Grandma's Hamburger Casserole

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My grandmother's hamburger casserole is classic comfort food! Featuring ground beef, noodles, and a creamy cheese sauce, this simple recipe dates back to the 1940's. You can tweak the amount of cheese and sour cream depending on what you've got in the fridge — it'll still turn out great!

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A high angle looking at grandma's ground beef casserole.
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Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
45 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
Servings:
6
Yield:
1 (9x13-inch) casserole


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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce

  • 1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • 1 (8 ounce) package egg noodles

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1 large white onion, finely diced

  • ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, or more to taste

Directions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.

    Ground beef cooking until browned and crumbly.

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  2. Mix tomato sauce, sugar, garlic salt, and salt into the ground beef; simmer until flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover the skillet.

    Tomato sauce, garlic salt, sugar and salt mixed together with the ground beef.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain.

  4. While the egg noodles are cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.

  5. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, and onion together in a bowl.

    Sour cream, cream cheese and onion mixed together in a bowl.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  6. Layer 1/2 of the egg noodles into the prepared casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of the sour cream mixture, then 1/2 of the ground beef mixture. Repeat layers once more. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over top.

    All ingredients layered together in prepared baking dish.

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    Cheddar cheese sprinkled over top.

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  7. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

    A high angle looking at grandma's ground beef casserole.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Cook’s Note

I like to add the diced onion with the cheese before baking but you can sauté it with the beef if you prefer.

1,518 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

507 Calories
33g Fat
23g Carbs
31g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 507
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 33g 42%
Saturated Fat 16g 78%
Cholesterol 134mg 45%
Sodium 975mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 31g 61%
Vitamin C 12mg 14%
Calcium 239mg 18%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 873mg 19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.