Description
Beef Lombardi casserole brings pure comfort straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Cheesy layers of ground beef, pasta, and zesty sauce create a hearty meal that families devour with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups cooked egg noodles
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Sauce and Dairy Components:
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Brown 1 pound ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles.
- Add 1 diced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves to the beef, cooking until the onion becomes translucent and soft.
- Pour in 15 oz diced tomatoes, 6 oz tomato paste, and ½ cup tomato sauce into the skillet with the meat mixture.
- Sprinkle ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, and ½ teaspoon paprika into the sauce.
- Simmer the meat sauce for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and intensify.
- Cook 2 cups of egg noodles in a separate pot according to package instructions, then drain completely.
- Blend ½ cup sour cream and 4 oz softened cream cheese in a bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Create your first layer of noodles across the bottom of the greased baking dish.
- Spread half the sour cream mixture over the noodles in an even layer.
- Spoon half the meat sauce on top of the cream layer, covering completely.
- Repeat the layering process with remaining noodles, cream mixture, and meat sauce.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until cheese melts and edges become golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Optional: Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley just before serving.
Notes
- If the beef seems greasy, drain excess fat after browning to keep the casserole from becoming too oily.
- Swap ground beef for ground turkey or plant-based crumbles to create a lighter version of this comfort dish.
- Experiment with different cheese blends like monterey jack or a sharp white cheddar for varied flavor profiles.
- For a gluten-free option, replace egg noodles with gluten-free pasta or zucchini noodles to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 830 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg