Description
Classic Beef Lombardi Casserole is a creamy, cheesy, beefy casserole that’s full of flavor and family appeal. Perfect for weeknight dinners or make-ahead meals, this easy layered bake combines pasta, seasoned ground beef, and melty cheese in one comforting dish.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
½ medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons (3 oz) tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes with chilies, drained
¼ teaspoon celery salt
1 (12 oz) package egg noodles
1¼ cups sour cream
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2½ cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat & brown beef
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and beef. Brown for 8–10 minutes, crumbling the meat and seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Build the sauce
- Mix in the tomato paste, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, celery salt, and the drained diced tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, stirring until sauce thickens slightly.
- Par‑cook noodles
- While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles for just 3 minutes (they should still be firm). Reserve 2 cups of noodle water, then drain.
- Make creamy noodle layer
- In a mixing bowl, whisk sour cream, cream cheese, cornstarch, and ½ cup of the reserved noodle water until smooth. Stir in cooked noodles and add a little of the remaining pasta water to loosen, if needed.
- Assemble the casserole
- Grease a 9×13″ deep baking dish. Evenly distribute the noodle mixture in the baking dish and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
- Add beef and cheese
- Spoon the beef-tomato mixture over the noodles, smoothing it out. Sprinkle evenly with shredded Colby Jack cheese.
- Bake
- Place in the center of the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden on top. Remove and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Only cook the noodles for 3 minutes—they’ll finish in the oven.
Drain tomatoes thoroughly to avoid excess moisture.
Can be assembled ahead and baked when ready.
Swap in turkey or vegetarian meat alternatives if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 58 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (1/10th of dish)
- Calories: 530
- Sugar: ~6g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Protein: 30g