Ground Beef Casserole

Yumna Jawad

5 from 152 votes

Ground beef pasta is a favorite family meal and is easy to make in just a few steps. You can't go wrong with meat, sauce, pasta, and cheese!

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This Ground Beef Casserole has everything you want in a baked pasta dish – savory browned beef, pasta, marinara sauce, and a cheesy layer of mozzarella for an easy weeknight dinner. Toss everything together and bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, or freeze for a quick meal that’s ready to heat up on busy nights.

Serving spoon lifting up a serving to show stringy cheese pull.
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Casseroles are a lifesaver, especially for busy families, and with this hamburger casserole, you can bring it all together quickly and let it finish in the oven. Trying to get dinner to the table even quicker? Skip the oven and serve this ground beef pasta recipe straight from the stovetop by adding the cooked pasta to the sauce, sprinkling with mozzarella, and then adding a lid to allow the heat to melt the cheese.

Why you’ll love this ground beef casserole with pasta

  • Perfect comfort food. This pasta bake hits the spot for a comforting dish with layers of tomato sauce, penne pasta, ground beef, and melty cheese in every bite. Warm up those cold nights with a home-cooked meal that warms your soul – you can’t go wrong with beef casseroles!
  • Very kid-friendly. Give the kids what they want, and you’re sure they’ll eat! It’s like spaghetti but with different pasta and everything tossed together into an oven-baked casserole.
  • Freezer-friendly. I love family-sized freezer-friendly dinners! You can freeze the sauce to add to freshly cooked pasta before baking or assemble the ground beef casserole with noodles in a baking pan, cover it with foil, and freeze it as a whole meal ready to bake.
  • Well-balanced meal. A complete meal to fill you up and keep you full of good carbs, protein, and veggies. Swap out the pasta for whole wheat or gluten-free pasta for a healthier alternative. Toss in some diced eggplant, zucchini, or spinach to add another layer of veggies with the tomatoes and onions.

Ingredients to make ground beef casserole

  • Ground beef: Choose lean ground chuck for the ideal meat-to-fat ratio.
  • Penne pasta: You can use any kind of pasta you like in this casserole, though I think short pasta like penne or cavatappi is better than long noodles.
  • Onion + garlic: These two vegetables quickly and easily add depth and flavor to any dish.
  • Marinara sauce: I love keeping a jar of homemade marinara sauce in the freezer for an effortless recipe whenever I need it. Use your favorite store-bought jarred marinara sauce, or make some fresh from scratch with my easy marinara recipe.
  • Mozzarella cheese: Shredded mozzarella melts beautifully over the chunky pasta bake and bubbles up with brown bits, much like lasagna. Use whichever melting cheese you prefer.
  • Oil: Choose a neutral oil such as olive or avocado for sautéing the onions and garlic and cooking the beef.
  • Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Ingredient for recipe: Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, oil, garlic cloves, marinara, dry pasta, raw ground beef, onion, and shredded cheese.

How to make baked pasta with ground beef

Ground beef pasta bake starts in a skillet to make the sauce before tossing it with pasta and topping it with cheese in a baking pan. While you’re making the sauce, go ahead and cook the pasta, drain, and transfer it to the bottom of the baking dish.

Ground beef pasta sauce

  1. Add the ground beef and onions to a hot oiled skillet and season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  2. Cook the ground beef and onions, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces with the back of a wooden spoon until browned.
  3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant before stirring in the marinara and basil.
3 image collage making recipe: 1- ground beef, seasonings, and onion in skillet before cooked, 2- wooden spoon breaking up the slightly cooked beef into smaller pieces.

HOw to bake ground beef casserole

  1. Transfer the sauce on top of the cooked pasta to the baking dish and toss gently to combine. Add as much of the reserved pasta water as you want until the sauce looks glossy.
  2. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake.
  3. Bake until the cheese is lightly golden, remove from the oven, and serve immediately.
3 image collage making recipe: 1- marinara and basil added after cooked, beef mixture in baked dish with penne pasta, 2- shredded cheese added on top before baked, 3- casserole after baking to show golden melty cheese.

Tips for making ground beef casserole with pasta

  1. Use a lower-sodium marinara sauce. Choose a jarred sauce that has low sodium to alleviate the excess salt. You can always season to taste, but you can’t take it away once it’s already there.
  2. Cook the pasta al dente. Prevent the pasta from overcooking in the casserole by boiling it until just al dente. Overcooked pasta will be soft and gummy, and while still edible, you won’t get the best results.
  3. Reserve some pasta water. After you cook the pasta, reserve about ½ cup of water for the sauce. Once you’ve poured the meat sauce over the pasta in the baking dish, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to thin it out until the sauce has a glossy appearance. The starchy water will initially thin out the sauce, but it will adhere to the pasta better once baked.
  4. Don’t cover the casserole. It’s only in the oven for 15 minutes at 375°F which is the perfect amount of time for everything to set and the cheese to become golden. Covering it will create too much moisture that’s unnecessary for such a short bake time.
  • Add vegetables. You can easily up the nutritional value of ground beef pasta casserole by adding chopped vegetables when cooking the onions and beef mixture: Sauté zucchini, eggplant, spinach, kale, or even diced carrots to the sauce base. The smaller the dice, the less likely picky eaters will notice the addition.
  • Use ground turkey. If you’re looking for a lighter pasta casserole, then ground turkey makes an excellent substitution for ground beef. Check out my ground turkey casserole for the full recipe!
  • Make it Vegetarian! Want to enjoy a hearty casserole but avoid meat? It’s super easy to do by swapping out the ground beef for either lentils or chickpeas. With either of these options, you still get a full meal with all the benefits of meat, like protein. You could also load the sauce with vegetables instead of beef for a wholesome meal.
  • Add some heat. Want to kick your pasta sauce up a notch with some fiery spices? Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce when adding the seasonings.

What to serve with your hamburger casserole

How to store & reheat ground beef casserole

Store leftover beef casserole with pasta in an airtight container in the fridge.

Reheat in the microwave or preheated oven until heated through.

How long will beef pasta casserole last in the fridge?

When stored properly, leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Can i freeze beef casseroles?

Yes! To freeze, prepare the casserole in a baking dish and cover with a layer of foil followed by plastic wrap to securely cover the dish. You can freeze ground beef casserole with pasta up to 3 months and bake straight from frozen by simply adding an additional 20 minutes or so to the cook time.

Frequently asked questions

Do you cook meat before adding it to a casserole?

Browning the ground beef is important to making a casserole. This helps bring out the best flavor and seal in the juices. It also cuts down the baking time and reserves the oven for simply melting the cheese and bringing all the elements together into a hot, saucy dish.

What are the main components of a casserole?

A good rule of thumb for making a casserole is to have 4 main components: protein, starch, a sauce or other binding agent, and a topping. For this casserole, it is beef, pasta, marinara sauce, and cheese.

Can you prepare the pasta bake in advance?

You can make the baked pasta with ground beef ahead of time and freeze for up to 3 months. There’s no thawing necessary. When ready to serve, just place it in the oven for an extra 20 minutes. You can also keep it in the fridge unbaked and covered for a day.

Beef casserole in baking dish garnished with fresh basil.

This baked pasta dish is a real hit with the whole family, and it’s so easy to make! It’s an excellent option for a weeknight meal with very little prep time and a big flavor. Satisfy your picky eaters with an alternative to spaghetti, all baked up with the best melty cheese and red meat sauce.

More pasta recipes:

If you try this feel good Ground Beef Casserole recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

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Serving spoon lifting up a serving to show stringy cheese pull.
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Ground Beef Casserole

Ground beef pasta is a favorite family meal and is easy to make in just a few steps. You can't go wrong with meat, sauce, pasta, and cheese!
5 from 152 votes
Author Yumna Jawad
Servings 8 servings
Course Dinner, Entree
Calories 411
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 16 ounces penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 25-ounce jar marinara sauce store-bought or homemade
  • ¼ cup Fresh basil torn, plus more for garnishing
  • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions. Drain, reserve ½ cup pasta water, and transfer the pasta to a 9×13 baking dish.
  • In a large deep skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the ground beef and onions and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook the ground beef and onions, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces with the back of a wooden spoon until browned, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 more minute. Stir in the marinara and basil, then transfer the sauce on top of the pasta in the baking dish and toss gently to combine. Add as much of the reserved pasta water as desired until the sauce looks glossy.
  • Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately.

Equipment

Notes

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, and you can reheat it in the oven or microwave. Freeze up to 3 months and bake from frozen by adding an additional 20 minutes to the cook time.

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 738mg, Potassium: 630mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 535IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 212mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Dinner, Entree

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Comments

  3. Made this tonight as a trial run for family company. It is perfect, not fancy but with the crowd we will have it’s perfect. I will make a salad to go along. Thank you.

    Reply

  4. My boyfriend and I loved this simple and delicious dish for dinner! We used impossible meat in place of beef. We used Raos marinara sauce. We didn’t have fresh basil, so we added some dried basil. So good!

    Reply

  5. This was super easy to make and made enough for lunch the next day. Simple ingredients and easy to follow recipe. I love how you are making weeknight dinner planning so easy. Thank you for sharing healthy-ish recipes.

    Reply