What can go wrong with a ground meat? Nothing. I love to whip some ground meat or casserole or, like this one, a Ground Meat Casserole to bring for lunch or a quick bite if I get hungry doing house chores. Which happen often.
I like to cook in a big batch to then separate them into a bunch of small serving container and couple of single servings before I stick them all into my freezer.
INGREDIENTS
16 oz. wide egg noodles
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. salt, divided
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 and 1/4 lb. lean ground beef*
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 cups tomato sauce
1 (14.5oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (15oz.) can kidney beans, drained
1 and 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
HOW TO
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In the mean time, cook noodles according to the package directions. Add at least 1 tablespoon of salt.
While noodles cook, in large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened for about 3 minutes.
Add the beef. Stir to combine with the onion. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, the garlic powder, and black pepper.
Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally until beef is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Use a large spoon to drain off any excess liquid or fat.
Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, chili powder, and Italian seasoning. Stir. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if desired. Stir occasionally until mixture is heated through and bubbling.
Once noodles have been drained, put them into a 9×13 deep dish lasagna pan, or large casserole dish. Add the hot beef mixture and stir. Stir in 1 cup of cheese.
Top casserole evenly with remaining 1 and ½ cups of cheese.
Transfer uncovered casserole to hot oven and cook until sauce is very hot and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand 3-5 minutes before serving.