Recipe Background
Comfort-Style Beef Bake is cozy and sliceable for any gathering.
Back in my teaching days, an icy day once closed school early, prompting a surprise gathering of aspiring chefs at my place. My kitchen, usually quiet in the afternoons, buzzed with youthful energy as students filled it. Trying to create a heartwarming dish that resonated, I aimed for a comforting vibe. I had some ground round and cans of tomatoes in the pantry—a combination destined for something hearty. We browned the beef while swapping stories about snow days past and the joy of unexpected holidays.
In a delightful chaos, I let the students whip up a rich noodle blend using sharp cheddar, cream cheese, and a generous dollop of sour cream. They quickly learned the art of making the perfect layer as they assembled the dish in my largest baking dish. Everyone collectively sprinkled a mix of shredded cheeses on top, ensuring each bite would have that rewarding, melty layer. When we pulled the beef bake out of the oven, its inviting aroma brought spontaneous applause. We let the dish rest—it was the hardest part—but the reward of neat, sliceable servings was well worth the wait. Each bite was a cozy embrace of tradition with a hint of spirited innovation, just like that snowy day turned unexpectedly special.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground round
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil garlic, and oregano
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups medium egg noodles
- 5 green onions chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Directions
- Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground round and cook, while crumbling, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Drain the excess grease from the skillet.
- With the stovetop on medium-high heat, add the tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano and their juices, the tomatoes with green chilies and their juices, the tomato paste, the salt, the Italian seasoning, and the black pepper and bring the mixture to a boil, while stirring frequently.
- Reduce the stovetop heat to medium-low.
- Simmer the beef mixture, uncovered, until the flavors start to meld together, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet from the heat to a wire rack and set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a pot of salted, boiling water, cook the egg noodles to al dente, according to the package directions.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked noodles, the chopped green onions, the sour cream, and the cream cheese and stir until blended.
- Evenly add the noodle mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Evenly add the beef mixture on top of the egg noodle mixture.
- Sprinkle the beef mixture with the cheddar cheese, the parmesan cheese, and the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake, covered, for 35 minutes.
- Uncover the baking dish and bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the bake from the oven to a wire rack and let it stand before serving, about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve.
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