There is little more satisfying than some classic comfort food when it's the dead of winter outside. Whether that means a warm bowl of soup, a hearty casserole, or a big pot of pasta, we all can agree that a good homecooked meal warms our heart and souls from the inside out. Today's recipe, Sour Cream Beef Noodle Casserole, is a fusion mixture of a spicy beef pasta and a traditional stroganoff. It combines the flavors of an Italian Bolognese with creamy noodles topped with a ton of cheesy goodness making the perfect combination of a refreshingly delicious spicy and filling casserole anyone can enjoy! This one is perfect for the whole family so start thinking about your next weeknight dinner as I walk you through this tasty creation....Let's Get Cooking!
While this recipe is quite simple, there are several steps so we will begin by cooking the egg noodles. Unlike other pastas, egg noodles can be somewhat tricky to perfect. They can be tough if undercooked, yet easily disintegrate if overcooked. Since we will be adding these noodles to our casserole and further baking them, boil your egg noodles for only 5-6 minutes in salted water. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and maintain the noodles’ integrity. Once drained and cooled, drizzle the noodles with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking, give them a quick toss to coat everything, and set aside for later.
Next, we will move on to our beef filling. Begin by browning your ground beef in a large skillet for 10-12 minutes. Now would be a great time to start building some flavor by seasoning the ground beef with some Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Not even Midwesterners like that bland of food so season throughout the cooking process and build those layers of flavor! Once most of the pink has been cooked out, drain any excess fat or grease and return the pan to the stove top.
After you have drained any excess fat, add your chopped onion and continue to sauté everything for about 2 more minutes. Finish up the first part of the beef filling by adding a whole bunch of delicious, minced garlic and continue to cook for an additional minute or so until fragrant and the ground beef itself is essentially fully cooked.
Now we are going to transform this base meat filling into a Bolognese Sauce, of sorts. Pour in the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, then be sure to season with some smoked paprika and red pepper flakes. Both of those seasonings can be strong so be sure to season to your taste and liking. I recommend starting with about a tablespoon of each as you can see on the recipe card below. Stir everything together and let it continue to simmer over medium to medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes to combine those flavors and bring the meat sauce together. It should begin to naturally thicken up somewhat during the last few minutes as the excess water and cooking liquids evaporate.
While the meat sauce finishes up, combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and a cup of the cheddar cheese in a large mixing bowl. Once you get those ingredients mixed together, add the egg noodles and stir until they are evenly coated with the cheese mixture. The noodles should just have a light coating and not be drenched like you may expect. That task is saved for our tasty meat sauce we just finished up!
Now that all of our casserole bits and pieces are ready, we can begin to construct this delicious dish. Spoon about half the creamy and cheesy noodle mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Be sure to spread it evenly to cover the entire bottom of the baking dish.
Once you level the noodles out, cover them with half of the meat sauce. As you can see, I went a little overboard and used closer to ¾ of mine, but it worked out in the end. If you are anal about even layers and precise lasagna-like cooking construction, do as I say and not as I did, LOL.
We can’t just move on to another layer without topping with some cheddar cheese of course!
Do you think you have it at this point? Repeat the last few steps and finish layering the remaining ingredients. It isn’t exactly rocket science, but there is always that one guy so try not to mess things up too bad, eh? I will say, though, you will probably want to use a little extra cheese on top since it is the final layer and not only tastes delicious, but helps seal off the casserole and completes the dish! Anyway, once you are satisfied with your Sour Cream Beef Noodle Casserole, slide it into the oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake it uncovered for about 30 minutes to melt all that extra cheese I just convinced you to toss on.
Would you look at that?!?!?! I think it turned out pretty damn good! It’s cheesy and meaty, and the noodles help gather up all that goodness on your fork to shovel this casserole down like no other! Now you may be wondering about the taste on this one since sour cream and cheese and tomato sauce may seem a bit odd together. Well, you honestly can’t even taste the sour cream because the semi-spicy meat sauce combines with the cheesy noodles making your taste buds do a little dance and make a little tongue love! If anything, the sour cream just helps balance the richness of everything making this Sour Cream Beef Noodle Casserole the perfect family dinner everyone will enjoy. Like most of my recipes and ideas, there is ample room for additions and improvements so be sure to comment below or tag me on Instagram @grubbongrub with hashtag # SourCreamBeefNoodleCasserole letting everyone know what tweaks you made and how it turned out! Sure, this particular casserole is a bit more work than most, but it proves just about anyone can get in the kitchen and make something tasty if you try…..Just Keep Cooking!
SOUR CREAM BEEF NOODLE CASSEROLE
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