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Cheesy Beef & Macaroni Casserole

Cheesy Beef & Macaroni Casserole is a baked, cheesy weeknight dinner with seasoned ground beef, al dente elbow macaroni, and a lightly thickened tomato sauce. It comes out golden and bubbly with a three-cheese top for a creamy, comforting texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting time 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lean ground beef
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
Elbow macaroni
  • 2 cup elbow macaroni
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Yellow onion
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
Garlic
  • 3 garlic, minced
Tomato sauce
  • 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
Tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Paprika
  • 1 tsp paprika
Garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
Black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Cheddar cheese
  • 1.5 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and cook pasta
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni for 7–8 minutes until al dente; drain and set aside.
Brown the beef and build the sauce
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ground beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart until browned and no pink remains.
  2. Stir in the diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Mix in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper, then simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fold the cooked macaroni into the beef mixture, then stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese until evenly combined.
  2. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
  3. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly golden.
  4. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Notes

For best texture, don’t overcook the macaroni—al dente pasta helps it stay tender after baking. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat at 350°F until hot. Freezing is yes: freeze baked portions up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use 93% lean ground beef (or substitute ground turkey) and keep the cheese amounts the same.