Beef and Noodle Casserole
Beef and Noodle Casserole is a classic comfort food that is easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. This recipe is for a simple and delicious version of the dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal.
Beef and Noodle Casserole is a classic comfort food that is easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. This recipe is for a simple and delicious version of the dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal.
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup onions chopped
- 1 8-oz package elbow macaroni or egg noodles cooked until almost tender
- 1 1/2 cups celery chopped
- 1 clove garlic mashed and minced
- 1 12-oz can corn undrained
- 1 10.75-oz can tomato soup undiluted
- 1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms undrained
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 2 cups cheddar or american cheese shredded
- Carbohydrate 32.169560625 g
- Cholesterol 158.870322625 mg
- Fat 40.09809175 g
- Fiber 4.33693761057407 g
- Protein 43.98626225 g
- Saturated Fat 22.46431271865 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (449g)
- Sodium 1064.04699105 mg
- Sugar 27.8326230144259 g
- Trans Fat 3.101070939125 g
- Calories 657 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown beef in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring to break up meat.
- Drain off fat.
- Add drained beef to the cooked drained noodles; set aside.
- In the same skillet, saute onion, celery, and garlic in melted butter until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add to the beef and noodle mixture.
- Stir in corn, soup, mushrooms, milk, salt, and pepper.
- Blend well.
- Turn mixture into a large casserole or baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 400? for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Visual Cues for Baking
Molten cheddar forms an amber-speckled crust that traps steam beneath its surface. Watch for the edges to bubble aggressively, indicating the interior has reached a uniform temperature. Because internal probing alters the structural integrity of layered pasta dishes, rely entirely on surface markers like browning cheese and boiling liquid rather than inserting a thermometer.Chemical Flavor Integration
Glutamates from the beef and tomatoes merge with umami compounds found naturally in canned mushrooms to multiply sapid intensity. Simmering the onions and celery in butter before mixing draws out water-soluble aromatics, allowing hydrophobic fats to carry volatile flavor molecules throughout the starch network. Each component contributes specific compounds that neutralize excess acidity from the canned tomato soup base.Textural Management
Undercooking the pasta initially prevents starch grains from rupturing during the 30-minute oven exposure. Egg noodles or elbow macaroni continue absorbing moisture from the surrounding milk and tomato liquids while baking. Drain excess fat thoroughly from the ground beef beforehand to prevent emulsion breaking, which leaves an oily slick on top of the casserole.
