Easy Ground Beef Casserole

Let me be real with you for a second. I love a good, complicated Sunday sauce as much as the next person, but most weeknights? I need something that hits three marks: easy, filling, and actually tastes good as leftovers. This Easy Ground Beef Casserole is exactly that.

It’s not fancy. It’s not trying to be. Think of it as your favorite cheeseburger and a bowl of chili had a delicious baby, and then that baby moved in with some elbow macaroni. Packed with lean protein, kidney beans for fiber, and a sneaky green bell pepper, this casserole is a full meal in one dish. No sad side salad required unless you want it.

I’ve been making some version of this for years, and it never gets old. Let’s get into it.

Try my Garlic and Beef Pasta recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

⇒ Meal prep champion. This makes 8 solid servings. Cook once, eat all week.

⇒ High protein, no joke. Between the lean ground beef (5% fat) and the kidney beans, you’re looking at a macro-friendly meal that actually satisfies.

⇒ One dish to rule them all. Well, technically a skillet and a baking dish, but you get the idea. Minimal cleanup.

⇒ Kid-friendly and picky-eater approved. It’s cheesy pasta with meat. Hard to argue with that.

⇒ Freezes like a dream. More on that later.

Try my High Protein Beef Bowl recipe.

What You’ll Need to Make

Grab your gear first. You’ll need a large skillet (cast iron is great here), a pot for boiling pasta, a colander, and a 9×13-inch baking dish (or something similar). Grease that dish with a little olive oil before you start.

Ingredients (Serves 8):

• 1 tsp. olive oil (for the dish, plus a splash for the skillet)
• 12 oz. (340g) elbow macaroni, uncooked
• 1.3 lbs. (600g) lean ground beef (5% fat – don’t go higher fat or you’ll have a grease pool)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2x 14 oz. (400g) cans diced tomatoes
• 1x 14 oz. (400g) can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. steak spice (trust me on this one)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 3.5 oz. (100g) cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp. chives, chopped (for garnish)

Try my Mexican Beef and Bean Bake recipe.

What You’ll Need to Do

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 40 mins | Serves: 8

Alright, put on something good to listen to and let’s cook.

1| First, crank your oven to 375°F (190°C) . Give your baking dish a little wipe with olive oil so nothing sticks later.

2| Boil your elbow macaroni like the box says. Don’t overthink it. Once it’s done, drain it and set it aside.

3| Now grab your skillet and throw in that lean ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat. Break it up with a spoon like you mean it. After about 8–10 minutes, the beef should be nice and browned with no pink left. Toss in the chopped garlic and stir it around for about a minute – your kitchen should start smelling real good right about now. If there’s any excess liquid in the pan, drain it off.

4| Here’s where the magic happens. Add your diced tomatoes (both cans), the drained kidney beans, tomato paste, diced green bell pepper, chili powder, steak spice, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything together and bring it to a boil. Then drop the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir it every few minutes so nothing burns on the bottom.

5| Time to bring it all home. Dump your cooked pasta into the skillet and stir until every piece of macaroni is coated in that meaty, tomatoey goodness.

6| Transfer the whole glorious mess into your greased baking dish. Spread it out evenly, then shower that cheddar cheese all over the top. Cover the dish with foil (this traps the steam so the pasta doesn’t dry out) and bake for 30 minutes. After that, pull off the foil and let it go for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and starting to get those beautiful golden-brown spots.

7| Pull it out, let it sit for 5 minutes (I know it’s hard), then hit it with the chopped chives. Serve it up.

Try my Classic Beef Stroganoff recipe.

Approximate GI (Glycemic Index): 55-60 (medium)
Approximate GL (Glycemic Load) per serving: 18-22 (medium to high)

Note: The presence of kidney beans (fiber) and fat from cheese/beef lowers the overall glycemic response compared to plain pasta.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

1| No elbow macaroni? Use shells, rotini, or even penne. Anything that holds sauce works.

2| Ground beef alternatives: Ground turkey or ground chicken work great here. Just keep it lean.

3| Kidney beans: Swap in black beans or pinto beans. Or leave them out if you’re not a bean person (but you’re missing out).

4| Green bell pepper: Red, yellow, or orange works fine. Or use a poblano if you want a little warmth.

5| Cheddar cheese: Monterey Jack, Colby, or even a smoky Gouda would be killer.

Try my Sheet Pan Beef Tenderloin and Vegetables recipe.

Some Twist & Tweak Ideas

1| Spicy version: Add a chopped jalapeño with the onion, use spicy chili powder, and throw in a dash of cayenne.

2| Taco style: Swap steak spice for taco seasoning, add a can of corn, and top with crushed tortilla chips instead of (or with) the cheese.

3| Add greens: Stir in a handful of fresh spinach right before you transfer to the baking dish. It wilts down perfectly.

4| Smokier flavor: Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes and add ½ tsp. smoked paprika.

5| Extra creamy: Stir in ½ cup of sour cream or cream cheese with the tomato paste.

Try my One-Pot Beef and Vegetable Pasta recipe.

Some Helpful Tips

1| Don’t overcook your pasta initially. Cook it one minute less than the package says. It’ll keep cooking in the oven and won’t turn to mush.

2| Drain your beans well. Rinsing and draining removes the canned liquid funk and keeps your casserole from getting watery.

3| Let it rest after baking. Five minutes lets everything set up so you don’t end up with a soupy mess on your plate.

4| Shred your own cheese. The pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that mess with melting. A block of cheddar and a box grater takes 60 seconds.

Try my Classic Beef Wellington recipe.

Some Budget-Friendly Tips

1| Buy store-brand everything. Canned tomatoes, kidney beans, pasta the generic stuff is perfectly fine here.

2| Use frozen bell pepper and onion. Cheaper than fresh, zero chopping, and works just as well in a baked casserole.

3| Ground beef on sale? Buy extra and freeze it. This recipe freezes beautifully even before baking.

4| Stretch it further. Add an extra can of beans or another cup of pasta. You’ll get 10 servings instead of 8 without losing the flavor.

5| Watch for cheese sales. Block cheddar goes on sale often. Buy it then and freeze it (yes, cheese freezes fine).

Try my Beef Shawarma Wraps recipe.

Some Serving Ideas

1| As-is with those chives on top. Honestly, it doesn’t need much.

2| With a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for creaminess.

3| A few shakes of hot sauce on top (I’m a Frank’s RedHot guy).

4| Crusty bread or garlic toast on the side if you’re really hungry.

5| A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette to cut through the richness.

Try my Red Cabbage and Carrot Salad With Lemon Tahini Dressing recipe.

Some Storage & Reheating Tips

Fridge: Stays good for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Freezer: This is where it shines. Portion it out into individual containers or freeze the whole casserole (cool it completely first, then wrap tightly with foil and plastic wrap). It’ll keep for 3 months.

Reheating:

• Microwave: Quick and easy. Add a sprinkle of water on top to keep the pasta from drying out.
• Oven: 350°F for 15–20 minutes, covered with foil. Uncover for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the cheese.
• Skillet: My favorite method. Reheat in a non-stick skillet with a splash of water or beef broth. The bottom gets a little crispy.

Try my Zucchini and Ground Beef Stir Fry recipe.

Final Thoughts

Look, this isn’t a recipe that’s going to impress a food critic. But it will impress your hungry family, your future self on a busy Tuesday night, and your wallet. It’s hearty, high in protein, and stupid easy to make.

Make it on a Sunday, pack it up for lunch all week, and thank me later. Or make it tonight because you’re tired and you don’t want to think too hard about dinner. Either way, you’ve got a good meal coming.

Go cook something.

~ [Danny Davis]

P.S. If you try the spicy version with the jalapeño, drop a comment and let me know how it went. I’m always tweaking things.