Cheesy Hamburger Casserole?

All this dish needs is a side salad. I like to make my salad without tomatoes because this dish already has a lot of tomatoes in it. Caesar salad is a good choice or just a mixed greens salad. Homemade bread would be great, or crusty baguettes from the grocery store.

Storing Leftovers

You can refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze them for 4 months. Remember to let it cool to room temperature before freezing and label it with the date.

Cooking Tips

  1. Do not add salt and pepper to the sauce until after it has simmered for one hour. Remember, it will reduce, and it may become too salty.
  2. Cook pasta al dente (not cooked). It has to be a little bit undercooked because it will continue cooking in the oven.
  3. If you want a more cheesy casserole, add an extra cup of shredded cheddar. Mix one cup into the pasta and sauce, and add the other one on top.

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

Yield: 6 - SERVINGS
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 seconds
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes 15 seconds

Let’s say it’s like a cheeseburger macaroni casserole, but with a very tomatoey sauce, that is just delicious. Every time I make this for my kids, I know they will clean their plates.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground beef (I use organic 93% lean)
  • ½ finely chopped white onion
  • ½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon of sugar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1- 28 oz can pureed tomatoes
  • 1- 16 oz box macaroni pasta
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Over medium-high heat, in a dutch oven, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and bell peppers for about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the ground beef and minced garlic and cook until there is no pink left in the meat
  3. Pour the pureed tomatoes into the pot and add the Italian seasoning, paprika, and sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for one hour. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cook macaroni pasta according to package instructions, but leave it a little bit uncooked or al dente, so it still has a bite to it. Drain and mix it into the sauce
  5. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top and bake, covered, for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the pasta is fully cooked.
Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 375Total Fat: 15.5gCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 26g

Did you make this recipe?

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gate.io

Tuesday 6th of June 2023

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