• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Baking With Mom
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Recent Recipes From TikTok And Instagram
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Meals » Supper

    Hamburger Casserole

    Published: Mar 2, 2015 · Modified: May 4, 2023 by Kim This post may contain affiliate links. 237 Comments

    363.9K shares
    • Share
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    4.24 from 447 votes

    Need a quick, simple meal to feed your hungry family? This Hamburger Casserole has four simple ingredients you are likely to have at home. Starts with noodles and after adding tomato soup and hamburger, and of course delicious mozzarella cheese, the perfect easy casserole is born! Great for getting supper on the table fast!

    A spoon scooping up casserole with layers of cheese and noodles
    Such a simple supper recipe, the hamburger casserole is a family favorite with cheese, tomato soup and hamburger.

    Every meal needs to have some meat in it in this house. (Like this enchilada casserole with hamburger.) Good thing this easy Hamburger Casserole recipe fits the bill. Melted cheese on top of noodles, hamburger and tomato soup come together for a delicious casserole recipe.

    This casserole supper is so kid friendly, I have had readers tell me their pickiest eaters loved it! Talk about a winner of a dinner!

    Jump to:
    • What is hamburger casserole?
    • Ingredients
    • Are the noodles pre-cooked?
    • Bake
    • Make ahead preparation
    • FAQ
    • Pin for later!
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Need Casserole Recipes?
    • 💬 Reviews

    What is hamburger casserole?

    It is a casserole with only a few ingredients. It also has a unique ingredient, tomato soup. I know some may be scared away by the thought of tomato soup in this recipe. The subtle but unique taste of the soup compliments the seasoned hamburger and noodles very well.

    Another name for this old fashioned hamburger casserole recipe is Hamburger Hotdish. It is a simple recipe with only a few ingredients and it feeds a large family so it was a favorite of yesteryear.

    It also makes quite a bit in a 9x13 pan so it feeds a large family. It can feed my family of six with enough for lunches the next day.

    I should point out my children ages: 20, 16, 13 and 10. Three boys and a girl so trust me, they eat a lot! Any recipe with leftovers to feed them the next day is a winner to me.

    Ingredients

    This casserole recipe has only a handful of simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen.

    • Noodles - I have used shells or macaroni noodles for this recipe. Egg noodles would work well too.
    • Cheddar cheese/Mozzarella cheese - one or the other can be used. I used both.
    • Hamburger - cooked ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper.
    • Tomato soup - good old fashioned tomato soup without the milk or water added. Just use the soup.

    Are the noodles pre-cooked?

    Yes, they are. While you are cooking the ground beef, you can cook the 1 pound of noodles as well (in another pot) so the process only takes 10 minutes or so. Don't worry about the type of noodles to use in this easy supper recipe.

    We use rotini or elbow macaroni the most, but shells work well too.

    Cooked elbow macaroni in a clear casserole dish.
    The cooked noodles are ready for the hamburger and sauce.

    Then the meal comes together in a casserole pan and bakes for 20 minutes.

    cooked noodles, hamburger and soup in a casserole dish.
    Everything is cooked, just needs to be mixed together.

    To make this easy and kid friendly recipe, cook up the hamburger, boil the noodles until Al Dente (a bit of a bite to them about 7 minutes), stir in the tomato soup and sprinkle with cheese. You can read how to make cook perfect Al Dente Pasta.

    shredded cheese on top of unbaked hamburger casserole.
    Cover and bake and you have a delicious and easy hamburger casserole recipe!

    This has four ingredients in it. I personally count the mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese as one ingredient because you could simply use your favorite kind of cheese.

    If you would rather, it has 5 ingredients. You can decide.

    Bake

    You will add all ingredients to a 9x13 casserole dish which has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. It will be baked, covered with foil, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

    Then you will want to uncover the casserole and bake for 5-10 minutes longer so the cheese has time to slightly and lightly brown. Oh yum.

    I also will broil the cheese in the broiler for 3-5 minutes to get that extra layer of crispness to the cheese. Don't worry, still gooey cheese underneath!

    Make ahead preparation

    To make this casserole supper recipe even more easy, you can have hamburger already cooked and frozen in the refrigerator.

    Sometimes, when I know I am going to have a busy week, when I get home from the store I cook the hamburger I bought immediately. As I am putting away the other groceries, the ground beef cooks on the stove and I am tackling two activities at once.

    Got to love multitasking.

    Then, after the ground beef is done cooking, I drain the grease and put it in a freezer container without putting the lid on and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Then, I cover it and put it in the freezer.

    When I am ready to make this hamburger casserole, I pull the hamburger out of the freezer and add it to the recipe. So quick and easy!

    FAQ

    Can I substitute the tomato soup for spaghetti sauce?

    Sure! But then it would be more of a pasta casserole. Still works, just a different recipe.

    Can I add spices to this?

    Yes, you can. A little onion would be delicious. As would a touch of garlic.

    How should I store leftovers?

    Place any leftovers in an airtight container and place in fridge for up to 48 hours. Reheat as desired.

    Serve this up with great sides like Poppy Seed Fruit Salad or 3 Ingredient Grape Jello Salad. So simple to make and such a family favorite. My hubby told me I could make it once a week. Maybe your family will too!

    Pin for later!

    hamburger casserole of noodles, tomato soup and cheese in a clear baking dish.

    📖 Recipe

    hamburger casserole with melted cheese in a clear baking dish
    Print Pin
    4.24 from 447 votes

    Hamburger Casserole

    This hamburger casserole is a hit at my house. This casserole uses only four ingredients so it is a simple recipe to put together.
    Course Casserole
    Cuisine American
    Keyword casserole, easy recipe, family friendly
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes minutes
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 336kcal
    Author Kim Strawn
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 medium pot
    • 1 9x13 baking dish
    • 1 frying pan

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb box medium shells
    • 1 lb ground hamburger , cooked with garlic powder, dried onion, salt and pepper to taste. We use 2 teaspoon each.
    • 21.5 oz tomato soup 2 cans
    • 1 cup cheddar cheese
    • 1 cup mozzarella cheese

    Instructions

    • Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain.
    • While cooking the noodles, in a frying pan, cook the hamburger until no longer pink. (If you are using salt and pepper, add it while cooking the hamburger).
    • Pour cooked noodles in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
    • Stir the cooked hamburger and tomato soup with the noodles. I just stir everything in the pan. I also sometimes add ½ cup of water to the mixture for a little more moisture. Completely optional.
    • Sprinkle cheese over casserole and cover with foil.
    • Bake in a 375* oven for 20 minutes.
    • Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes longer.
    • Can bake under broiler for 3-5 minutes to brown cheese, if desired.
    • Note: If you want to use 2 cups of one kind of cheese (example: mozzarella) instead of the combination, you can
      Dried onion and garlic powder is completely optional and can be adjusted to your family's tastes

    Notes

    Check out recipe videos on TikTok! You can find Baking With Mom on TikTok here. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 357IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @Thebakingwithmom or tag #bakingwithmom!

    Need Casserole Recipes?

    • Chicken Noodle Casserole
    • Inside Out Green Pepper Casserole
    • Pizza Casserole with Ravioli

    More Supper Recipes

    • hamburger and noodles in a frying pan.
      Homemade Hamburger Helper
    • pot roast in a crock pot with potatoes and carrots.
      Old Fashioned Pot Roast
    • Pork carnitas in a clear dish with tortillas nearby.
      Easy Pork Carnitas
    • hamburger and rice in a white dish
      Easy Mexican Hamburger and Rice
    363.9K shares
    • Share
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Rate This Recipe!




    1. Angie

      September 06, 2023 at 2:26 pm

      5 stars
      Yes I made the hamburger casserole but I added onions and garlic minced garlic and I use both cheese it was really good.

      Reply
    2. Linda Andrasak

      June 06, 2023 at 5:36 pm

      Made this today and it was very good it is in my recipes box has we speak

      Reply
      • Kim

        June 07, 2023 at 9:40 am

        I'm so glad to hear that!

        Reply
    3. Michele

      June 04, 2023 at 4:26 pm

      Can you use spaghetti sauce instead?

      Reply
      • Kim

        June 04, 2023 at 5:21 pm

        You can. It is a slightly different recipe. It would be more of pasta dish. But it would be good!

        Reply
    4. Michelle Manion

      June 03, 2023 at 2:07 pm

      Is this 21.5 oz total for the tomato soup or 2 cans that size? I made it with just 21 oz total and my son ate half of the 9x13” pan. I tried it the next day and thought it was a little dry. Maybe I need more soup???? Either way it was a hit with the 6’ 3” 22 year old. 😂

      Reply
      • Kim

        June 04, 2023 at 5:26 pm

        21.5 oz total. Add a little (about 1/2 can) of water. That should help!

        Reply
    5. Donna A.

      April 15, 2023 at 6:54 pm

      5 stars
      I am boarder line diabetic, so I replaced the noodles with chick pea noodles, added diced black olives, used tomato sauce with a little water and a dash of worshestershire sauce and more mozzarella than cheddar. So yummy!

      Reply
      • Kim

        April 16, 2023 at 4:24 pm

        I'm so glad you were able to adjust the ingredients to fit your family!

        Reply
        • Tiana Kemp

          August 28, 2023 at 3:54 pm

          I am wondering if I could add the uncooked pasta and either more water or tomato soup would work? I do not cook my lasagna noodles (regular old noodles) before baking and they always come out perfect! Saving a step and extra dishes to wash. 🤔

        • Kim

          August 29, 2023 at 9:35 am

          Yes, I'm sure it would work. It would take longer to bake and be sure to add more water or soup.

    6. Kelly

      April 10, 2023 at 2:04 pm

      It's 5 ingredients...but yummy!

      Reply
      • Kim

        April 11, 2023 at 9:18 am

        Well, in the post I explain my reasoning behind the 4 ingredients. There is a reason. :-) I'm glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
        • Gayle Springer

          June 29, 2023 at 5:02 pm

          Kim I’m curious… can this be put together then frozen for later?
          Thanks in advance,

        • Kim

          June 30, 2023 at 12:07 pm

          I would try it. Sometimes noodles can get a little odd after being frozen, but if you do, wrap it well. Also, it will need more time to cook. Let me know if you try it!

    7. Shawn dyson

      April 07, 2023 at 4:58 pm

      I'm making this tonight so I will leave comments later

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Baking with mom self pic

    Hey There, I'm Kim! A taco fan, cookie eater and food blogger to all things yummy. I'm also a mom to 4 growing kids so I understand busy! Here you will find recipes that are quick, delicious and can get on the table fast. Click here to read more about me.

    Most Popular

    • hamburger casserole with melted cheese in a clear baking dish
      Hamburger Casserole
    • hamburger and noodles in a frying pan.
      Homemade Hamburger Helper
    • coffee cake on a blue plate with frosting drizzled on top
      Brown Sugar Coffee Cake
    • baked beans in a square casserole dish
      Best Baked Beans

    Fall Recipes

    • smores bars with MM's and marshmallows besides.
      S'mores Bars
    • cupcake with caramel drizzled on top and cinnamon sticks nearby.
      Apple Cider Cupcakes
    • Air fryer apple chips in a clear bowl with cinnamon.
      Air Fryer Apple Chips
    • apple cider in a clear glass with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel on top.
      Apple Cider Floats

    As Seen In

    as seen in graphic

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Nutrition
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Web Stories
    • Store

    As Seen In

    Parade
    country living

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Services

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme