Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe Made In Under 20 Minutes

This cheeseburger casserole recipe is so, so tasty. It combines seasoned ground beef and melty cheddar cheese, with macaroni noodles and a delicious creamy savory sauce. Honestly, this casserole is better than the best cheeseburger you've ever had, and it's so easy to make too. In fact, all you need to cook this cheeseburger casserole is one skillet and 20 minutes!

The Best Cheeseburger Casserole

This may go without saying, but if you love cheeseburgers, then you're going to love this cheeseburger casserole. 

I mean, it has the two best parts about a cheeseburger - the meat and the cheese - and it has a lot of it!

And what's even better about eating this casserole - instead of eating a cheeseburger - is that all of those meaty cheesy flavors get absorbed into the elbow noodles that it's made with. That means every bite of this stuff is just flavor on top of flavor. 

Also, for what it's worth, this cheeseburger casserole kind of reminds me of the Hamburger Helper my mom used to make me when I was a kid, but this stuff is ten times better!

And, I'm not going to lie, Cheeseburger Helper was my jam growing up, so if I'm saying that, then you know this ground beef casserole recipe has got to be good!

And, I don't know about you, but I think that makes this dinner recipe the perfect one to make on busy weeknights. It's honestly just as quick and easy as making this broccoli rice casserole and Philly cheesesteak casserole. So, if you're looking for some other casserole recipes to fill out your dinner menu this week, you'll want to give those a try next.

Why This Recipe Works

Quick and easy. Everything for this recipe cooks in one skillet, and you can have dinner on the table in under 20 minutes!

Best cheeseburger flavor. This literally tastes like the best cheeseburger you've ever had but in casserole form with noodles. It's delicious!

Family favorite. Both kids and adults love this recipe, and it's always the talk of the night whenever I make it. So I have a feeling your family will love it too!

Perfect comfort food meal. Warm, hearty, savory, and filling, this casserole has everything you'd want in a comfort food meal.

Ingredients

Now, to make this cheeseburger casserole recipe even better, it's made with all really common ingredients. Honestly, you probably have most of them in your pantry or kitchen already!

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this cheeseburger casserole:

• 0.75 lb. lean ground beef
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup onion, diced
• 1 ½ tbsp tomato paste (or diced tomatoes)
• 1 tsp garlic paste or minced powder
• 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 14oz. elbow macaroni
• 3 ¼ cup beef stock
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup milk
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

See, not too bad, right?

Oh, and if you like casseroles with ground beef, you have to give this pizza casserole and hamburger potato casserole a try next! Or you can make this hamburger noodle casserole or ground beef and potatoes.

For something a little different, you can use some of the ingreidents to make this Krabby Patty recipe.

How To Make Cheeseburger Casserole

1. Cook the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and grease it with cooking spray. Add the ground beef and onions to it. Cook the beef until browned on all sides, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

2. Add the flavor: Add the tomato paste and garlic paste to the skillet. Stir everything together and cook for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce, elbow macaroni, and beef stock to the skillet. Give it a good stir. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. 

3. Make the sauce: Remove the lid after cooking and add in the sour cream, milk, and cheddar cheese. Cook everything for about 3 minutes, stirring gently stirring, to coat the ingredients in the sauce.

4. Serve: Serve the casserole warm, garnished with fresh chopped parsley or anything you want, like this Big Mac sauce. Enjoy!

How To Make Cheeseburger Casserole In The Oven

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Cook the ground beef with the onions in one large skillet until the beef browns.

3. Combine: Add the cooked pasta, beef, and all of the other ingredients to a casserole dish. Stir to combine and top with shredded cheese.

4. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Tips To Make The Best Recipe

• Swap the cheddar cheese with Colby jack cheese, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, or even pepper jack cheese for a little spice.
• Add cooked bacon to make a bacon cheeseburger casserole.
• Use rotini or mini shells instead of elbow noodles. 
• Top the casserole with shredded lettuce, spicy relish, hot sauce, or drizzle it with something savory like this McDonald's breakfast sauce.

How To Store Cheeseburger Casserole

In the fridge: Store your leftover cheeseburger casserole in an airtight container, and you can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

In the freezer: If you want to keep your leftovers for even longer, you can freeze the casserole in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Reheating: Put the leftovers in a baking dish and warm at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes, or until it reaches your desired temperature. Or put everything in a large skillet with a splash of broth, and warm, stirring for a few minutes. The noodles will have a slightly crisp consistency like this fried spaghetti.

FAQS About This Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe

What to serve with cheeseburger casserole?

These Olive Garden breadsticks, Texas Roadhouse rolls, McDonald's french fries, or fried yuca are all excellent options.

What is cheeseburger casserole?

It is basically a homemade version of the iconic Hamburger Helper. It's made with seasoned ground beef, onions, tomatoes, cheese, and pasta in a rich cream sauce.

Can I make this casserole ahead of time?

Yes, if you want to make it ahead of time, the best way is to cook the ground beef and noodles and store them in the fridge. Then add them to a casserole dish with the rest of the ingredients and bake.

More Casserole Recipes

If you're looking for more busy weeknight recipes that the whole family will love, we have a bunch of easy casseroles you can make next!  

Here are some of our most popular ones:

• Million dollar chicken casserole
• Cheddars broccoli cheese casserole
• Chicken divan
• Pineapple casserole
• Ground turkey casserole
• Carrot casserole
• Taco pasta bake

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