Cheesy Beef and Noodle Bake is pure, old-school comfort food: soft egg noodles tossed with a hearty ground beef tomato sauce, blanketed in plenty of gooey melted cheese, and baked until everything is hot and bubbly.
This style of casserole has been a staple in home kitchens for decades because it uses simple pantry ingredients and stretches a pound of beef into a full 9×13-inch dish. It’s easy to customize with extra veggies, different cheeses, or creamier layers like sour cream and cottage cheese, and it reheats beautifully for lunches and leftovers.
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish or similar casserole dish
- Large pot for boiling noodles
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Colander for draining noodles
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board and knife for chopping onion and garlic
Ingredients
- 12 oz (about 340 g) wide egg noodles
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (preferably lean)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups (480 ml) tomato sauce or pasta sauce
- 1 can (14–15 oz / 400–425 g) diced tomatoes, drained (optional but recommended)
- 1–2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream
- 1 ½ cups (340 g) cottage cheese or ricotta
- 2–3 cups (200–300 g) shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- Fresh parsley or green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions And Steps
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly greasing your 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a little oil so the noodles don’t stick. Set the dish aside while you prepare the noodles and the beefy tomato sauce.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to package directions until just al dente; they will finish softening in the oven. Once cooked, drain the noodles well in a colander and set them aside while you work on the rest of the casserole.
While the noodles cook, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles with a spoon. Cook for 4–6 minutes, then add the chopped onion and continue cooking until the beef is browned and the onion is soft and translucent, about another 4–5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30–60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Drain off any excess grease from the skillet to keep the casserole from becoming oily, then return the pan to medium heat.
Pour in the tomato sauce and the drained diced tomatoes, then add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, stirring everything together until well combined. Let the mixture simmer for 5–10 minutes so the flavors blend and the sauce thickens slightly; taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream and cottage cheese (or ricotta) with a pinch of salt and pepper, stirring until smooth and evenly mixed. Add the drained egg noodles to this creamy mixture and toss gently until every noodle is coated, creating a rich base layer for the bake.
Spoon about half of the creamy noodle mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Top this with half of the beef and tomato sauce, spreading it from edge to edge, then sprinkle over about one-third of the shredded cheese.
Repeat the layering with the remaining creamy noodles and then the rest of the beef mixture, finishing with the remaining shredded cheese evenly scattered over the top. This double layering helps keep the bake moist and gives you pockets of cheesy, creamy noodles throughout instead of all the richness sitting on top.
Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes so everything heats through and the flavors meld without the cheese over-browning. Remove the foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted, bubbling, and lightly golden in spots.
Once baked, remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes to set slightly and make cleaner slices. Garnish with chopped parsley or sliced green onions if you like, then scoop generous portions and serve warm.
Tips And Tricks
Cook the noodles to just al dente so they hold their shape after baking; overcooked pasta will turn mushy once it absorbs the sauce and bakes under cheese. Salting the pasta water well also seasons the noodles from the inside out, which helps the whole casserole taste more balanced.
Browning the ground beef deeply and letting the tomato sauce simmer for several minutes builds a richer, more developed flavor instead of a flat, one-note sauce. Always drain excess fat from the skillet so the final bake is comforting but not greasy, especially when using higher-fat beef.
Mixing the noodles with sour cream and cottage cheese keeps them creamy and prevents them from drying out in the oven, even if you reheat leftovers later. For an extra-cheesy finish, use a mix of cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella or Colby Jack so you get both flavor and good melt.
If making the casserole ahead, assemble it fully, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, but add 10–15 minutes to the baking time to account for starting from cold. Leftovers store well in the fridge for several days and can also be frozen in portions; reheat covered so the top cheese doesn’t burn before the center is hot.
Variations
For a creamier, stroganoff-style version, swap part of the tomato sauce for beef broth and add extra sour cream or even some cream cheese to the noodle mixture. You can also skip the diced tomatoes and use only a rich pasta sauce for a smoother, more kid-friendly texture.
Bulk up the bake with vegetables like peas, carrots, bell peppers, or mixed frozen veggies stirred into the beef sauce, which adds color and makes the dish more complete on its own. For a slightly different profile, use bow-tie pasta or other short noodles instead of egg noodles while keeping the rest of the recipe the same.
Change the flavor by using Italian sausage in place of some or all of the ground beef, which adds extra seasoning and richness without extra steps. If you want a lighter spin, use lean ground beef or turkey, reduced-fat sour cream, and part-skim cheese, and serve smaller portions with a green salad on the side.
