Easy Cheesy Hamburger Casserole Recipe + Video

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Cheesy Hamburger Casserole is easy to make and perfect for busy weeknights. Combine pantry staples with meat, and spices for a filling meal! The entire family will gobble up this easy homemade hamburger helper! 

cheesy hamburger casserole in a dish


 

It’s safe to say that even picky eaters will delight in the yummy and simple ingredients of this recipe. I make this one a lot – it’s a family favorite! 

The macaroni noodles draw in the kids, while the meat mixture packs a punch of flavor. It’s the ultimate comfort food for all ages to enjoy. 

ingredients to make cheesy hamburger casserole

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

Easy dinners can still be full of flavor, and this one is no exception. 

Get it prepped in a few simple steps or put it together the night before to pop in the oven when you get home.

For another easy ground beef casserole, try my Taco Lasagna! It’s made with layers of tortillas, beans, corn, and more with loads of south-of-the-border flavor. 

Or an amazing mac and cheese casserole.

Want to skip the oven? American Goulash and Cheeseburger Macaroni are both extra cheesy one pot meals that can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

combining ingredients in a bowl for hamburger casserole

How To Make Cheeseburger Macaroni Casserole

This hamburger noodle casserole recipe really couldn’t be any easier to put together. 

While you boil the pasta, brown the ground beef with onions on the stove before seasoning.

Combine the vegetables and soups in a large bowl, then stir in the drained pasta and meat until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish, top with shredded cheddar, and bake!

stirring hamburger casserole in a skillet

Hamburger Noodle Casserole Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

You can make this hamburger casserole with corn in so many different ways, depending on what you prefer or have on hand.

  • Meat: Replace the ground beef with ground turkey or ground sausage. You could even use diced cooked leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the store.
  • Veggies: Try adding bell peppers, zucchini, frozen vegetable medley, green beans, or peas.
  • Pasta: You can substitute the elbow macaroni for any other type of short noodle. I would recommend fusilli, penne, rigatoni, farfalle, or egg noodles.
  • Cheese: Freshly grated cheese will melt better, so skip the bagged shreds and do it yourself!

    You can make this easy casserole recipe with sharp cheddar, cheddar cheese, Monterey jack, or any other type of cheese that you want. 
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Old Fashioned Hamburger Casserole Serving Suggestions

While this cheeseburger macaroni casserole is delicious on its own, you could also serve it with a side salad, garlic bread, or breadsticks.

Hamburger Casserole With Corn FAQs

Can I make this ahead of time? 

Absolutely! Just prepare everything for the old fashioned hamburger casserole the day before, assemble it in your baking dish, then cover and refrigerate.The next day, take it out about 20 minutes before you are ready to cook and place it on the countertop while you heat the oven.You could also bake the cheesy hamburger casserole straight from the refrigerator, but only if you use a foil pan and add additional cooking time. Otherwise, your baking dish might crack from the rapid shift in temperature.

Can you freeze old fashioned hamburger casserole?

No, we don’t recommend freezing cheeseburger macaroni casserole. The noodles will not hold up well and the texture will be off. 

What are the 3 main parts of a casserole? 

There is usually a protein, some vegetables, and a starch like rice or pasta.In this cheesy hamburger casserole, we have ground beef, tomatoes, corn, and elbow macaroni.

Can I make this without hamburger meat? 

You can absolutely make changes to this hearty dish. You can make it just like the full printable recipe lists below or put a fun spin on this easy dinner idea.
 
Instead of adding meat, you can add the other basic ingredients and see what you think of the texture and taste. You can also swap out the beef mixture for ground chicken or ground turkey to cut down on excess fat and excess grease. 

How do I reheat the leftovers of this hamburger casserole recipe? 

Once you let the casserole cool to room temperature and store it in the fridge (in an airtight container or covered with aluminum foil), you can easily reheat this hearty meal in an easy way. 

Add a serving of the pasta casserole to a heat-safe bowl and pop it in the microwave. It won’t take much time to heat up, so pay attention and don’t overheat. 

Once this great meal is warmed back up, you can enjoy or add new cheese so that the cheese melts fresh on top. You can also add a dollop of sour cream to mix in for extra moisture and a little bit of black pepper and chili powder for some extra heat. 

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Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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cheesy hamburger casserole, close up

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole (Easy Recipe) + Video

Donna Elick
Hamburger casserole is easy to make and perfect for busy weeknights. Combine pantry staples with meat, cheese, and spices for a filling meal!
5 stars from 2 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine American
Method Oven
Servings 6 – 8

Ingredients
 

  • 16 ounces uncooked elbow pasta
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 28 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
  • 15 1/2 ounce can whole kernel sweet corn, drained
  • 10 1/2 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
  • 10 3/4 ounce can cheddar cheese soup
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, freshly grated

Garnish

  • fresh parsley, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste if desired

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9”x13” baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta as directed on the box. Drain and set aside.
  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown ground beef and chopped onions. Break up the meat and cook until no pink remains and onions are translucent. Stir in the garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Remove from heat, drain grease, and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine the tomatoes, corn, mushroom soup, and cheddar soup. Stir in the drained ground beef and cooked pasta.
  • Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared 9”x13” baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, and within the last 10-15 minutes, top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Continue to bake until cheese is melted.
  • Serve hot, top with freshly chopped parsley, and enjoy!

Video

Donna’s Notes

This casserole can be made in so many different ways. Try adding in other veggies that you love like: bell peppers, zucchini, frozen vegetable medley, green beans, or peas. You could also substitute the ground beef with cooked ground turkey, diced cooked chicken or cooked ground sausage.
You can substitute the elbow macaronis for another type of pasta. I would recommend fusilli, pene, rigatoni, farfalle, or egg noodles.
I recommend using freshly grated cheese by hand, as it melts better.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 638cal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1001mg | Sugar: 10g | Fiber: 6g | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 4mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Originally published March 2021, updated and republished January 2024

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11 Comments

    1. In place of the Cream of Mushroom soup – You can use Cream of Broccoli, Cream of Chicken, Cream of Celery, Cream Cheese, Heavy Cream or Full Fat Sour Cream.

  1. This recipe sounds really yummy and I would love to make it but I’m not a big fan of cream of mushroom soup. Is there anything else that I could use. Thanks.

  2. I would imagine cream of celery soup could be substituted if you don't like cream of mushroom soup.

  3. This looks like a really great recipe. no criticism there at all. But as a senior, we don't need to to cook for 12 or more. it sure would be nice to have recipes for maybe 4 or 6, you know leftovers, for the next day. Just a a thought, not every recipe should be for a large family or group.

    1. We have made half of the recipe and it turns out great. Most recipes can be halved. Hope this helps.

  4. 5 stars
    I normally will use a can of the Southwestern Corn and will use Italian Sausage or a 1 pound tube of pork sausage in place of the hamburger. I have even made this using a drained can of Ro-tel.
    I will take a basic recipe and make into my own liking.

  5. Due to a gluten sensitivity, I need to find a substitute for the chedder cheese soup. I already have gluten free pasta and gluten free cream of mushroom soup for the recipe. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

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