Beef Lombardi Casserole (Printable)
Hearty bake of ground beef, tomatoes and egg noodles with creamy cottage-sour cream and cheddar—ready in an hour.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground beef
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauces & Liquids
04 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
05 - 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Pasta
10 - 8 ounces egg noodles
→ Dairy
11 - 1 cup sour cream
12 - 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
13 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until well browned. Drain off any excess fat.
03 - Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until onions are softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
05 - Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in a large saucepan as directed on the package until al dente. Drain thoroughly.
06 - In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese until well blended.
07 - Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Layer half of the cooked noodles, half of the sour cream-cottage cheese mixture, and half of the beef mixture. Repeat with remaining noodles, dairy mixture, and beef mixture.
08 - Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top layer.
09 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling.
10 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving to ensure clean portions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Noodle casseroles like this sneak in comfort and flavor with surprisingly little effort—don’t tell anyone how easy it is.
- The blend of gooey cheese, creamy sauce, and savory beef always seems to impress even picky eaters in my house.
02 -
- I once forgot to fully drain the beef and the casserole ended up swimming—a lesson in patience and paper towels.
- Letting the dish rest before serving lets it set, so no more collapsing, soupy squares on the plate.
03 -
- Cook noodles just until barely al dente; they’ll finish softening in the casserole and won’t turn to mush.
- Mild cheddar works, but sharp cheddar gives the topping that tangy, memorable finish people ask about.