Summer is for all of the delicious meals for the whole family like this Easy Cheeseburger Casserole recipe. The tastes of cheddar cheese, lean ground beef meat mixture, and of course pasta all cooked in a baking dish.
My entire family loves this recipe. Even when I am craving a burger, this is a great way to make it in casserole form. Not to mention perfect for busy weeknights since you can throw it all together in one casserole dish and enjoy this cheesy casserole in no time.
The simple ingredients make this the best family favorite cooked pasta recipe. You can even turn this homemade hamburger helper into a bacon cheeseburger casserole with either fresh or store-bought bacon crumbles added in!
Ingredient Notes
- Penne pasta (mini shells or elbow macaroni can work too)
- Olive oil
- Onion finely chopped
- Minced garlic
- Ground beef (or ground turkey)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Tomato paste
- Dijon mustard
- Shredded cheddar cheese
How to make Easy Cheeseburger Casserole:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Drain Well.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the beef and cook until browned; season the beef mixture with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then add the diced tomatoes and mustard.
- Let the mixture bubble until it is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Put the cooked noodles in the greased pan and pour your meat sauce on top. Slightly mix together your noodles and sauce.
- Cover the top of the casserole with foil and cook for 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and remove your foil. Add your cheese on top and stick back in the oven until the cheese is melted. (5 to 10 minutes).
- Serve while it is warm.
Storing and Other Tips
Place any leftovers of this ground beef casserole in an airtight container or the container it was cooked in and store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Things you can add for more flavor to this keto cheeseburger casserole:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Sour cream
- Sesame seeds (to resemble the bun)
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder (if you want a little spice)
- Onion powder
To Make This Into A Freezer Meal
Prepare it all the way and instead of putting it in the oven, cover it really well and stick it in the freezer. Thaw and cook when ready to eat. You could also cook it and then freeze it. Just thaw and reheat. Check often while in the oven.
Serving Suggestions
- Seven Layer Green Salad Recipe
- Twisted Cheese Breadsticks Recipe
- The Best Air Fryer Asparagus Recipe
- Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Easy Cheeseburger Casserole (Freezer Meal)
Ingredients
- 2 cups penne pasta
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain Well.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the beef and cook until browned; season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then add the diced tomatoes and mustard.
- Let the mixture bubble until it is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Put the cooked noodles in the greased pan and pour your meat sauce on top. Slightly mix together your noodles and sauce.
- Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and remove your foil. Add your cheese on top and stick back in the oven until the cheese is melted. (5 to 10 minutes).
- Serve while it is warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Please quickly help! Your directions are calling for tomato paste, but it’s not listed in the ingredients! A whole can?????
Hi! I don’t see tomato paste in the ingredients or how long to cook in the oven? It looks fantastic, I just need a few more pointers on how to finish it up! Thank you!
This recipe is incomplete. Not only do you call for ingredients that aren’t listed in the ingredient list, you didn’t finish the directions. I’m in the middle of this recipe not knowing what to do the rest of the way. Frustrating, but I still love your blog. I guess I’ll figure it out. 😛
I was excited to make this for supper tonight, but it seems the recipe is incomplete. There is no tomato paste listed on the ingredient list, but you talk about adding it in the directions. Then the directions are incomplete. How long does it cook in the 9×13 pan?
Hi, just wondering if this recipe is baked after. It says to preheat the oven to 350 but then doesn’t say to put it in the oven or how long? Just wondering how long to put the casserole in the oven for. Thanks.
The directions say to add tomato paste, but there is no tomato paste listed in the ingredients. How much tomato paste do we add? thank you!
From what I’m finding on the internet from recipes that are similar…
Add 2 T. tomato paste. After the mixture is slightly thickened, add the cooked pasta. Then, pour everything into the greased 9×13 and put cheese on top. Bake appx. 15 min or until cheese is melted.
How much tomato paste do you use and how long to bake it. Love all your recipes
Thanks
where is everyone seeing tomato paste when it says diced tomato can? I am thinking about making this tonight anyone use the tomato paste instead?
2 tablespoons tomato paste in the recipe. Total cooking time is around 30 minutes. It’s all on the recipe directions. Hope this helps.
When this recipe was first published, a few things were wrong that have since been fixed. Those are old comments that came along before we updated it. Sorry about the confusion.
I actually didn’t know it was a can of tomatoes I just cut some up. It tasted great and for more flavour put bbq sauce in it, Tastes great!
Made for the family a few weeks ago and it was a bust. Pretty bland for our tastes and the kids asked to be excused after a couple of bites. The husband loaded his with red pepper flakes but still only had one small bowl. Not a keeper for our family.
Should we drain he diced tomatoes or leave the liquid?
Just dump the can of tomatoes in. Do not drain. The tomato paste helps thicken it up.
Would be nice/helpful if you would add facts/info to the question/comments of your readers [this in not only your site but others, as well].
— adding “drain” to the ingredient list where “28 oz diced tomatoes” is listed.
If only bloggers would do this – it would be appreciated and very helpful to all — besides, we don’t have time to read over the comments/responses to recipes.
Sorry but just had to write and point this out — hope you will consider doing this! 🙂
Love your recipes but…
I made this before & agree it needs WAY more spices. Add more of the things you like. I also added a couple chopped dill pickles which were great!!!
Am I the only on who automatically substitutes Medium salsa for a can of diced tomatoes?? Or we use Delmonte Petite cut tomatoes with zesty jalapenos!! SO yummy!!
Made this last night for the family. I added a Tbsp. of BBQ sauce which really added a lot of depth! I definitely recommend giving that a try! 🙂 I also used sliced American cheese instead of cheddar which really gave this a classic cheeseburger taste. Next time I think I will cut the tomatoes in half, other than that this is super easy and quick! (I omitted the 2 TBSP of tomato paste the ingredients called for)
It still says tomato paste in the ingredients though & I don’t see a step in the directions using it….my dish doesn’t look like the picture that’s for sure 🙁
I wanted to freeze this meal…Any suggestions?!!!
Prepare it all the way and instead of putting it in the oven, cover it really well and stick it in the freezer. Thaw and cook when ready to eat. You could also cook it and then freeze it. Just thaw and reheat. Check often while in the oven.
Thanks for the quick response!! Can’t wait to try it!!
Thank you for your site! I love it! Could you please include the grams per serving in your nutritional information for those of us who are closely tracking their caloric intake? 🙂
Thanks for your feedback! We will keep that in mind. In the meantime, we like to use apps like My Fitness Pal to track our calories per serving.