This Italian Noodle Casserole is a pasta recipe that comes together in no time using simple ingredients! Seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, tender egg noodles, and cheese combine into a beef noodle casserole recipe the entire family will enjoy! Serve with a side of cheesy garlic bread to make it a complete dinner!
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Don’t you love a hearty, delicious casserole? I sure do! Not only do they feed large numbers of people, but typically, they are budget friendly and easy to make! This easy Italian Noodle Casserole is one of my favorite go to recipes when having people over. Not only can I prepare it ahead of time, but everyone always seems to go back for seconds.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love this traditional Italian Noodle Casserole
- Italian Pasta Casserole Ingredient Notes
- How to make the best Italian Noodle Casserole
- Italian Beef Noodle Casserole FAQ’s
- How to store this Italian Noodle Casserole with ground beef
- More Casserole Recipes to try
- Italian Noodle Casserole with Ground Beef
Why You’ll Love this traditional Italian Noodle Casserole
- Family friendly– with a creamy meat sauce over tender pasta, this is a comfort food favorite with both kids and adults!
- Can be prepared ahead of time– if trying to save on time, this casserole can be made up to 24 hours in advance making it perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends!
- Packed with flavor– savory meat, zesty sauce, creamy cheese, and more combine into a dish that has incredible flavor.
- Simple to make– this baked noodle casserole comes together using simple ingredients and can be customized to fit your desired tastes.
- Can be made gluten free– although I use egg noodles in this bake, you can also use gluten free pasta to make it a great gluten free option.
Italian Pasta Casserole Ingredient Notes
Here is everything needed to make this casserole with noodles. For the full printable recipe card, scroll to the bottom of the post.
- Beef– you’ll want to use ground beef, although ground turkey works great as well.
- Garlic– fresh minced garlic is best, but jarred works great too and saves on time.
- Salt/ Black Pepper– adjust to fit your tastes.
- Oregano/ Onion Flakes– these seasonings add a lot of flavor to the recipe, adjust to fit tastes.
- Worcestershire Sauce– this adds so much to the flavor and really gives this casserole a new depth.
- Sugar– you only need about one teaspoon and this pairs with the tomato sauce to cut down on the acidity.
- Tomato Sauce– homemade from scratch or store bought works great, use whichever you have on hand.
- Egg Noodles– I love this pasta the best as it cooks quickly, is affordable, and is perfectly tender. Feel free to use any tube shaped pasta such as Penne or ziti as well.
- Cream Cheese– use the full-fat block type versus the tub. You will want this to soften before using it.
- Sour Cream– feel free to use plain Greek yogurt if preferred.
- Cottage Cheese– this adds to the cheesy, creaminess of the dish, feel free to use Ricotta cheese in place of cottage cheese if preferred.
- Mozzarella Cheese– freshly shredded is best, you can also use provolone cheese if desired.
- Cheddar Cheese– freshly shredded cheddar cheese is best as compared to pre-shredded bagged cheese as it melts evenly.
Variations to try
- Feel free to use Italian sausage, ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the hamburger meat.
- If you want to add in some vegetables, saute some peppers and zucchini and toss them into this. Diced tomatoes and mushrooms are a great addition as well.
- Change up the cheese to fit your tastes. Pepper-jack, Provolone, or Swiss Cheese are great options. Or, add in some grated Parmesan cheese.
- Enhance the flavor by adding more seasonings or fresh Herbs. Italian seasoning, Basil, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and more are all great options.
How to make the best Italian Noodle Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the beef or turkey until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Add in the garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, onion, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and tomato sauce. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Cook egg noodles according to packaged directions, al dente. Drain water and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese.
- Pour cooked noodles into cream cheese mixture and stir until all is combined.
- Place mixture into 9×13 pan and spread evenly.
- Pour meat sauce on top of pasta evenly. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes and serve this tasty beef casserole!
Italian Beef Noodle Casserole FAQ’s
Can this Italian Casserole with Egg Noodles be frozen?
This recipe makes a lot of servings. It was enough for my family of five to have it for dinner and reheated for lunch, with another dinner to put in the freeze for another night. This also makes a great freezer meal. Simply assemble the casserole, cover it with aluminum foil and freeze it unbaked. When ready to cook, let it thaw in the fridge for the day and then bake it that evening. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time if the casserole isn’t fully thawed.
Can this egg noodle casserole be prepared in advance?
Absolutely! Feel free to prepare this up to 24 hours in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Cover the pan with foil and once ready to cook, add a few minutes to the time if chilled.
How do I double this recipe?
Simply double all the ingredients and prepare into two 9×13 baking dishes. Since it is a pretty full casserole, you will definitely need two pans. As long as you aren’t using gluten free pasta, you can freeze one casserole for later. Gluten free pasta doesn’t freeze well and turns a bit mushy, so that isn’t recommended if going that route.
What should I serve with this Italian hot dish?
I like to keep things simple and add a side salad and fresh bread. However, if you are looking for a few different options, try my Cheesy Zucchini Casserole on the side, roasted brussel sprouts, or lemon asparagus for more ideas!
How to store this Italian Noodle Casserole with ground beef
Since this recipe stores perfectly, leftovers make for a great lunch or dinner option the next day. Here are some tips to follow to ensure freshness.
- Refrigerator– once fully cooled to room temperature, cover pan with plastic wrap and aluminum foil or place leftovers in an airtight storage container in fridge up to 5 days.
- Freezer– place the leftovers into a freezer safe container up to 3 months. You can also wrap the pan in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil and place in freezer. Defrost the casserole before reheating.
- How to reheat– reheat servings of noodle casserole on a microwave-safe dish or bowl in the microwave in 1-minute intervals until heated through and the cheese is melted. You can also add a little more tomato sauce before reheating it. To reheat the entire casserole, remove the plastic and foil and place the defrosted casserole in a 350°F oven until it’s heated through, abouit 15-20 minutes.
More Casserole Recipes to try
Old Fashioned Tuna Noodle Casserole– a quick dinner solution that’s packed with comfort, flavor, and a touch of nostalgia! Great as a weeknight dinner with plenty of leftovers for lunch!
French Onion Chicken Casserole– features tender chicken, rich French onion flavors, and a crispy topping, making it a perfect choice for a weeknight main dish. With less than ten simple ingredients, it’s also great for meal prep to enjoy lunches throughout the week!
Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole– this creamy and delicious Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole combines all the flavors of cream cheese stuffed jalapenos with a classic pasta filled chicken casserole! A quick and easy dinner option perfect any night of the week!
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole– with basic pantry staples and just a handful of steps, this family-friendly dish is a budget-friendly crowd-pleaser and perfect for any weeknight.
Creamy Beef Stroganoff Casserole– tender noodles smothered in a luscious ground beef stroganoff sauce made from simple ingredients. This savory meal is quick to prepare, and for a delightful twist, try using tender beef strips instead of ground beef!
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Italian Noodle Casserole with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoon dried onion flakes
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 16 oz. tomato sauce
- 8 oz egg noodles
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
- In a skillet, cook the beef or turkey until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Add in the garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, onion, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and tomato sauce. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Cook egg noodles according to packaged directions. Drain water and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese.
- Pour cooked noodles into cream cheese mixture and stir until all is combined.
- Place mixture into 9x13 pan and spread evenly.
- Pour meat sauce on top of pasta evenly.
- Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes and serve!
Nutrition
Verna says
Great recipes
Kristin says
Thanks! Glad you enjoy them!