Description
Hearty beef lombardi casserole delivers classic comfort with layers of pasta, ground beef, and melted cheese. Southern-style dish promises satisfying flavors you’ll savor down to the last delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 g) lean ground beef
- 1 package (12 oz or 340 g) egg noodles
- 2 1/2 cups (226 g) Colby Jack cheese (shredded)
- 1 1/4 cups (296 ml) sour cream
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese (softened)
- 3 cans (10 oz or 284 g each) diced tomatoes with chilies (drained)
- 4 tbsps tomato paste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp celery salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil warming.
- Combine chopped onions and ground beef in the skillet, cooking for 8-10 minutes until beef browns and onions become translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
- Incorporate tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, celery salt, and diced tomatoes with chilies into the beef mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring consistently until slightly reduced.
- Boil a pot of water and cook egg noodles for 3 minutes, reserving 2 cups of cooking water before draining.
- Whisk sour cream, cream cheese, cornstarch, and half cup of reserved noodle water until smooth and well-blended.
- Mix partially cooked noodles with cream mixture, then transfer to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Spread beef mixture evenly over noodle layer, ensuring complete coverage using a spoon to smooth the surface.
- Top the casserole with shredded Colby Jack cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden brown.
Notes
- Customize beef type by swapping ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for different dietary preferences.
- Reserve extra pasta water strategically to help control sauce consistency, preventing dry or overly wet casserole texture.
- Enhance nutritional value by incorporating finely chopped spinach or bell peppers into the beef mixture for added vegetables.
- Create make-ahead friendly option by assembling casserole up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerating before baking, which allows flavors to develop more deeply.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 542 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 745 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg