Description
Beef Lombardi casserole combines pasta, seasoned beef, and melted cheese into one cozy bake. It’s a dependable dinner that never disappoints.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 lb lean ground beef
Tomato Base:
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
Pasta and Cheese:
- 1 12 oz package egg noodles
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Fire up your oven to exactly 350°F and coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Brown 1 lb ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, thoroughly crumbling the meat and draining any excess fat.
- Stir 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, and 1 can of tomato paste into the beef. Add 1 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, and salt, plus ½ tsp black pepper.
- Simmer the meat sauce for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- While the sauce cooks, boil the entire 12 oz package of egg noodles until perfectly al dente according to package directions.
- Drain the noodles and fold in 1 cup of sour cream until each noodle is evenly coated.
- Spread the creamy noodles across the bottom of your prepared baking dish in a smooth, even layer.
- Pour the entire beef and tomato sauce mixture over the noodles, creating a complete coverage.
- Sprinkle 2 cups of cheddar cheese, 1 cup of parmesan, and 1 cup of mozzarella across the top, ensuring even distribution.
- Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until the cheese melts and turns a light golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef to reduce excess fat and keep the casserole from becoming too greasy.
- For a gluten-free version, swap egg noodles with gluten-free pasta or zucchini noodles.
- Customize the heat level by choosing mild or spicy diced tomatoes with green chiles to match your preference.
- Make this dish ahead by assembling and refrigerating, then bake when ready to serve – just add 10-15 minutes to baking time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 488 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 672 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg