There are just so many casseroles out there, it can be hard to pick just one and know it’ll be something you love. Keep It Simple Casserole gets back to the delicious basics: a layer of tender egg noodles in a creamy, tangy cream cheese sauce, a layer of savory beef in a rich, bright tomato sauce, and a layer of melty, sharp cheese. That’s it, that is all you need to make dinner something to look forward to all day. Life is overcomplicated enough, so it’s nice to slip back to what you know you love with Keep It Simple Casserole.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground round
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups medium egg noodles
- 5 green onions, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground round.
Step 4 –Cook the ground round, stirring constantly, until the meat crumbles and is no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 5 –Drain the fat from the skillet.
Step 6 –Stir in the canned seasoned tomatoes (including its juices), the canned tomatoes and chiles (including its juices), the tomato paste, the salt, the Italian seasoning, and the pepper.
Step 7 –Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 8 –Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Step 9 –Transfer the skillet from the heat.
Step 10 –Prepare the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles.
Step 11 –Stir together the hot cooked noodles, the green onions, the sour cream, and the cream cheese together until blended.
Step 12 –Spoon the noodle mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 13 –Top the noodles with the beef mixture.
Step 14 –Sprinkle the cheddar cheese, the parmesan cheese, and the mozzarella cheese onto the meat mixture in that order.
Step 15 –Cover and bake for 35 minutes.
Step 16 –Uncover and bake until bubbly and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Step 17 –Let stand for 10-15 minutes.
Step 18 –Serve.
