Description
Discover the ultimate comfort food with our Cheeseburger Casseroles recipe! Learn how to create a delicious twist on a classic dish that’s perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (about 60g)
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, preferably yellow, shredded (about 225g)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 pound (454 g) lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) double concentrated tomato paste (from a tube)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (32-ounce) carton beef broth (about 960 ml), divided
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can regular or petite diced tomatoes
- 12 ounces dried elbow macaroni (about 340g)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, or 1 thinly sliced medium scallion (optional)
Instructions
- If you want a crispy top on the casserole, position a rack in the middle of the oven and set it to broil. In the meantime, start preparing the dish.
- Finely chop half of a medium yellow onion. Shred the cheddar cheese using the large holes of a grater.
- Warm olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet (safe for broiling if you intend to brown it later) over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chopped onion and ground beef. Break the beef apart with a wooden spoon. Season with granulated garlic, a portion of the kosher salt, and some black pepper. Cook until the beef is fully done and the onion softens, around 6 to 7 minutes.
- Mix in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and cook until the tomato paste changes to a darker hue, roughly 1 minute. Pour in most of the beef broth, the canned diced tomatoes with their juices, and the rest of the kosher salt and black pepper. Stir everything together and let it come to a boil.
- Add the elbow macaroni and cook on medium heat, stirring now and then, until the pasta is soft, about 10 minutes. If the pasta absorbs all the liquid before softening, add more beef broth a few tablespoons at a time as needed. Take the pot off the heat. Mix in a majority of the cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Top with the remaining cheese. Cover and wait until the cheese melts, about 3 minutes. For a golden top, move it to the oven and broil uncovered until the cheese is melted and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Notes
- Use sharp cheddar cheese for a more intense flavor.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook elbow macaroni until tender, adding more broth if needed to prevent dryness.
