Ground Beef And Cheddar Casserole Recipe

By Wendy Zitzman

When you want something beefy and cheesy, look no further than this Ground Beef and Cheddar Casserole Recipe. It is excellent.

I feel like this casserole is really filling and satisfying…probably because it addresses all of the things I crave most: meat, carbs, and cheese. This is a really easy Weight Watchers Casserole that you can put together quickly for a weeknight dinner and the family will love it.

The bell peppers and zucchini give it a nice flavor and bulk it up some too. It’s also a sneaky way to get those veggies in for the kids!

When I was making this, I felt like Honey Boo Boo’s mom making one of her “multi-meals”….but it really is an all in one dish! Carbs? Check. Protein? Check. Dairy? Check. Vegetables? Check. See? It is a multi-meal! Everything you need in one fantastic casserole. Enjoy!

A delicious and easy casserole recipe that will be a hit with the whole family. Cheesy, beefy and full of flavor, it’s also incredibly satisfying and makes great leftovers.

4.54 from 13 votes

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Prep TimePrep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook TimeCook Time 30 minutes mins

Total TimeTotal Time 50 minutes mins

ServingsServings 8 servings

CaloriesCalories 282 kcal

Ingredients

6 oz whole wheat egg noodles - (wide, uncooked)
16 oz extra lean ground beef - (95/5)
2 medium zucchini - (diced)
1 medium yellow onion - (finely diced)
1 red bell pepper - (seeded and diced)
1 16 oz container fat free sour cream
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup reduced fat - (shredded, sharp cheddar)
4 garlic cloves - (minced)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with non-fat cooking spray.
Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and place into a large bowl. Mix in the sour cream and parmesan, and then pour into baking dish.
While the noodles are cooking, spray a large, nonstick skillet with non-fat cooking spray, and add in the garlic. Cook until tender and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add in the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer pink…about 5-8 minutes.
Add in the zucchini, bell peppers and onions and cook until vegetables just being to become tender, about 3-5 minutes.
Add in diced tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, and dried parsley, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 3-4 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
Empty the beef and vegetable mixture over the noodles, and evenly sprinkle the reduced fat cheddar over top.
Place in oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 20 minutes.
Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Entire recipe makes 8 servings

Serving size is about 1 cup

Nutrition

Calories: 282 kcal (14%)Carbohydrates: 30.2 g (10%)Protein: 24.6 g (49%)Fat: 6.4 g (10%)Saturated Fat: 3.2 g (20%)Cholesterol: 65 mg (22%)Sodium: 165 mg (7%)Potassium: 619 mg (18%)Fiber: 3.8 g (16%)Sugar: 8.3 g (9%)Calcium: 130 mg (13%)Iron: 2.9 mg (16%)

Main Ingredient: Beef Recipes

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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24 Comments

Kathie9 years ago

Made this for dinner tonight and I’m a fan!! One of the children I nanny for proclaimed it “Delish”!
It tastes great and %he serving size is enough to be filling. I made the recipe as posted but ‘looked about 3\4 of the bag of noodles. This is a keeper! Thank you for your great recipes!!!
Schellie10 years ago

This was so delicious and full of flavor. Even the leftovers were great the next day. I used extra zucchini and only about 1/2 pound of hamburger. We will make this one over and over. Thank you!
dasch10 years ago

Great recipe; ingredients well proportioned. Made tonight and delivered half to a family having hard times. Will be making another casserole tomorrow to share with a relative who is following the Weight Watcher plan. No adjustments needed except had to cook the meat mixture little longer until the juice from tomatoes cooked down. VERy satisfying dish!
Jshey10 years ago

If I used 12oz of the pasta instead of the 6oz, how much does that increase the points by?
cem11 years ago
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This recipe worked and was delicious, but only because I made a couple of major changes, which could admittedly affect PPVs. But without making these changes, the recipe was about to be a disaster, leading me to think there were a couple of typos in original recipe:
1. 6 ozs of dried pasta is no where near enough to even lightly cover 9×13 pan, let alone have this dish serve 8 people. I figured was typo and must have meant 16 oz. Even then, pasta barely covered bottom of pan.
2. 16 oz. of fat-free sour cream was way MORE than enough. I halved that amount and even with 16 oz. of pasta, it was more than enough to provide a creamy and moist sauce base.
The meat and veggie topping is great and provides a lot of moisture.
- ed10 years ago
  
  not sure from the recipe where to add the sour cream,, or the parmesan. just figured that we would add it at the end :-)
July11 years ago

This recipe is a winner! My sauce also did not thicken, maybe add a tbsp of flour might help. But it didn’t matter, the flavor was there and it was what I was looking for!
Nicole B11 years ago

Made this tonight… it is officially one of our FAVORITES!!! YUMMY!!!!
Sunday Nicole Hayden11 years ago

This is an absolute keeper! My husband, the average, meat-and-potato man loves it! He says he now wants me to make recipes like this at least 3 times a week now! I love it! Finally something that we ALL agree on that is good and very Healthy at the same time!
guest232311 years ago

this was incredible. i accidentaly only bought one zucchini but it still turned out full of veggies. I used the mexican seasons another person suggested (replaced the herbs for cumin, paprika and chili powder. I used a can of Rotel to go with the mexican theme. Home run! Thanks!
Alberto Rodriguez11 years ago

Good site and recipes, but the print button is difficult to find and, what is worse, displays a dull page without the picture. Most boring cookbook ever!
Nathan11 years ago

Quick question on the total calories.. when I added it up I got over 320 calories per serving? I was curious of the calories for each product you used. Thanks.
Jaime Cooper11 years ago

This was really good! My only problem was that it was kinda wet. I never could get the sauce to thicken up. Maybe next time ill drain out half the tomato juice. It was delicious anyways. I’m actually going to make this a freezer meal for my friend whose dad just passed.
Jennifer Snyder Maine11 years ago

I made this recipe ahead of time on Sunday and I subbed spaghetti squash for the pasta. I cooked it tonight and it was soooo delicious. It smells great in the oven!
- laaloosh11 years ago
  
  Ooooo…I LOVE that idea! Thanks for sharing!
Robyn11 years ago

this looks so good I will definitely be trying this next week, we love beef and cheese…lol “multi meals” ! you crack me up
:)
Debbie Cunningham Montique11 years ago

I made this one today and it came out perfect, and it’s delicious!! Twarzie, I used the fat free sour cream and had no problem with it curdling. Lindalovespink, it’s 6oz of dry noodles (1/2 the bag)
Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful recipes with us!!!
Twarzie11 years ago

I made this last night and it was good, but I had an issue with the sour cream curdling. Any one else have this issue? It was not expired. I used light rather than fat free.
I also think it would be delicious if you turned it into a Mexican dish replacing the basil, parsley and oregano with paprika, cumin and chili powder.
- laaloosh11 years ago
  
  Ooooo…I love the idea of swapping out those spices for some Mexican seasonings!! Oh, and I had no problem with the curdling of the sour cream. :(
- Bichon Bisou11 years ago
  
  You could try tempering the sour cream with a tiny bit of the pasta water to bring up the temperature. The shock of going from the fridge to being mixed with the noodles is what caused the curdling.
Alexis Reed11 years ago

Just curious how the calorie and WW point counts change if you use lean ground turkey instead of ground beef – thanks!
- laaloosh11 years ago
  
  Not by too much…maybe by a Point.
Lindalovespink11 years ago

Can you please verify if the 6 oz of noodles is the weight cooked or un-cooked?
- laaloosh11 years ago
  
  Sorry…that’s 6oz dry (uncooked).

Food Recipes

Ground Beef And Cheddar Casserole Recipe – 7 Points | LaaLoosh (2024)

FAQs

What are the rules for ground beef? ›

The FDA Food Code says that restaurants should cook ground beef to 155°F for 15 seconds. But CDC and USDA say that consumers should cook ground beef to 160°F. The guidance for consumers is different because it is simpler to meet one standard (temperature) than two (temperature and time).

How long should ground beef be cooked? ›

How long does it take to cook ground beef? Once the water has come to a boil, cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer. It should only take about 15 minutes for the beef to fully cook through. The meat will turn brown when it's done, so keep an eye on it.

Get More Info ›

How to cook ground beef in a pan? ›

Start by heating a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add a small amount of oil (if desired) and then add the ground beef. Break up the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon to help it cook evenly. Cook the beef until it is browned and fully cooked through, stirring occasionally.

At what point should you not eat ground beef? ›

Nevertheless, you should throw away ground beef if it has turned either brown or gray on the outside, as this indicates that it's beginning to rot. Additionally, mold can spoil cooked ground beef, so you should toss your leftovers if you notice any fuzzy blue, grey, or green spots.

Should you let ground beef sit out before cooking? ›

While throwing a frozen patty on a grill or pan may seem like a timesaver, you'll see better results if you let the meat reach room temperature before it's cooked.

Discover More Details ›

Is cooked ground beef left out overnight safe to eat? ›

Havern explains: "The maximum amount of time perishable foods can [spend] in the danger zone is two hours. At two hours, the food must be consumed, stored correctly, or thrown away. This includes all cooked leftovers, [chopped] fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products."

Discover More ›

How many cups of ground beef per person? ›

1 Serving About 1.5 Cups Ground Beef.

Read The Full Story ›

How long can you keep ground beef in the fridge? ›

Information. Refrigerate or freeze ground beef or hamburger as soon as possible after purchase. It can be refrigerated or frozen in its original packaging if the meat will be used soon. If refrigerated, keep at 40 °F or below and use within one or two days.

Can I eat 2 week old cooked ground beef? ›

USDA recommends using cooked beef within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days.

Find Out More ›

Is it OK to eat ground beef a little pink? ›

The color of cooked ground beef can be quite variable. At 160 °F, a safely cooked patty may look brown, pink, or some variation of brown or pink. When a patty is cooked to 160 °F throughout, it can be safe and juicy, regardless of color.

Get More Info ›

Can you eat ground beef 3 days after cooking? ›

How long does cooked ground beef last in the fridge? After you've cooked the ground beef to a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees, you have about three to four days to eat it.

View Details ›

How do you make ground beef taste good? ›

Use a marinade: Marinate the ground beef in a flavorful liquid such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or red wine before cooking. Add a flavorful liquid: Add a small amount of beef broth, tomato sauce, or red wine to the ground beef while it cooks to add extra flavor.

Learn More ›

How to cook ground beef for dummies? ›

Here is a basic method for cooking ground beef:

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula or spoon.
Cook the ground beef, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and cooked through.
Drain any excess fat from the skillet.

More items...

Oct 27, 2022

Tell Me More ›

How to cook ground beef safely? ›

Bacteria multiply rapidly in the "Danger Zone" — temperatures between 40 and 140°F (4.4 and 60°C). To keep bacterial levels low, store ground beef at 40°F (4.4°C) or below and use within 2 days, or freeze. To destroy harmful bacteria, cook ground beef to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71.1°C).

Find Out More ›

How do you cook ground beef so it's not dry? ›

Keep Some of the Grease in the Pan

Draining the grease from cooked ground beef makes your finished dish less greasy. However, for moist and flavorful meat, keep a tablespoon or two of that fat in. Stir it through your browned beef. You'll still be removing most of the fat while stillprotecting the meat from drying out.

Learn More Now ›

Should ground beef be seasoned before or after cooking? ›

This helps infuse flavors deep into the meat, ensuring every bite is flavorful. However, when the goal is crumbly, perfectly browned ground beef, like in this seasoned ground beef recipe, it should always be added after the fat renders from the meat.

Keep Reading ›

Is it okay to not fully cook ground beef? ›

Yes, it is dangerous to eat raw or undercooked ground beef because it can contain harmful bacteria. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends not eating or tasting raw or undercooked ground beef. To be sure all bacteria are destroyed, cook meat loaf, meatballs, casseroles, and hamburgers to 160 °F.

Ground Beef And Cheddar Casserole Recipe – 7 Points | LaaLoosh (2024)