Ridiculously Easy Hamburger Casserole: No Boiling, No Browning Recipe
This Ridiculously Easy Hamburger Casserole is a delicious one-pan meal that requires no boiling or browning beforehand. Combining uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, ground beef, and a blend of seasonings, this baked casserole is simple to prepare and perfect for busy weeknights. The result is a hearty, cheesy dish with perfectly cooked pasta and flavorful browned beef, topped with melted mozzarella cheese for a gooey finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Pasta Base
- 1 lb uncooked short pasta (macaroni, penne, rotini, or rigatoni)
- 1 24-oz jar marinara sauce (3 cups)
- 3 cups boiling water
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Seasoned Ground Beef
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (or oregano)
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Topping
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (plus extra chunks for a gooey cheese pull)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 450ºF. If your oven has a convection option, turn it on for even baking.
- Prepare the baking dish: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish to prevent the casserole from sticking.
- Mix the base: In the prepared dish, stir together uncooked pasta, marinara sauce, boiling water, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Ensure that the pasta is just covered by the liquid to cook evenly in the oven.
- Season the ground beef: Break the ground beef into small pieces and evenly scatter it over the top of the pasta mixture without stirring it in. This allows the beef to brown while baking. Sprinkle the beef evenly with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Bake uncovered: Place the casserole in the oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes to begin cooking the pasta and browning the beef.
- Bake covered: After 25 minutes, cover the dish tightly with foil and continue baking for another 25 minutes to cook the pasta through.
- Combine and add cheese: Remove the foil, stir the beef into the pasta mixture, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese along with a few extra cheese chunks for a gooey, melty finish.
- Final bake: Return the casserole to the oven and bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Notes
- Use boiling water fresh from the kettle to help the pasta cook evenly in the oven.
- Feel free to use your preferred type of short pasta; cooking times may vary slightly depending on the shape.
- Adding extra cheese chunks creates a delightful gooey texture when melted.
- If you prefer less spice, reduce or omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
- Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving to thicken up.
