The Pioneer Woman’s Hamburger Casserole Recipe? Is the Perfect Cozy Bake

A casserole that goes from oven to table in 20 minutes is impossible to turn down. Thankfully, there's no need to especially when the Pioneer Woman has a hamburger casserole recipe that will become a dinnertime staple. Her casserole combines the cheesy and hearty elements of a burger and bakes them into a golden brown dish. It's a much less messier way of enjoying a burger and is full of comforting flavor goodness. Here's how to make Ree Drummond's hamburger casserole for dinner tonight!

What is a hamburger casserole?

This casserole contains ground beef, pasta, tomato sauce, cheese and other ingredients, which are baked together until the cheese is melted and brown. Its rich, saucy and beefy flavor makes it a great choice when you need a cozy meal. Plus, a few tips go a long way for ensuring tasty results every time.

Ree's top tip for a tender hamburger casserole

Before assembling the casserole, one of the first steps is boiling the pasta. Ree's recipe calls for cooking it in salted boiling water for a minute less than the package directions and then draining the noodles. Doing this prevents the pasta from becoming mushy as it bakes. Additionally, she uses a short pasta like fusilli or cavatappi pasta as the meaty sauce perfectly clings onto the spiral, corkscrew shape.

The Pioneer Woman’s hamburger casserole recipe

This hamburger casserole recipe, posted on Ree's website, is a dinnertime delight. Serve it with a refreshing side like cucumber salad before digging in!

Hamburger Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for the baking dish

• 1? tsp. kosher salt, plus more for the pasta

• 12 oz. fusilli or cavatappi pasta

• 1 lb. ground beef

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 tsp. smoked paprika

• ? tsp. black pepper

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

• 1 Tbs. country dijon mustard

• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

• 1 (4 oz.) block cream cheese, cubed

• ? cup milk

• 8 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese (about 2 cups)

• 4 green onions, sliced, plus more for sprinkling

• ? cup crispy onions

Directions:

• Active: 30 mins

• Total time: 1 hr.

• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with the oil.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, bell pepper, and onion and cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until the beef browns and the vegetables start to turn golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, pepper, and 1?  tsp. salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream cheese and milk. Fold in 1 cup of the pepper jack cheese, and then the green onions and pasta.

5. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup pepper jack cheese and the fried onions, and bake until golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with more green onions and serve.

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