{"id":179,"date":"2026-01-05T23:30:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T23:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/?p=179"},"modified":"2026-01-05T23:30:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T23:30:40","slug":"ground-beef-casserole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/?p=179","title":{"rendered":"Ground Beef Casserole"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1>Ground Beef Casserole Recipe<\/h1>\n<p><em>A Classic, Comforting, Family-Friendly Meal<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Ground Beef Casserole is a hearty, comforting dish made with <strong>seasoned ground beef<\/strong>, <strong>tender pasta or potatoes<\/strong>, <strong>vegetables<\/strong>, and a <strong>rich, cheesy sauce<\/strong>, all baked together until warm and bubbly. This recipe is perfect for <strong>busy weeknights<\/strong>, <strong>meal prep<\/strong>, or <strong>feeding a family<\/strong>, because it is easy to make, budget-friendly, and very satisfying.<\/p>\n<h2>\u00a0Why You\u2019ll Love This Ground Beef Casserole<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Easy to prepare with simple ingredients<\/li>\n<li>One-dish meal (less cleanup)<\/li>\n<li>Filling and comforting<\/li>\n<li>Customizable with different vegetables or cheeses<\/li>\n<li>Great for leftovers and meal prep<\/li>\n<li>Kid-friendly and crowd-pleasing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0Ingredients<\/h2>\n<h3>Main Ingredients<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>1 lb (450 g) ground beef<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>1 small onion<\/strong>, finely chopped<\/li>\n<li><strong>2 cloves garlic<\/strong>, minced<\/li>\n<li><strong>2 cups cooked pasta<\/strong> (elbow macaroni, penne, or egg noodles)<br \/>\n<em>or cooked sliced potatoes<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>1 can (14\u201315 oz) diced tomatoes<\/strong>, drained<\/li>\n<li><strong>1 cup tomato sauce<\/strong> or crushed tomatoes<\/li>\n<li><strong>1 cup shredded cheese<\/strong> (cheddar, mozzarella, or a blend)<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u00bd cup beef broth<\/strong> (optional, for moisture)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Seasonings<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>1 teaspoon salt<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>\u00bd teaspoon black pepper<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>1 teaspoon paprika<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>1 teaspoon Italian seasoning<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>\u00bd teaspoon chili powder<\/strong> (optional)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Optional Add-Ins<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>1 cup frozen corn or peas<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>1 cup chopped bell peppers<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>\u00bd cup mushrooms<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Fresh parsley<\/strong> for garnish<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0Equipment Needed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Large skillet<\/li>\n<li>Baking dish (9\u00d713 inch recommended)<\/li>\n<li>Wooden spoon or spatula<\/li>\n<li>Knife and cutting board<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0Step-by-Step Instructions<\/h2>\n<h3>Step 1: Preheat the Oven<\/h3>\n<p>Preheat your oven to <strong>375\u00b0F (190\u00b0C)<\/strong>. Lightly grease a baking dish and set it aside.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 2: Cook the Ground Beef<\/h3>\n<p>Heat a large skillet over <strong>medium heat<\/strong>. Add the ground beef and cook for <strong>6\u20138 minutes<\/strong>, breaking it apart with a spoon, until fully browned.<\/p>\n<p>Drain excess fat if needed.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 3: Add Onion and Garlic<\/h3>\n<p>Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook for <strong>2\u20133 minutes<\/strong> until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for another <strong>30 seconds<\/strong> until fragrant.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 4: Season the Meat<\/h3>\n<p>Season the beef mixture with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Salt<\/li>\n<li>Black pepper<\/li>\n<li>Paprika<\/li>\n<li>Italian seasoning<\/li>\n<li>Chili powder (optional)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Stir well to evenly coat the meat.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 5: Add Tomatoes and Sauce<\/h3>\n<p>Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth (if using). Let the mixture simmer for <strong>5 minutes<\/strong> so the flavors combine.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Step 6: Add Pasta or Potatoes<\/h3>\n<p>Add the cooked pasta (or potatoes) and any optional vegetables. Mix gently until everything is well combined.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 7: Assemble the Casserole<\/h3>\n<p>Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread it evenly, then sprinkle shredded cheese on top.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 8: Bake<\/h3>\n<p>Place the casserole in the oven and bake for <strong>25\u201330 minutes<\/strong>, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden on top.<\/p>\n<h3>Step 9: Rest and Serve<\/h3>\n<p>Remove from the oven and let it rest for <strong>5\u201310 minutes<\/strong> before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.<\/p>\n<h2>\u00a0Serving Suggestions<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Serve with a fresh green salad<\/li>\n<li>Pair with steamed vegetables<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy with crusty bread or garlic bread<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0Tips for the Best Ground Beef Casserole<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Use <strong>lean ground beef<\/strong> for less grease<\/li>\n<li>Always cook pasta slightly al dente<\/li>\n<li>Let the casserole rest before serving<\/li>\n<li>Shred cheese fresh for better melting<\/li>\n<li>Taste and adjust seasoning before baking<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0Recipe Variations<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cheesy Version:<\/strong> Add cream cheese or sour cream<\/li>\n<li><strong>Low-Carb:<\/strong> Replace pasta with cauliflower<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mexican Style:<\/strong> Add taco seasoning and beans<\/li>\n<li><strong>Italian Style:<\/strong> Add marinara sauce and mozzarella<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spicy:<\/strong> Add red pepper flakes or jalape\u00f1os<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0Nutrition Highlights (Approximate)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>High in protein<\/li>\n<li>Filling and balanced<\/li>\n<li>Customizable for lower fat or lower carb<\/li>\n<li>Great for meal prep and leftovers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0Storage &amp; Reheating<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Refrigerator:<\/strong> Store in an airtight container for up to <strong>4 days<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Freezer:<\/strong> Freeze for up to <strong>2 months<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Reheat:<\/strong> Oven or microwave until heated through<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\u00a0Time Breakdown<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Prep time: 15 minutes<\/li>\n<li>Cooking time: 35 minutes<\/li>\n<li>Total time: ~50 minutes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Ground Beef Casserole Recipe A Classic, Comforting, Family-Friendly Meal Ground Beef Casserole is a hearty, comforting dish made with&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":180,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-recipes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=179"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":181,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179\/revisions\/181"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}