Description
Hearty beef lombardi casserole brings comfort and flavor from Texas kitchens to dinner tables nationwide. Layers of pasta, ground beef, and melted cheese create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef or ground turkey/chicken
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 12 oz (340 g) package egg noodles
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 14.5 oz (411 g) can diced tomatoes
- 1 10 oz (283 g) can diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as Rotel)
- 1 6 oz (170 g) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Ignite oven to 350°F and lightly grease a rectangular baking dish to prevent adherence.
- Meat Transformation: In a deep skillet, brown ground beef over high heat, breaking into crumbly bits, then drain excess fat completely.
- Sauce Creation: Blend tomato components with aromatic seasonings into the beef, simmering for 15-20 minutes to develop a rich, complex flavor profile.
- Noodle Integration: Cook egg noodles in boiling water until al dente, then fold in sour cream to create a luxurious, creamy texture.
- Layering Technique: Spread the sour cream-coated noodles as the foundational layer in the prepared baking dish, creating a smooth base.
- Cheese Coronation: Pour the seasoned meat sauce evenly over noodles, then generously sprinkle a combination of shredded cheeses to ensure complete coverage.
- Baking Finale: Slide the casserole into the preheated oven, baking 20-25 minutes until cheese becomes golden and sauce bubbles invitingly.
- Serving Preparation: Allow the casserole to rest briefly, letting flavors meld and settle before presenting this comforting culinary creation.
Notes
- Meat Preparation Tip: Always drain excess fat thoroughly after browning ground beef to prevent a greasy, heavy casserole texture and ensure a cleaner, more appetizing final dish.
- Noodle Cooking Hack: Cook egg noodles just until al dente to avoid mushy texture; they’ll continue softening during baking, maintaining a perfect tender-yet-firm consistency.
- Cheese Melting Secret: Use a blend of cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella for maximum flavor complexity and a beautifully golden, stretchy top layer that creates irresistible visual appeal.
- Resting Wisdom: Allow the casserole to rest 5-10 minutes after baking, which helps ingredients set and makes serving cleaner and more structured, enhancing overall eating experience.
- Prep Time: 20min
- Cook Time: 45min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg