Poor Man's Casserole
Creamy egg noodles layered with seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce and plenty of melted cheese for an easy family dinner.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 499kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 29-ounce jar tomato sauce or pasta sauce
- Pinch of granulated sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Cook egg noodles according to package directions just until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the noodles are cooking, add ground beef and diced onion to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is tender, breaking the meat apart as it cooks. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Add minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant.
- Stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and a pinch of sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to come together.
- In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add the drained egg noodles and stir until evenly coated.
- Spread half of the creamy noodles into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Spoon half of the meat sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1 cup Colby Jack and ½ cup cheddar cheese.
- Add the remaining creamy noodles, followed by the remaining meat sauce.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup Colby Jack, ½ cup cheddar and the Parmesan cheese.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the cheese is completely melted.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the noodles: Cook the egg noodles just until al dente so they don’t become mushy while the casserole bakes.
- Soften the cream cheese: Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before mixing it with the sour cream. This helps create a smooth, creamy coating for the noodles.
- Drain excess grease: If your ground beef releases a lot of grease, drain it before adding the seasonings and tomato sauce so the casserole doesn’t turn out oily.
- Don’t skip the simmer: Letting the meat sauce simmer for a few minutes gives the seasonings time to blend and helps thicken the sauce slightly.
- Layer everything evenly: Spread the noodles, meat sauce and cheese all the way to the edges so every serving gets a little bit of each layer.
- Let it rest before serving: Allow the casserole to sit for 5-10 minutes after baking. This gives the layers time to settle and makes it easier to scoop and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 554mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 807IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 303mg | Iron: 2mg