Cheeseburger Casserole (Quick + Easy Recipe!)

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4.93 from 13 votes

Cheeseburger Casserole (Quick + Easy Recipe!)

This freezer-friendly cheeseburger casserole is SO easy to make and will be a hit with the whole family.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe

Servings:

Author: Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

Ingredients

8 oz dry macaroni will be about 4 cups cooked
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef
2 cups finely-chopped onion from 1 large onion
1 tbsp minced garlic from 3 large cloves
1 ½ tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne
1 5.5- oz can tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
2 oz cream cheese softened
2 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese divided use

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep Steps

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the macaroni according to package instructions or until just al dente. Drain and set aside.

Cook the Beef

While the macaroni cooks, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef with the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne. Break up the beef a bit with a spoon as it cooks. Cook, stirring frequently, until beef is cooked through and onion is soft.

Finish the Sauce

Add the tomato paste; cook until it turns a shade darker and smells toasty.
Add beef broth to the large skillet. Stir to combine and simmer for a few minutes.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese until smooth.
Turn off the burner then stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Assemble and Bake

Stir in the cooked macaroni and transfer the mixture to a 9x9" (or similar size) baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.

Video

Notes

Chop onion as finely as possible. This ensures it cooks through and softens fully while the beef cooks (to avoid a separate cooking step, yay!)

Line your baking dish with parchment paper for super-easy cleanup.

Gradually stir in the cheddar cheese over low heat until it's completely melted. Do it with the heat off. This method helps prevent the cheese from becoming grainy and ensures a smooth sauce.

You may need more salt to the sauce depending on the fineness of your salt and how salty your broth is. I added 1/2 tsp more. The sauce shouldn't taste very acidic like tomato, it should taste seasoned and balanced like a, well, CHEESEBURGER!

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