• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Midnight Baker

Easy to make main meal and dessert recipes.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Text Index
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Box
  • About Me
    • Media/PR
    • Cookbooks
      • The Classic Slow Cooker
      • The Cupboard To Table Cookbook
    • Contact
    • Privacy
Home » Beef » Budget Hamburger Casserole

Budget Hamburger Casserole

September 27, 2020 by Judith Hannemann

Pin
Share
Tweet
Share

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

On a budget but want a great tasting meal? Try this tasty budget hamburger casserole.

Great taste from budget ingredients. This hamburger casserole is sure to please.

A Meal For Tight Budgets

There’s not many of us who don’t stick to some sort of budget when it comes to food shopping. Especially now that so many are hard hit by the present situation. And worse yet, prices are still rising and as a result, it’s necessary to be especially prudent with a dollar.

There are very good options for making tasty meals with lower-cost ingredients. This budget hamburger casserole uses three of the most cost-effective main ingredients that you will find: ground beef, pasta and tomato soup.

Despite the rise in prices, you can generally find ground beef at a special price as well as elbow macaroni and condensed tomato soup.

Great taste from budget ingredients. This hamburger casserole is sure to please.

Cheese Or No Cheese

Shredded cheese is not a major ingredient in this. I use two varieties–cheddar and mozzarella. However, any melting cheese will do. While it adds flavor to the casserole, I look on it as more of a binding ingredient that makes the sauce creamy.

But you don’t have to include it if it’s out of your price range at the moment. The casserole will taste just fine without it. Another option is to use less cheese; cut the amount in half and it’ll still be good.

Very recently, one of my stores had bags of shredded cheese 2 for $5 which was a pretty good deal. And remember, if you won’t be using it again for some time, hard cheeses such as cheddar freeze well.

Great taste from budget ingredients. This hamburger casserole is sure to please.

Soup And Pasta

Just plain old tomato soup is called for here; nothing fancy. Of course you can jazz up the flavor with some herbs and spices, but I never find that necessary because the taste of the old standby goes perfectly in this casserole.

Another plus is tomato soup is often on sale along with other standard flavors. If you can, stock up during these sales because you can doctor tomato soup to make sauces and fancier forms of tomato soup.

As far as the pasta is concerned, nothing fancy again. Elbows are best, but any tubular pasta works here. As always, use what you have on hand.

Feel free to up the amount of pasta if you wish. That way, you will be able to serve more people and really s-t-r-e-t-c-h that pound and a half of ground beef.

The Recipe

 

Great taste from budget ingredients. This hamburger casserole is sure to please.
Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box Go to Collections Pin Recipe

Budget Hamburger Casserole

A big dish of comfort
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: budget hamburger casserole, budget meals using ground beef, meals that stretch your food budget
Servings: 6
Calories: 589kcal
Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
  • 2 tbs onion finely chopped
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 cans condensed tomato soup 10.75 oz each
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 3 cups elbow macaroni
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Lightly spray a 2 1/2 qr/2,5L (11x7-inch is good) baking dish.
  • Cook elbows per package direction; drain and set aside.
  • Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in soup, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Check for seasoning and add more if necessary.
  • Add cooked elbows, mozzarella and 1 cup of the cheddar; stir to combine. Turn into prepared pan, cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes.
  • Remove foil, top with remaining cheese and bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 589kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 761mg | Potassium: 596mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 409IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 323mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @midnitebaker or tag #midnitebaker!
Great taste from budget ingredients. This hamburger casserole is sure to please.
Pin
Share
Tweet
Share

Filed Under: Beef, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals Tagged With: ground beef, pasta, tomato soup

You May Also Like

Tomato basil pasta
Tomato Basil Pasta
Fire noodles
Fire Noodles
Bucatini carbonara
Bucatini Carbonara
Previous Post: « Individual Apple Crumb Pies
Next Post: Spicy Orange Sriracha BBQ Chicken »

Reader Interactions

Copyright © Judith Hannemann aka The Midnight Baker 2022. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without The Midnight Baker's express consent.

Trackbacks

  1. Easy Weekly Meal Plan Week 189 - Family Fresh Meals says:
    October 19, 2020 at 9:29 pm

    […] ​Dish Monday – Budget Hamburger Casserole Tuesday – Life Changing Tuna Melt Recipe Wednesday – Instant Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu […]

Primary Sidebar

Now Available

bakeatmidnite
ALSO AVAILABLE bakeatmidnite

Follow by Email! Get the e-Cookbook

“Must Try” Recipes

Bracciole only looks complicated to make but it' quick, easy and delicious!

Bracciole

Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak with Country Cream Gravy

Get that "all day" beef stew flavor in less than 1 hour with your Instant Pot!

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Kielbasa & Potatoes in Cheese Sauce

bakeatmidnite

Footer

bakeatmidnite
my foodgawker gallery Certified Yummly Recipes on Yummly.com
bakeatmidnite
COPYRIGHT © 2023 • BAKEATMIDNITE.COM • PRIVACY POLICY