Beef Lombardi Casserole (Printable version)
Layers of seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, egg noodles and creamy cottage cheese-sour cream topped with melted cheddar.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground beef
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauces & Liquids
04 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
05 - 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Pasta
10 - 8 ounces egg noodles
→ Dairy
11 - 1 cup sour cream
12 - 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
13 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until fully browned. Drain off excess fat.
03 - Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until onions are softened.
04 - Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
05 - Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in a large saucepan according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
06 - In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese thoroughly.
07 - Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Layer half the cooked noodles on the bottom, followed by half the sour cream-cottage cheese mixture, then half the beef-tomato mixture. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
08 - Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top layer.
09 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly.
10 - Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing and serving.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It’s like a hot hug on a plate, especially when you need something fuss-free that tastes like it took all day.
- The creamy, cheesy layers are always the first thing everyone fights over at the dinner table.
02 -
- Once I rushed the resting time and watched half my serving slide apart—patience pays off.
- I discovered hand-shredded cheddar melts and browns so much more evenly than pre-shredded cheese.
03 -
- Layer carefully so every scoop has a little bit of everything—dry corners are never fun.
- Letting it rest really makes slicing clean squares so much easier (and more appealing on the plate).