Who doesn’t love a good ole’ casserole? Deliciously cheesy, packed with veggies and proteins, pleasing all palates, even the pickiest of them all. To take it to the next level, our eight-layer casserole, filled with ground beef, results in a luscious and creamy noodle heaven.
What Is Eight-Layer Casserole?
Despite its layers, this dish is pretty self-explanatory, and you simply have to “build” it as you go—from the cheesy mixture to the perfectly cooked pasta and scrumptious ground meat, our casserole also becomes a great base to mix or swap some of the ingredients for your very own favorites. Anything from frozen chopped broccoli to fresh collard greens or ricotta cheese instead
of cream cheese or sour cream can surely be acceptable—and yummy—substitutes.
It’s so easy to make, that you can prep it in advance and just pop it into the oven for an easy dinner recipe after a busy day. We’ll show you below how to reheat it properly so you don’t lose its taste or
texture.
Ingredients
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3 cup dried medium noodles (6 ounces)
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1 pound ground beef
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2 8 ounce can tomato sauce
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1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
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½ teaspoon sugar
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½ teaspoon garlic powder
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¼ teaspoon salt
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¼ teaspoon black pepper
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1 8 ounce carton dairy sour cream
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1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
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½ cup milk
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⅓ cup chopped onion (1 small)
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1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and well drained
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1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
Directions
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Grease a 2-quart casserole or a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
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Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook beef until brown. Drain off fat. Stir tomato sauce, basil, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
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In a medium mixing bowl beat together the sour cream and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in milk and onion. In a prepared casserole or baking dish, layer half of the noodles (about 2 cups), half of the meat mixture (about 1 1/2 cups), half of the cream cheese mixture (about 1 cup), and all of the spinach. Top with the remaining meat mixture and noodles. Cover and chill the remaining cream cheese mixture until needed.
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Cover the casserole or baking dish with lightly greased foil. Bake in a 350-degree F oven for about 45 minutes or until heated through. Uncover; spread with remaining cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.
How to Make Eight-Layer Casserole Ahead
Looking to meal prep and save some time? Prepare as directed through Step 3. Cover with lightly greased foil and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. To reheat it, bake in a 350-degree F oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Uncover; spread with remaining cream-cheese mixture; sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until you get a gooey, cheesy melt on top.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 472 | Calories |
| 30g | Fat |
| 25g | Carbs |
| 27g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 472 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 30g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat 17g | 85% |
| Cholesterol 127mg | 42% |
| Sodium 683mg | 30% |
| Total Carbohydrate 25g | 9% |
| Protein 27g | 54% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.