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    Home » Recipes » Casseroles » Beef Casseroles » Easy Spaghetti Casserole with Ground Beef

    Easy Spaghetti Casserole with Ground Beef

    Published: Nov 28, 2014 · Modified: Nov 24, 2022 by Barbara Curry · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

    A pot of spaghetti casserole next to a plate of bread.

    This easy no-bake spaghetti casserole with ground beef is comfort food at
    its finest! The secret to this homestyle pasta dinner with its thick meaty sauce is
    a can of mushroom soup!

    A pot of spaghetti casserole next to a bread platter.

    With large gatherings, it’s nice to have a beef casserole that’s easy and something everyone will like.  Growing up, my mom’s go-to dish was a spaghetti casserole recipe. It was a family favorite, prepared for all family gatherings and is my ultimate comfort food. My husband and in-laws all love it, so the tradition continued until we had children.  

    They don’t like spaghetti casserole.  How can that be? If they ate it at a friends house, I bet they would love it! In fact, it’s unusual for me to find any casserole that they’ll eat. Maybe casseroles have just gone out of style, but I just keep serving them. They are perfect for potlucks or when you need to feed a crowd.

    I on the other hand, love easy pasta dinner recipes, like Italian sausage pasta, classic lasagna or chicken pasta casserole , or brisket with mac & cheese. There’s just something comforting about a pasta casserole. If you like casseroles, then you’re going to love this recipe.

    Mom’s spaghetti, is not Italian in any way. Nothing like a classic Sunday Sauce. There’s no Italian sausage, Parmesan cheese, or even mozzarella cheese. It does have tomato sauce but that’s about it. If you’re looking for a more Italian style baked pasta dish, my favorite is baked penne alla vodka or if you don’t want red sauce, try baked chicken spaghetti.

    Not only is this not a traditional Italian based spaghetti, but it’s not baked spaghetti that has cottage cheese or ricotta cheese. It’s a unique recipe that I’ve never had anyplace else.

    Cheese being pulled from a pot of spaghetti with two spoons.

    The base for this spaghetti casserole recipe is cream of mushroom soup and chili con carne.  However, I don’t think they make chili con carne anymore so I use canned chili for the meat sauce. This is about the only recipe I make that has canned mushroom soup. Of course, any casserole that came out of the 70’s had to have mushroom soup in it.

    What’s great about this recipe is that it all comes together in one pot. It’s a great freezer meal. You can make it in advance and when you’re ready to eat, heat up the spaghetti mixture and add the top layer of cheese. There’s nothing better than easy meals that are family favorites.

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      Reasons ground beef pasta casserole is going to be a favorite

      • Casseroles are so convenient
      • You can make it in advance
      • The prep time is only about 15 minutes
      • It’s cheesy
      • It makes great leftovers
      • You don’t have to turn on your oven

      Ingredients you’ll need to make spaghetti casserole with ground beef

      Ingredients to make spaghetti casserole.
      • Ground beef – try to go with a leaner beef so that you don’t have as much grease.
      • Mushroom soup – while I’m not a big proponent of processed food, this recipe really needs a can of soup.
      • Tomatoes and tomato sauce – I’m not a big fan of tomato sauce, so I only use a cup of it. You can definitely add more, my Mom’s has about 2 cups.
      • Fresh Mushrooms – you can leave these out, but I like the flavor they add.
      • Onions, celery and garlic – it’s where the flavor starts.
      • Bay leaf and oregano – classic Italian seasoning.
      • Colby cheese – this is what makes it gooey, you can also use cheddar cheese or have a cheese mixture of both.

      Pro tip: If you want ooey-gooey cheese, then avoid the pre-packaged cheese. It has a coating that keeps it from melting as much as the block of cheese that you grate.

      • Pasta – traditional spaghetti noodles work best because of the thick sauce, you could use bucatini but not thin spaghetti.

      Let’s make spaghetti casserole!

      Step 1: start with some flavor

      Begin by cooking the onions and celery over medium heat then add some garlic.

      Mushrooms and ground beef in a pot with onions and celery.

      Once softened add the ground beef and mushrooms and brown the ground beef so that it’s no longer pink and the mushrooms have softened.

      Cooked hamburger with vegetables.

      Step 2: simmer the sauce

      Add the soup, chili, tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasoning. Bring it to a boil, then cover it and let it simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, until the flavors all come together and you have a thick meaty sauce.

      Sauce in a red pot for spaghetti casserole.

      Step 3: add the pasta

      Cook the pasta al dente in a large pot of salted water and add to the spaghetti sauce.

      Pasta combined with sauce in a large pot.

      Once combined add cheese to the top and cover until it’s melted. If you are making this in advance, wait to add the cheese until right before serving.

      A serving of spaghetti being removed from a pot.

      This ground beef pasta casserole is a great recipe to have on hand for when you’re having a large group for dinner, you can never have enough easy pasta dinner recipes. I’m sure it will become a family favorite at your house.

      How long does spaghetti last in the fridge

      Spaghetti casserole with ground beef will last about 3-5 days in the refrigerator. It makes great leftovers, just let it come to room temperature and then you can re-heat it on the stove or microwave individual servings. Leftover spaghetti is even better the next day.This also makes a great freezer meal, just let it cool and then place it in an airtight container to freeze for later.

      What to serve with spaghetti

      While this isn’t a traditional Italian spaghetti dinner, it’s still great with garlic bread and a green salad.

      FAQs and tips

      Can you freeze cooked spaghetti casserole?

      Spaghetti casserole will freeze and be delicious re-heated. To re-heat, you can microwave or cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes at 350º.

      What’s the best pasta to use for spaghetti casserole?

      Classic spaghetti or bucatini work best to hold the thick sauce.

      More casseroles to try

      • A baked penne alla vodka with a serving spoon.
        Penne with Vodka Sauce
      • A skillet with shepherd's pie with a spoonful missing.
        Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe with Ground Beef
      • A spoon pulling the cheese up from a casserole dish of ranch chicken pasta.
        Ranch Chicken Pasta Bake
      • A scoop of tater tot casserole on a spoon
        Tater Tot Casserole

      If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

      A red pot full of spaghetti casserole with two serving spoons.

      Easy Spaghetti Casserole with Ground Beef

      Author: Barbara Curry
      This easy spaghetti casserole with ground beef is comfort food at its finest! The secret to this homestyle pasta dinner with its thick meaty sauce is a can of mushroom soup!
      5 from 3 votes
      Print Pin
      PREP: 15 minutes
      COOK: 1 hour
      Servings: 8

      Ingredients
       

      • 1 medium onion chopped
      • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced, optional
      • 2 stalks celery chopped
      • 2 cloves garlic minced
      • 1 tablespoons olive oil
      • 1 ½ lb ground beef
      • 1 can mushroom soup
      • 15 ounces canned chili
      • 15 ounces diced tomatoes
      • 1 cup tomato sauce more if needed
      • 1 bay leaf
      • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
      • salt and pepper
      • 1 lb pasta
      • 2 cups colby/cheddar cheese grated
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      Instructions
       

      • In a large pot, saute onions, and celery until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add hamburger and mushrooms and cook until no longer pink. Drain grease if needed.
      • Add soup, chili, chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaf and oregano and salt and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      • Cook pasta according to package directions and add to the sauce, mix thoroughly and add grated cheese on top. Place a lid on the pot and let simmer until cheese melts.

      Video

      Barbara’s Tips + Notes
      • You can use chili with beans or without.
      • Cheese can be used instead of colby.
      • If making this in advance, wait to add the cheese until ready to serve.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 623kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 887mg | Potassium: 819mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 595IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 5mg
      Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Teresa says

        June 23, 2022 at 7:57 pm

        Cook time is 30 minutes, but the directions say to simmer the sauce for an hour?

        Reply
        • Barbara Curry says

          June 24, 2022 at 8:58 am

          Hey Teresa, I changed it to make it more clear. It is completely cooked in less time but I liek to simmer it for about an hour to let all the flavors come together.

          Reply
      2. Vicki says

        March 14, 2023 at 4:02 pm

        The recipe says to use a can of diced tomatoes; the photo of the ingredients shows a 15 oz. can of diced crushed tomatoes (which can be hard to find). Which one should be used? This looks good!

        Reply
        • Barbara Curry says

          March 14, 2023 at 9:33 pm

          I use a 15 ounce can, if you only have 10 ounce cans just add a little more water, it will be fine.

          Reply
          • Vicki says

            March 15, 2023 at 9:04 am

            I have no trouble finding 15 oz. cans of diced tomatoes in their juice, but my concern was with crushed tomatoes vs. the tomatoes in juice….they’re really thick, like there’s added tomato paste in them, and the consistency of whatever you’re making with them is much different. While 28 oz. cans are readily available, the 15 oz. cans aren’t, at least not around here. I hate being left with extra, which usually gets thrown out.

          • Barbara Curry says

            March 17, 2023 at 11:36 am

            This recipe is so adaptable, I have used both diced and crushed tomatoes and different volumes and I promise it will turn out whichever you prefer. If it seems too thick for you then you can always add some water to get it to the consistency you want.

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      Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

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