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This ground beef casserole recipe is super easy to throw together and feeds a crowd! It’s comforting and uses simple ingredients.
Love casseroles? You may also like my Easy Tater Tot Casserole or Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole.
Why you’ll love it
This cheesy beef and pasta casserole is sure to be a hit with the kiddos. It’s also easily adaptable based on what you’ve got in the fridge/pantry/etc. You could throw in some extra veggies if you want. It’s very tasty for how few ingredients are in this budget-friendly meal.
I wasn’t sure whether to call this a casserole or ground beef pasta bake or what. Basically, you just boil up some penne, and while that’s cooking, you make a quick tomato and meat sauce. You then toss it together in a casserole dish, top it with cheese, and bake. It couldn’t be easier!
What you’ll need
- Penne – I like this shape because it’s sturdy and holds up great in casseroles with the sauce and cheese
- Onion and garlic – our tasty base aromatics. Sweet (Vidalia) onion is my go-to, but yellow works as well.
- Ground beef – I used extra lean hamburger meat here. Aim for 90% or more.
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Marinara sauce – just grab a jar of your favorite brand that you enjoy the taste of since it’s a key ingredient
- Cheddar cheese – I grate my own from a block of cheddar for best taste and freshness
Pro tips
- The ingredient quantities don’t have to be exact. A bit more or less beef will be totally fine. Want to add more sauce? Go ahead. Same with the cheese. Many readers like to use the entire jar of marinara sauce. It’s all good! 🙂 This recipe definitely can be adapted based on what’s in your pantry.
- I recommend slightly undercooking any pasta/noodles so it doesn’t go mushy in the oven.
- This recipe can easily be halved if you need a smaller quantity and made in an 8×8 dish instead.
How to make this ground beef casserole
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat your oven, and grease a baking dish. Boil the pasta for a minute less than package directions. Meanwhile, add the oil, onion, and beef to a skillet. Sauté until cooked, adding the garlic once it gets going. Spoon out any excess fat, then pour in the marinara and warm through. Taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.
Drain the pasta, and add it to the baking dish. Pour the beef mixture over top, and toss to combine. Spread everything in an even layer. Top with the cheddar cheese, and bake uncovered until melty. Broil if desired to brown the cheese, and enjoy right away.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- You’ll need a 9×13 baking dish for this casserole.
- This is the garlic press I use to avoid the hassle of mincing garlic by hand, and I store the other half of the onion in the fridge in an onion saver for later.
- Break apart the meat as it’s browning with this meat chopper.
Substitutions and variations
- Any jarred tomato-based pasta sauce will work, or use a similar amount of tomato sauce or even a combo of tomato products such as diced tomatoes and tomato paste or crushed tomatoes. I’d then add in a bit of Italian seasoning or other herbs for more flavor.
- You can substitute the penne with whatever pasta you have on hand or (even use egg noodles like some casseroles do).
- Ground turkey or Italian sausage are other protein options instead of the beef, or you could do a mixture.
- If you want to put a Tex-Mex spin on this hamburger pasta casserole, add in some beans, Taco Seasoning, and use a Mexican cheese blend.
- For some veggie content, stir in some frozen mixed vegetables until thawed. Simply add to the skillet and cook for a couple minutes once the beef is browned.
Make ahead tips
- Up to 1 day ahead: assemble it, cover and refrigerate, and then bake as directed below, possibly adding a few more minutes onto the time to ensure it’s cooked all the way through if it’s cold from the fridge.
- Freezer instructions: assemble it, and then cover it tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw for 24 hours in the refrigerator, then bake it as indicated. I would definitely recommend using more sauce for make-ahead methods.
- Baking from frozen: warm it up on the counter for a bit so that the casserole dish doesn’t crack. It will take a little longer, so bake covered with foil until the middle is hot, and then broil the cheese at the end, watching carefully.
What to serve with this ground beef casserole
- It’s pretty hearty, so I like to enjoy it with a side salad. Mixed greens with my Homemade Italian Dressing rounds out the meal, or go all out and make a Caesar salad with my popular 10 Minute Caesar Dressing and homemade Parmesan Croutons.
- Breadsticks, a dinner roll, or a slice of hot and bubbly Cheesy Garlic Bread are all good ideas as well.
Leftovers and storage
- Keep any leftovers of this beef casserole in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat until warmed through, or microwave in short intervals. Since the pasta will absorb sauce over time, feel free to add a splash more marinara when reheating.
- I generally don’t suggest freezing leftover pasta, but if you typically do that with success, go for it!
More tasty ground beef recipes
Let me know if you gave this easy ground beef pasta casserole recipe a try! Please leave me a star ratings and comment below. You can also find me on Instagram.
Simple Ground Beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked penne
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position. Grease a 9×13 baking dish (I use Pam spray).
- Boil a large, salted pot of water for the penne. Cook it for 10 minutes (it should be slightly underdone so it doesn't get mushy).
- Add the oil, beef, and onion to a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up as you go along, for 10 minutes. Once it gets going, stir in the garlic. Spoon out excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and warm through. Give it a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.
- Drain the pasta and pour it into the baking dish. Pour the beef mixture over top and then toss until it's combined with the pasta. Top with an even layer of the cheese. If you want it extra cheesy, you can stir in an additional half cup of cheese prior to topping it with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 10 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese is nicely melted. I then broil it for a few minutes (optional) to brown the cheese up a bit. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This is a very flexible recipe where additions/substitutions/etc. are fine. I have some tips within the blog post.
- You can also find this recipe in chapter 6 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials hardcover cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on April 17, 2020. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Hello! Making this tonight and very excited 😊Do you use red or white onion? Also is that parsley that you topped it with?
Hi Kara! I typically only use red onions for raw applications (salads etc.). I usually cook with Vidalia/sweet onions, but white or yellow (Spanish) work just fine. Yes, it’s parsley on top. Mostly just to add a pop of color to the photos. Totally optional. Hope you like the recipe!
I made this for supper last night. Because I had some leftover cooked pork meatballs and tomato sauce I decided to mince the meatballs and add them to the dish. Wow! One of the best casserole dishes EVER and so easy to make. It was a hit with the family and I will definitely make this again. Thanks for this great recipe.
Fantastic!! That’s a good idea! 🙂
This is a go to recipe for us! I use a whole jar of marinara because we like it a little extra saucy 🙂
Fantastic!!
this really is an amazing recipe, my whole family loved it!
Thrilled to hear that!! 😀
Can I freeze it after cooling down? I used more sauce than recipe but it seemed a little dry but still delicious!
Yes! Cooked pasta doesn’t always freeze great, but it should be fine. Reheat on a low heat.
Hello Natasha,
My name is Andre. I made this tonight for my mom and I and loved it. I didn’t have marinara sauce though and used pasta sauce. I also didn’t have onions or garlic so I used the powdered versions 😂. I put cheese in the beef mixture and on top. The one thing I was confused about is how much a pound of pasta is(I used maceronie) in cups lol. I put two cups and it was a bit to much. Next time I plan on using the right ingredients. Anyway loved the dish.
Hope you are having a good day
Andre.
Hi! I’m so glad it worked out for you. 🙂 A pound of pasta is 16 ounces or 454g. In cups it really depends on the shape of pasta… for macaroni I believe it’s around 3 cups. This definitely makes a lot of food haha. I’d say definitely use less if you want to use macaroni again.
is the nutritional information including the whole dish or just a portion of it? it is very good but since I am diabetic I need to know the amount of carbs per cup.
Hi Keira! It’s for 1/6 of the recipe (the recipe card indicates it’s 6 servings). Unfortunately, I can’t provide any info beyond that. I am not a trained nutritionist, and even providing the info that I do comes with a heavy disclaimer that it’s an estimate because it’s calculated automatically, and brands vary and so forth, the leanness of beef you use can vary, and so on. I have no idea what exactly 1 cup equates to. If you’re planning on making this recipe, I would weigh out/properly measure the exactly ingredients you’re using and plug it into something like My Fitness Pal.
Hi Natasha! This was so easy to make and it was fantastic! Can’t believe how something so simple could be so flavorful. I used 1/2 cup of shredded triple cheddar in the meat mixture and then just an even layer of regular mild cheddar on top. The triple cheddar, being a mix of sharp and mild cheddars, gave it just enough tangy goodness to elevate this dish, at least for us. We use Gardein faux beef crumbles, so without the animal fat for added flavor, I’ve had to learn how to amp things up a little. The triple cheddar did the trick.
This dish was a HUGE hit, and will be included in the rotation often. This is true comfort food.
Hi!! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it, Darren. 😀 Thanks for the tips!
Hi Natasha! We LOVED the recipe, it’s so simple and delicious! This is my first time making a casserole! My son who’s 5, wanted me to write a review to let you know that he LOVED the casserole! We cut the recipe in half and it came out amazing! Thanks so much for a great recipe!
That makes me so happy, Amy!! Tell your son thank you and that I’m so glad he enjoyed it. 😀
Very good! Made half with vegan meatless crumbles and half with ground turkey. Everyone loved it
Wonderful!! 🙂