Hamburger Noodle Casserole (1 cup serving)
A satisfying meal which if prepared with low fat items and lean ground beef is only 290 calories per half cup serving. My wife and I will serve ourselves a serving and a half or a total of 10.5 wwpoints.
A satisfying meal which if prepared with low fat items and lean ground beef is only 290 calories per half cup serving. My wife and I will serve ourselves a serving and a half or a total of 10.5 wwpoints.
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled minced
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 3 green onions
- 1 cup ricotta cheese part skim
- 1 8 oz package light cream cheese
- 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
- 5 cups uncooked no yolk noodles
- 1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef (prefer sirloin)
- 3 8 oz cans tomato sauce
- 2/3 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
- Carbohydrate 2.40281797816687 g
- Cholesterol 44.2403800625 mg
- Fat 7.98448583333333 g
- Fiber 0.221578124427795 g
- Protein 15.1157831041667 g
- Saturated Fat 3.73027125515833 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (87g)
- Sodium 103.329145525 mg
- Sugar 2.18123985373907 g
- Trans Fat 0.8305835008125 g
- Calories 145 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef and garlic until No longer pink. Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Drain noodles and add to meat mixture.
- In a small mixing bowl beat the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and sour cream until blended. Stir in half the onions.
- Spoon in half the noodle mixture into a 13x9 sprayed baking dish. Next spread cheese mixture over noodles and cover with remaining noodle mixture.
- Cover and cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes uncovered.
Tomato sauce anchors this entire dish, providing the foundational moisture and acidity that keeps the noodles tender during their time in the oven. Ground beef needs to be fully browned over medium heat before assembly; failing to drain off excess grease at this stage will result in a watery sauce rather than a cohesive meat layer. When scaling this recipe up for a larger gathering, use a second 13x9 inch baking dish rather than crowding a single container, because stacking the noodles too deeply prevents the center from heating through evenly in the thirty-minute window. Conversely, cutting the quantities in half works well in an eight-inch square pan, though the baking time should be reduced by roughly five minutes to prevent the pasta edges from drying out. Assessing doneness without a thermometer relies entirely on visual cues; watch for the tomato sauce to bubble actively around the perimeter of the dish and the shredded cheddar to melt completely into a uniform golden crust during the final five uncovered minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Letting the casserole rest for ten minutes after removal from the oven allows the dairy layers to set properly, making clean portions easier to scoop without structural collapse. Leftovers keep safely in the refrigerator for up to three days when sealed in an airtight container, and individual portions reheat reliably in the microwave.
