Homemade Ground Beef Casserole (for two)

 

 

This recipe I am sharing with you today is for a delicious and easy to make ground beef casserole. This tasty recipe is proof that you don’t need a million ingredients or advanced techniques to make something your family will actually eat. 

Pasta, ground beef, marinara sauce, and cheese baked together until everything gets nice and melty. Simple ingredients put together in an incredibly tasty way.  It is also a very versatile casserole which can be adapted to using a variety of ground meats, sauces and cheeses. Your imagination is your only limitation when it comes to this delicious dish!

 

I wanted to show my daughter how to make a simple casserole that didn't require a lot of fancy ingredients and that she would find easy to make  when she finally  gets a place of her own.  A homemade ground beef casserole is a very easy one to make and is really quite budget friendly. 

 

Ground beef and pasta are two ingredients that really stretch far and can create something delicious without emptying your bank account.  With the cost of meat these days, it is a real pocket book saving combination.

This casserole is also a great store-cupboard meal,  using simple pantry ingredients that most of us having on hand most of the time.  If you always keep these things on hand that means you will always have a tasty casserole recipe up your sleeve and the ingredients to make it when you are feeling less than inspired.

A delicious beefy sauce, more sauce than pasta, and melty cheese on top. What's not to love about that?  All you need on the side is some crusty bread and a salad. Dinner is served! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Sized for two but easily doubled or tripled to serve more.

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

HOMEMADE GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE

A package of ground beef and some store cupboard staples.  Easy peasy. 

• 9 ounces (254g) penne pasta
• 1/2 TBS light olive oil
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups (360g) Marinara Sauce (use your favorite)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup (85g) of grated cheddar cheese (Or a Cheddar and Mozzarella mix)

 

Feel free to use any tubular pasta shape.  A tubular shaped pasta will cup and hug the sauce nicely.

I like to use an extra lean ground beef. There is far less waste.  Feel free to use any other ground meat in it's place. Turkey, chicken, pork or even Italian sausage out of the casings.

I used Rao Marinara sauce, but you can use your favorite marinara sauce. You can use a spicy one as well if that is what you enjoy.  I also like the one with olives in it, which adds another layer of flavor.

I used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheese for a bit of a cheese pull.

 

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE

This is a simple casserole to make and one that a child could make with the proper supervision. 

1. Preheat your oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 8 inch square or 9 inch round baking dish. Set aside.
2. Prepare your ingredients. Dice your onion, mince the garlic and grate the cheese.
3. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Once it boils add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain well, rinse, and drain again. (It is best to cook to al dente so that it doesn't end up over-cooking and getting mushy in the oven bake.)
4. While the pasta is cooking heat the oil in a skillet. Add the ground beef. Cook and scramble fry over medium high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks, until it is no longer pink. (You can even cook your beef from frozen. It may take longer, but just keep flipping it over and it will slowly thaw.)
5. Add the onion. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 6 more minutes until the beef has started to brown and the onion has softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute longer. (You don't really want the onion or garlic to brown.)
6. Add the marinara sauce and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Let this mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes to develop the flavor.
7. Add the drained pasta, stirring everything to combine evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
8. Spread half into the baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Cover with the remaining meat and pasta and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. (You can put all of the cheese on top if you wish, but I like to layer it a bit.)
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and started to turn lightly golden.
10. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before spooning out onto heated dinner plates to serve.

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS 

Here are a few hints and tips that can ensure a better casserole.

• It is best to cook the pasta just until al dente. As it will be cooking in the sauce in the casserole in the oven. If you slightly undercook it then you can avoid a mushy finish.
• If your ground beef is on the greasy side, drain it well before adding the sauce. You don't want an oily, greasy casserole.
• If your sauce looks a bit dry, feel free to add a bit more marinara sauce.
• Keep a close watch on it in the oven. You don't want the cheese to get really brown, just melted and bubbly. A bit of golden color is okay. 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO I NEED TO USE PENNE PASTA?

Not at all. Any short pasta shape works great here – try rigatoni, ziti, rotini, or even shells. They all hold the sauce well and bake nicely. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

DO I NEED TO USE GROUND BEEF?

Not at all. Ground turkey, chicken, or pork are easy substitutions if you want something lighter or are not a fan of ground beef. You can also use Italian sausage (remove from casings) for extra flavor.

WHAT KIND OF MARINARA SAUCE IS SUITED BEST?

Any tomato-based pasta sauce works fine.  Use your favorite. You can even try arrabbiata for some heat, or plain crushed tomatoes if you are wanting something very simple, adding your own seasonings, etc. as desired.

DO I NEED TO USE CHEDDAR CHEESE?

Not at all. Today we used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella for a nice stretch. If using cheddar cheese try to use a well flavored one.  Monterrey Jack would be nice as would a four cheese Italian blend.

HOW LONG WILL THIS KEEP?

Cooled down and refrigerated, this will keep up to three days. Gently reheat in the microwave. For longer storage you can easily freeze this in an airtight container. Label and date.  Use within 2 to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and gently reheat in the microwave until heated through.

 

 A FEW OTHER GROUND BEEF RECIPES TO ENJOY

Ground beef is such a versatile ingredient and quite economical when compared to other cuts of beef. Feel free to substitute ground turkey or pork in it's place in any of these recipes.

GROUND BEEF & BARLEY SOUP - A quick and easy way to make a Beef and Barley soup without the long cook time that stewing beef would take. It is just as delicious and done in a fraction of the time, with plenty of vegetables, tomatoes and barley.  This makes for a hearty, simple and delicious meal, especially when you serve it with some crusty bread!

SAVORY MINCED CASSEROLE WITH DUMPLINGS -   A savory bake of ground beef and gravy, oven braised and topped with suet dumplings. The flavor of the beef is enhanced by the use of a mirepoix, which is a mix of aromatic vegetables.  Celery, onions and carrots.  The carrot adds a certain sweetness to the sauce.  Everything just goes together very beautifully. Hearty and delicious! All you need is a vegetable on the side!

 

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Yield: Serves 2 - 3

Author: Marie Rayner

Homemade Ground Beef Casserole (for two)

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Quite simply delicious. Economical too. Using just a few ingredients, put together in a very easy and tasty way.

Ingredients

• 9 ounces (254g) penne pasta
• 1/2 TBS light olive oil
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups (360g) Marinara Sauce (use your favorite)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup (85g) of grated cheddar cheese (Or a Cheddar and Mozzarella mix)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a 8 inch square or 9 inch round baking dish. Set aside.
2. Prepare your ingredients. Dice your onion, mince the garlic and grate the cheese.
3. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Once it boils add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain well, rinse, and drain again.
4. While the pasta is cooking heat the oil in a skillet. Add the ground beef. Cook and scramble fry over medium high heat, breaking it apart as it cooks, until it is no longer pink.
5. Add the onion. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 to 6 more minutes until the beef has started to brown and the onion has softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute longer.
6. Add the marinara sauce and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Let this mixture simmer gently for about 5 minutes to develop the flavor.
7. Add the drained pasta, stirring everything to combine evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
8. Spread half into the baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Cover with the remaining meat and pasta and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and started to turn lightly golden.
10. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before spooning out onto heated dinner plates to serve.

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