Kid-friendly and delicious! If you’re a cheeseburger lover, and the thought of ground beef, tomatoes, pickles and cheese tickles your fancy, then this truly American, comforting Cheeseburger Casserole is for you!
I was recently given the Bobby Deen: From Mama’s Table to Mine cookbook as a gift. Bobby, in case you’re not familiar is Paula Deen’s son, who makes his Mama’s Southern dishes a bit healthier and on the lighter side.
Whenever I get a cookbook, I usually attempt a dish that’s out of my norm. A cheeseburger casserole… now that’s not a dish I grew up eating!
What the heck is a cheeseburger casserole? Think cheeseburger essential ingredients such as lean ground hamburger meat sauteed with diced tomatoes, onions, a touch of mustard, and some not-so common burger ingredients such as pasta, all topped with melted cheddar and finished off with diced pickles.
My toddler gobbled this up, and I thought it was pretty darn good – and I would certainly make this again. I’m sure you can have fun with this and add your favorite cheeseburger toppings. I’m thinking sauteed mushrooms would be really good here too and maybe a few bacon crumbles for a bacon cheeseburger casserole (why not!)
How To Make Cheeseburger Casserole
Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups 6 oz uncooked rotini pasta (use brown rice pasta for GF)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 lb lean ground beef, 95% lean
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 cups reduced-fat grated cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped dill pickles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente and drain well.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the beef and cook until browned; season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes and mustard. Let the mixture bubble gently until it is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Toss the meat mixture with the pasta and spread it into the prepared dish.
- Top with the cheddar and bake until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the chopped pickles over the top and serve.
Last Step:
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Very good, but I did make some modifications as suggested in some of the comments. I omitted the tomato paste and used ketchup instead. I didn’t have Dijon mustard on hand so I used yellow. I used 4 cloves of garlic and one medium yellow onion. I also added a splash of Worcestershire sauce. After simmering down I adjusted the seasoning as needed then baked as directed. It was an absolute hit and the chopped pickles on top are EVERYTHING!
Absolutely delicious! I don’t eat ground beef so I subbed ground turkey and added a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. So so good!
This recipe rocks! Easy, cheap and approved by all family members!
This is a family favorite. This time I made it for someone at church .
I love this one too!
I found this recipe bland which really disappointed me with all the 5 star reviews. It’s perfect for young kids that can’t handle spice or a lot of seasoning though. It wasn’t bad, just too bland for me to want to make it again.
Reviews were mixed on this dish. I loved it. Initially, I was worried that the lack of seasoning in the tomato sauce would make it bland, and I was leery of including Dijon mustard. I ended up enjoying the mix of flavors. My husband, on the other hand, felt that the tomato flavor was too strong. My 7 year old said, “It’s not your best recipe, mom, but it’s not your worst.” It looks like I’ll be the only one eating the leftovers-which is fine – because I really like it.
Our family loves this recipe, so easy to hide vegetables into the casserole.
My whole family loves this recipe! Kid approved and so easy to make.
Has anyone tried replacing the pasta with zucchini? Was it successful? Also thinking about leaving out the pasta and topping it with tater tots for an occasional treat. Both of those being said, we LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe as is. Tastes so good, is filling and comforting, and freezes well. I just always put far more pickles on it because we love them. Thanks, Gina!
This was so delicious! The dijon mustard really added some nice flavor. Will be making this again!
Are this tonight and it tasted very canned tomato-y. I’m hoping it will be better after it sits and the flavors combine. Maybe I needed to add more spices.
Of all the skinny taste recipes I make, I think this is my husband’s favorite! I love it as well. The combination of flavors is perfect. Very easy to prepare as well.
I’ve made this so many times over the last few years. It’s one of our absolute favorites – kids LOVE it and so does my husband. I always throw in more noodles than the recipe calls for. Otherwise, it’s a bit too meaty. A great, quick weeknight meal!
very good and easy
Is the pasta 2 cups plus an additional 6 oz or 2 cups which IS 6 oz?
2 cups = 6 oz
I made this again tonight for my sister and husband! It was a hit! Turned out perfect as is 😊
I love this. I could make this every night and never get sick of it. I used ketchup instead of tomato paste. And onion powder instead of chopped onions. Literally so good one of the best things I have ever made so simple and comforting.
Gina, if I make this ahead of time and refrigerate it, how long should I bake it for? 15 minutes doesn’t seem long enough if it’s chilled. Thanks.
This is one of my all-time favorites! Will you include a link for the new personal points? Thank you!
Just updated it!! 🙂
Thank you so much!
Honestly, I found this rather bland. It needed extra flavour. A dash of smoked paprika? Worcestershire? I would cut the pasta down to 1 1/2 cups and add many more veggies.