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Simple Ground Beef Casserole

Published / Updated / 81 Comments

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This ground beef casserole recipe is super easy to throw together and feeds a crowd! It's comforting and uses simple ingredients.

hamburger pasta casserole in a baking dish

Love casseroles? You may also like my Easy Taco Casserole Recipe or my Ranch Chicken and Rice Casserole. 

This cheesy beef and pasta casserole is sure to be a hit with the kiddos. It's also really easily adaptable based on what you've got in the fridge/pantry/etc. You could even throw in some extra veggies if you want. 

I wasn't sure whether to call this a casserole or ground beef pasta bake or what. Basically, you just boil up some penne, and while that's cooking, you make a quick tomato and meat sauce. You then toss it together in a 9x13 dish, top it with cheese, and bake. Easy peasy.

ground beef casserole in a baking dish (ready for the oven)
Ready for the oven!
close-up of easy ground beef casserole
So cheesy.

Hamburger pasta casserole recipe notes & tips:

  • Don't have marinara sauce? Any jarred tomato-based pasta sauce will work, or use a similar amount of tomato sauce or even a combo of tomato products such as diced tomatoes and tomato paste or crushed tomatoes (I'd then add in a bit of Italian seasoning or other herbs for more flavor). This recipe definitely can be adapted based on what's in your pantry.
  • You can substitute the penne with whatever pasta you have on hand (or even use egg noodles like some casseroles do). I recommend slightly undercooking any pasta/noodles so it doesn't go mushy in the oven. 
  • The ingredient quantities don't have to be exact. A bit more or less beef will be totally fine. Want to add more sauce? Go ahead. Same with the cheese. ๐Ÿ™‚ 
  • If you want to put a Tex-Mex spin on this recipe, add in some beans, taco spices, and use a Tex-Mex cheese blend. 

pasta bake with ground beef in a white bowl

More tasty ground beef recipes:

ground beef casserole being lifted out of baking dish with spatula

Let me know if you'll give this easy ground beef pasta casserole recipe a try!

Questions? Leave me a comment below.

hamburger pasta casserole in a baking dish
4.97 from 29 votes
Print

Ground Beef Casserole

This ground beef casserole recipe is super easy to throw together and feeds a crowd! It's comforting and uses simple ingredients.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword ground beef casserole, ground beef pasta casserole, hamburger casserole, pasta bake with ground beef
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 538 kcal
Author Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 1 pound uncooked penne
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1.5 cups marinara sauce
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position. Grease a 9x13 baking dish (I use Pam spray).

  2. Boil a large, salted pot of water for the penne. Cook it for 10 minutes (it should be slightly underdone so it doesn't get mushy).

  3. Add the oil, beef, and onion to a skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up as you go along, for 10 minutes. Once it gets going, stir in the garlic. Spoon out excess fat if needed.

  4. Stir in the marinara sauce and warm through. Give it a taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.

  5. Drain the pasta and pour it into the baking dish. Pour the beef mixture over top and then toss until it's combined with the pasta. Top with an even layer of the cheese. If you want it extra cheesy, you can stir in an additional half cup of cheese prior to topping it with the rest of the cheese.

  6. Bake for 10 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese is nicely melted. I then broil it for a few minutes (optional) to brown the cheese up a bit. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

  • This is a very flexible recipe where additions/substitutions/etc. are fine. I have some tips within the blog post.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition Facts
Ground Beef Casserole
Amount Per Serving
Calories 538 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 77mg26%
Sodium 551mg24%
Potassium 674mg19%
Carbohydrates 61g20%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 548IU11%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 236mg24%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

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  1. Beooke says

    5 stars
    Such a delicious dish! Even though I didn't have the same pasta (had to use fettuccine) and no jarred marinara (I just made an easy homemade one) it turned out so good! Second helping for me please. Definitely a keeper!

    Reply

  4. Jeff says

    4 stars
    Thank you for this recipe. Delicious!!! I made enough for 8 meals and took the casserole to hunting camp. Next time I make this dish, I will substitute the meat with elk burger. 97% lean, no hormones and no antibiotics.
    I am looking forward to that meal.

    Reply

  6. Stephanie says

    5 stars
    Wonderful, easy, tasty and inexpensive enough for an unexpected crowd!!! Thank you, you got me out of a predicament for sure!!!

    Reply

  7. Amy L Marrs says

    5 stars
    Thiss is an AWESME recipe! Rarely d oI give 5 stars but this is deserving of so much more! I made some substitutions and add-ins. I have severe arthritis and fibriomyalgia so I'm always looking for quick and easy recipes that don't require a lot of work in the kitchen. My husband has ciliac and diabetes so I have to watch my ingredients. I cook with frozen onions and jarred garlic for convenience. I used a frozen vegetable medley with onions, celery, green and red peppers and parsley instead of the onions as well as the garlic for added flavor. I used gluten free rotini pasta that only comes in 12 oz. but this was the perfect amount. I used a 24 oz. jar of marinara sauce as we like it seemed to need more. I also added a package of cauliflower with garlic parmesean (this was the only thing the kids didn't like, but I warned them that this was a new recipe/experiment, lol). I added just a little bit of seasoned salt and some seasoned pepper along with some onion and garlic powder. Other than the cauliflower, this was a hit! I will be making it again with a few more twists but no vegetables, LOL. Thank you for the great recipe, it could not have been easier or better!!!

    Reply

  9. Regina says

    I will be giving it a try. Thank you for idea. Been cooking for over 50 years and I am tired of my own ideas. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply

  10. Michele M says

    5 stars
    Easy to prepare and salt can be controlled. I can't use products like Hamburger Helper because of the high amount of sodium. My family is on a low sodium diet

    Reply

  11. Christie says

    5 stars
    Perfect โ€œdonโ€™t know what to make for dinnerโ€ dinner! Made this last night and we loved it. Added fresh cherry tomatoes from the garden, zucchini for color, Italian seasoning and of course, the extra cheese. Used a different pasta noodle and found I only needed 1/2 pound and barely needed 5 minutes in the oven to melt the yummy cheese on top. This recipe is a keeper!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Awesome!! Love your additions. I love when people tweak it... it's definitely meant to be a good "base" recipe! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Iโ€™m so glad you liked it! I think you could freeze it, yes. I havenโ€™t tried, though. Iโ€™d warm it up on a low heat.

      Reply

    • VLaz says

      I have frozen similar baked pasta dishes after they have cooled down. I then thaw in the refrigerator for about a day then heat portions or the entire casserole in the microwave. Comes out just fine every time.

      Reply

  14. Laiโ€™la says

    5 stars
    I really appreciated this recipe!! Iโ€™m only 14 years old and I made this meal for my entire family!!๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜ŠWE LOVED IT!!10 out of ten would recommend

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Wow thatโ€™s awesome!! Iโ€™m so happy it was a hit. Thanks for using my recipe and coming back to comment. โ™ฅ๏ธ

      Reply

      • Kelley says

        5 stars
        So, so, so delicious! Making it again for dinner tonight. Canโ€™t wait to check out what other yummy recipes on your site. Thank you!

        Reply

  18. Tharon Foster says

    5 stars
    This is a great recipe! This is a great "blog"! Very well organized, easy to follow; great pictures.

    Reply

  19. Bill C says

    5 stars
    Being in Southeast Texas I went more Mexican with it. Added a package of chili mix seasoning and a can of chili beans, a little more garlic, cumino, chili powder, and more cheeses. It was great. I was afraid with the tomato base my girls wouldn't eat it but they gobbled it up.

    Reply

  20. Tennyson Gibson says

    I was looking for something to make ground beef with and I fell across this recipe. Easy, fast, and delicious. I used more seasonings and more sauce, but absolutely great.

    Reply

  21. Tammy B. says

    5 stars
    Talk about a success of a receipe. We made this tonight and it was amazing. My husband and I couldn't get enough...My kids ate seconds...and a battle for who would get the left overs. Luckily we made extra, so enough for all. I can't wait to try out more of your receipes! A++

    Reply

  22. Skylar Sagal says

    5 stars
    I normally dont cook a lot. But I gave this one a try and it was so easy and it tasted amazing.

    Reply

  24. Michael Gabriele says

    5 stars
    Very good recipe. I used mozzarella cheese and I added pecorino and fresh basil. The pasta I chose was mezzo pacheri

    Reply

  26. Tina says

    I made this with zucchini added in the beef mixture and used vodka sauce. It needed more so I added a small can of tomato purรฉe as well. When mixing the ingredients together I also added a broccoli cauliflower mix of veggies and shredded mozzarella and provolone. I topped it with the remaining cheese and a small bag of shredded cheddar. It was delicious. Make sure you season everything a little!

    Reply

  27. Serina says

    5 stars
    Super easy and delicious base recipe. I added some heavy whipping cream and a bit of cream cheese to the sauce to make it creamy. I added the whole jar of sauce since we love our sauce as well as mini sweet bell peppers. yum yum yum!

    Reply

  28. Lorraine Copeland says

    Before I make: why are there green flakes that I can't tell what they are in picture of casserole but nothing indicated in recipe?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! It's just fresh chopped parsley to help the photos from looking too monochromatic. ๐Ÿ™‚ That's why I don't mention it. You're welcome to add some if you wish (I just sprinkled it on after cooking) since parsley brightens up most dishes in my opinion, but totally optional!

      Reply

  31. Me says

    5 stars
    I made it and itโ€™s very good however Iโ€™d suggest at least another cup on sauce and more cheese. It was a little dry.

    Reply

  32. Tapiwa says

    5 stars
    I made this recipe tonight. I must say it was wonderful. I even mixed 2 different pasta. Just b4 putting in the oven I added some broccoli and mini sweet bell peppers and let me tell you... it was devine.. will definitely be adding this recipe to our weekly meals. My husband has second helpings. Everyone cleaned their plates.. thatโ€™s all Iโ€™m sayin.

    Reply

  33. Donna says

    I tried this recipe for the first time tonight and it was really good. My husband has been complaining about being tired of the same old thing. He even said he liked it. I took some over to the neighbors and they said they also enjoyed it and asked me for the recipe. I'm interested in more recipes like this one. Keep the good and easy recipes coming. Thanks again.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Well that's awesome! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment. ๐Ÿ™‚ I will definitely keep the quick/easy recipes coming.

      Reply

    • Donna says

      5 stars
      I needed something to make with some ground beef and found this recipe. It was so easy to make!! My husband loved it! Thanks for the great recipe ๐Ÿ˜Š

      Reply

  35. Sophia says

    5 stars
    I made this tonight for dinner and it was a huge hit!

    I used rotini pasta instead, flavored with taco seasoning, onion and added the black beans as you recommended. It was DELICIOUS!

    Thank you for sharing your WONDERFUL recipes!!

    Reply

  36. Kelly says

    In the Philippines, we have a similar dish adding a few more veg like bell peppers, and spices (cinnamon and nutmeg) and topping it with bechamel and cheese. We call it baked macaroni. Our meat version of Mac and Cheese. Definitely a family favorite.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Ooh I've never heard of that... it sounds delicious. My mom makes a lasagna with bechamel sauce and bolognese and it's soo good.

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      Thanks so much!! (I edited your comment because bloggers have been told that using words associated with the current events may negatively impact our Google rankings so I am erring on the side of caution).

      Reply