Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until browned and crumbly. Drain excess fat.
Add the diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chiles, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and toss with the sour cream until fully coated.
Spread the creamy noodles in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Top with the beef and tomato sauce, then sprinkle the shredded cheeses evenly over top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot, bubbly, and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
For extra creamy noodles, stir in a splash of the starchy pasta cooking water with the sour cream.
Let the beef mixture simmer longer (30+ mins) for even deeper, more developed flavors.
Cover with foil if the cheese browns too quickly before the center is hot and bubbly.
Variations:
Use hot or fire-roasted diced tomatoes for more heat
Sauté bell peppers, zucchini, spinach etc and mix into the beef sauce
Substitute pepper jack, gouda or Mexican blend cheese
Top with diced avocado, tomato, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño
Make-Ahead: Assemble the unbaked casserole up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake, adding 5-10 minutes to the bake time.
Freezing:
Let baked casserole cool completely, then freeze portions in foil pans. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Serve this cheesy, beefy, zesty Southwestern casserole with a crisp green salad, roasted veggies, garlic bread or tortilla chips and all your favorite toppings! It’s comfort food at its finest.
I hope you and your family or guests absolutely devour this nostalgic yet amped-up take on the classic baked beef and noodle casserole! There’s just something about those creamy, cheesy noodles mingling with the bold, savory beef and tomato-chile sauce that is downright irresistible. Enjoy every cozy, flavor-packed bite!
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