Tacky Bitter Cream Noodle Bake

Weeknights simply received an entire lot extra scrumptious, with this cozy and comforting Bitter Cream Noodle Bake! Ready with layers of savory meat sauce, sharp cheddar cheese, and tender egg noodles tossed in a creamy bitter cream combination.

Creamy Noodle Casserole With Beef

Rev your ovens, as a result of we’re about to bake up one thing that’s all types of scrumptious. This creamy, savory bitter cream noodle bake is loaded with wealthy beefy meat sauce and able to fulfill!

I’m a fan of straightforward weeknight dinners (who isn’t?), and this recipe ticks all of the containers. Child-friendly? Examine. Stuffed with taste? Examine. Straightforward to make forward? Examine! I may go on, however you simply want to do that dreamy pasta casserole for your self! This straightforward dinner concept is a an ideal household pleasant dish!

What To Count on:

• A make forward casserole that could be a lot like a “sloppy” lasagna!
• Just like baked ziti (however higher), or any baked pasta dish, with one thing a with the addition of cheddar cheese and egg noodles.
• A make forward dinner concept excellent for weeknights in addition to entertaining.
• A filling, savory pasta casserole that everybody loves. Pure consolation meals!

What You’ll Want

Right here’s a fast rundown of what you’ll have to make this casserole! Make sure you scroll right down to the recipe card for particular quantities.

• Floor Beef: Lean floor beef is simple to brown and drain of any extra grease.
• Garlic: Recent cloves, minced.
• Seasoning: I season the meat with an excellent pinch or two of Italian seasoning, in addition to salt and pepper.
• Tomato Sauce: Tomato brings all types of tangy, juicy taste to this casserole. You should use kind of tomato sauce relying on how saucy you like your pasta.
• Bitter Cream: Provides creaminess and tang to the casserole.
• Cottage Cheese: For much more creaminess. Different good options are ricotta or cream cheese.
• Parsley: Lends a pleasant inexperienced pop of shade, and likewise additional taste to the cheese layer. I take advantage of dried parsley, however you need to use recent chopped parsley when you choose.
• Pasta: I take advantage of vast egg noodles for this recipe, however you can even use different pastas like shells or macaroni
• Shredded Cheese: Sharp cheddar is my fave for taste. Alternatively, you possibly can make this recipe with Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack, too.
• Garnish: When you’d like, maintain inexperienced onions, parmesan, or further parsley useful so as to add as an non-obligatory garnish.

How you can Make a Bitter Cream Noodle Bake with Beef

That is a straightforward recipe to make forward, nevertheless it additionally comes collectively rapidly sufficient to make the identical day or night! Right here’s find out how to prep and assemble your noodle bake:

Make the Meat Sauce: Break aside and brown the bottom beef in a skillet, then add within the garlic and seasonings. Pour within the tomato sauce after which go away the meat sauce to simmer on low.

Prep the Cheese Combination: Stir collectively the cottage cheese and bitter cream together with the parsley. Give the combination an additional pinch of salt and pepper.

Put together the Noodles: Boil the egg noodles based on the bundle instructions. Drain the noodles earlier than including them into the cottage cheese combination.

Assemble: Add half of the noodles right into a greased baking pan, adopted by half of the meat sauce and a layer of shredded cheese. Repeat with the remaining noodles, sauce, and cheese.

Bake: Place your pasta bake within the oven to cook dinner till the cheese is sweet and bubbly, about half an hour. As soon as your noodle bake is out of the oven, garnish if desired and serve whereas the cheese is heat and melty!

Can I Make It In Advance?

You possibly can most positively put together your hamburger noodle casserole a day upfront, and maintain it coated within the fridge till you’re able to bake it. Simply do not forget that when you’re baking this casserole straight from the chilly, you’ll seemingly have to up the baking time by 10-Quarter-hour.

Ideas for the Greatest Outcomes

Listed below are some ideas to remember when making your beef and noodle casserole:

• Use Extra or Much less Sauce: This recipe requires anyplace between 16 to 24 ounces of tomato sauce. My household likes a very saucy casserole, so I at all times max out that quota. I additionally discover that the added moisture is healthier for reheating! Nevertheless, it’s completely as much as choice and you need to use much less when you choose.
• Prepare dinner the Pasta Al Dente: When boiling your egg noodles, intention for al dente or simply shy of al dente. The pasta ought to be tender to chunk, however not too comfortable. This fashion, the noodles don’t grow to be overcooked and mushy when baked.
• If the Cheese is Browning: When you discover that the highest of your casserole is browning too rapidly whereas within the oven, frivolously tent it with aluminum foil because it continues to bake. 

Variation Concepts 

I simply love an excellent casserole recipe. This one is scrumptious as it’s, however you possibly can simply change up the elements to your liking:

• Totally different Noodles: Make your noodle bake with any type of pasta you want. Common egg noodles, elbow macaroni, penne, or ziti are extra nice choices.
• Totally different Protein: This recipe makes use of lean floor beef, however it might be simply as scrumptious with floor hen or floor turkey, too. 
• Different Cheeses: Swap out the cottage cheese for different creamy cheeses like ricotta, or cream cheese. It’s also possible to commerce out the shredded cheddar cheese layer for grated mozzarella.
• Add Veggies: Greens make a nutritious addition to this straightforward pasta bake! Attempt including diced carrots, onions, broccoli, bell peppers, butternut squash, or zucchini, and greens like spinach and kale. I like to recommend sauteing any veggie add-ins beforehand to melt them a bit.
• Herbs and Spices: Amp up the flavors of this recipe with additional herbs like dried or recent thyme, basil, and rosemary. Or toss in a pinch of cayenne or crushed crimson pepper flakes for added kick.

Serving Strategies

Casseroles are one in all my favourite dishes to construct a meal round. Serve this bitter cream noodle bake with a facet of bread. Attempt Straightforward Do-it-yourself French Bread or my amazingly flavorful Stuffed Garlic Bread. Or lead into the meal with a batch of my best-ever Bruschetta!

For a lighter choice, dish up with a nutritious Quinoa Salad, or a recent inexperienced salad tossed with Do-it-yourself Dressing.

Pair your casserole with roasted veggies, or a facet of Garlic Ranch Mushrooms.

You might at all times double up on the comfort an serve this noodle bake alongside an equally straightforward veggie casserole, like this Loaded Tacky Cauliflower Casserole!

And final however not least, we will’t neglect dessert! Comply with up a hearty and scrumptious dinner with a slice of my Greatest-Ever Straightforward Cheesecake, or possibly a comfortable Apple Pie Bar.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

This noodle casserole could be saved hermetic within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Both switch the leftovers to a container, or wrap the baking dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap.

Reheat leftover pasta bake both within the microwave coated with a paper towel (to guard from splatters!) or within the oven till warmed by means of. When you discover that the noodles have dried out within the fridge, reheat with just a little sauce or water to return the moisture to the noodles.

Does This Freeze Properly?

Sure! I like casseroles, as you may make them forward and so they’re really easy to freeze. This noodle bake could be saved frozen in an hermetic container for as much as 3-4 months. Simply thaw within the fridge in a single day after which bake or reheat as standard.

Extra Tacky Casserole Recipes

Print

Discover extra recipes like this:

PIN for later: