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 cheese, the perfect easy casserole is born! Great for getting supper on the table fast!
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, my hubby is rather picky about the food that is on his plate. Vegetables are forbidden, save potatoes and green beans (canned from a garden is preferred). Let's not even talk about carrots. Good thing he likes this Hamburger Casserole.
Finding a favorite meal is easy if I make a meat and potatoes dish (like this Easy Beef Stew). Unfortunately, hamburger is costing the same as a small diamond around our area.
Therefore, we aren't wanting to use a lot of red meat in our cooking to save a few dollars.
I think you are starting to see my dilemma. Meatless meals are not encouraged and we need to take out a loan to eat a roast. (Disclaimer: that was an exaggeration. But you get the point.)
What is in this casserole?
This casserole recipe has only a handful of simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen. Noodles, cheese, hamburger and the secret ingredient, tomato soup.
Yes, tomato soup. Let's be real here, either you like tomato soup or you don't. I, for one, do not. However, I do like it in this recipe.
I think the way it is baked in, and has layers of cheese makes the flavors blend well together.
Are the noodles pre-cooked?
Yes, they are. While you are cooking the hamburger, you can cook the 1 pound of noodles as well (in another pot) so the process only takes 10 minutes or so. Then the meal comes together in a casserole pan and bakes for 20 minutes.
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), stir in the tomato soup and sprinkle with cheese.
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.
FAQ
Sure! But then it would be more of a pasta casserole. Still works, just a different recipe.
Yes, you can. A little onion would be delicious. As would a touch of garlic.
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!
Hamburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb box medium shells
- 1 lb ground hamburger , cooked with garlic powder, dried onion, salt and pepper to taste. We use 2 tsp 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 canDried onion and garlic powder is completely optional and can be adjusted to your family's tastes
Nutrition
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Melinda. G
Yum! We loved this recipe. Easy and quick to make.
Kim
Glad to hear! :-)
Ruth Ferreri
If you can get tomato bisque soup it is even tastier and I use 2 cans to make it nice and wet. I usually use just mozzarella cheese. Been making it this way for over 40 years and a big favorite.
Ruth Wharton
Wanting to make this tonight. Could I use marinara sauce instead of tomato soup.
Kim
I apologize for not being able to answer until today. I hope you were able to try it and enjoy it as well! Marinara sauce would work, however, it would be more like a regular baked pasta dish. Still good though! :-)
Celena
Really delicious and versatile! I was so skeptical about using tomato soup because I usually make homemade spaghetti sauce. I've made this several times now and usually add a little more meat, any pasta (shells, rigatoni, penne, or trio), the dried onion (little more), garlic powder (little more), pepper (little less), and seasoned salt. I but mixed shredded cheeses and usually end up with 6 different kinds- 4 types of cheddar, mozzarella, and provolone. Honestly whatever pasta or cheese you have on hand. The whole family plus in laws all like it!
Anita Warren
I made this tonight, but I tweaked it a little. After the hamburger was finished cooking (still waiting on the noodles), I added the tomato soup to the hamburger and instead of adding water I added half and half. It made it so much creamier! After noodles were done I strained them and added the meat/tomato soup, as well as a bag of corn. Then I put it in a 9x13 pan. On top I put a layer of Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, followed by a layer of mozzarella. I put the foil on cooked it for 20 minutes. Then I turned on the broiler and kept it in there for roughly 5 minutes. As I served I put shredded Parmesan cheese on top. My family loved it!!! There are 5 of us. When I am stressed for any reason while cooking I usually don’t eat. So between my best friend/roommate (ex boyfriend), and my 16, 12, and 8 year old boys I got one scoop only because my best friend told the boys no. Lol so this was a huge win in my house! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Leigh wessel
Omg EASY and so delicious!!!!!
Starr
I made this except I did it with tomato basil pasta sauce because I don’t think my wife would have cared for it with tomato soup. It’s in the oven. Can’t wait to try it ?
Bobbie
Made this tonight. I just added hamburger seasoning. Still came out great. :)
Barbara
This can also be cooked as a one-pot meal. Cook the hamburger, add the tomato soup and water, bring to a boil and stir in the uncooked noodles. You might need a little more water. Stir occasionally to keep the noodles in the sauce. Cook until the noodles are aldente, Serve!! The noodles absorb the flavor of the soup and meat while cooking and you only dirty one pot! Make lots of casseroles that way.
ColleenB.-Tx.
I did use 1/2 hamburger & 1/2 Italian Sausage meat and once I got all the meat browned up; I added 1 can of Rotel (mild for us) to the mix, left it simmer for a bit and then poured on top of my cooked pasta. The Rotel just gave it nice extra flavor to the dish.
Thank U.
Kim
I'm glad you enjoyed it and could adapt it to your family's tastes!