Cheeseburger Casserole
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Cheeseburger casserole. Because who doesn’t love cheeseburgers?!
Like Ritz Casserole, Sloppy Joe Casserole, Chicken Divan, and Chili Cheese Dog Casserole, This easy 40-minute cheeseburger casserole recipe is sure to become a family favorite.
Cheeseburger Casserole with Macaroni
Cheeseburgers.
An American favorite.
This tasty casserole recipe packs all the flavors of a traditional cheeseburger — minus the bun. (Kinda like this cheeseburger dip recipe!)
But with macaroni instead, I can guarantee that you won’t be missing the bun at all.
If your family loves Hamburger Helper, they are sure to love this cheesy dish as well.
For this recipe you’ll need macaroni, ground beef, onion, flour, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese, dill pickles, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
The recipe starts out on the stovetop but then gets transferred to a casserole dish and baked in the oven.
Have an Instant Pot?! Try this Instant Pot Cheeseburger Casserole.
How to Make Cheeseburger Casserole
The first step is preparing your macaroni according to the package instructions.
Then, set that macaroni aside while you prep the meat.
Brown ground beef on the stovetop, along with the onion and garlic.
After adding the flour, tomatoes, and other ingredients to the beef, you will combine the beef mixture with your cooked pasta.
Stir in half of the chopped dill pickles.
Then, transfer everything into a casserole dish.
Top with a layer of delicious cheddar cheese — because it wouldn’t be a cheeseburger casserole without it!
Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Optional: Uncover and broil for 3 minutes to get the cheese nice and bubbly.
Once the casserole comes out of the oven, sprinkle with the remaining pickles.
You could even drizzle it with some Big Mac Sauce like we did with our Big Mac Smash Tacos. Or top with bacon crumbles or a bacon cheeseburger casserole.
Storage
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or entire casserole covered in the oven at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.
Freezing
If you know ahead of time that you’re going to freeze the casserole, cook the pasta about 2 minutes shy of al dente so it does not go soft when you reheat.
To freeze before baking: assemble everything through the cheese layer in a freezer-safe 9×13 dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To freeze after baking: let it cool completely, then cover the same way. You can also portion it into individual containers, which makes weeknight lunches easy.
To reheat: thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake covered at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until heated through. Uncover for the last 5 minutes to melt the cheese back down. From frozen, bake covered at 350°F for 60 to 70 minutes.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Easy Tater Tot Casserole
- Chicken and Dumpling Casserole
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta Casserole
- One-Pot Taco Spaghetti
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups shell pasta, cooked according to directions
- 1 lb ground beef, if using lean, add 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup ketchup
- 30 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup chopped dill pickles, divided
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare a 9 x 13 in casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large pot, prepare the macaroni al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain well, return to pot, and set aside.
- While preparing the macaroni, saute the ground beef and onion in a skillet until ground beef is fully cooked and onion is transparent. Stir in garlic and sprinkle flour over the beef. Allow to saute for 2 additional minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the ketchup, diced tomatoes, mustard, salt and pepper, and worcestershire sauce. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Combine the beef mixture and ¼ cup diced pickles to the cooked pasta. Transfer to casserole dish.
- Top with a layer of cheese.
- Bake, covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. If desired, remove the foila and broil for about 3 minute, or until the cheese is bubbly.
- Sprinkle with the remaining pickles and serve.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Can you freeze leftovers of this casserole?
Yes! Just allow it to cool to room temp before freezing.
This was delicious. Followed recipe to a t. Hit in my house. Garlic bread and salad to finish it off. Will be making again soon.
Confused. First part you say to bake 30 minutes, then broil 3 minutes. Scrolling down, toward the end, you say bake covered 15 minutes @ 350. You do know it is 2 different times, right? Do you mean to bake 15 minutes covered, then bake 15 more minutes uncovered?????????? Also broiling the 3 minutes, then, can be optional. I plan to make this as my fiance is a cheeseburger fan.
Cover and bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Broiling is optional.
can u put this in crockpot and heat through on low for 2 hrs???
I haven’t tried this recipe in a slow cooker myself but you can certainly give it a try. I would suggest cooking without the cheese on top. After a few hours and once everything is heated through, sprinkle the cheese on top. Recover and cook just until the cheese melts.
Loved this recipe! Made it with few modifications, first being spaghetti squash instead of pasta. I had a lot of cherry tomatoes so I roasted them and used in place of canned. Lastly dairy-free cheese. Baked uncovered for 20 minutes. Will definitely be in our rotation!!
I am so glad that you were able to tweak the recipe to make it work for you!