Crunchy Beef Casserole recipe
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This Crunchy Beef Casserole recipe came from Granny’s well worn files and got a handwritten rating of “very good”, her highest praise. It’s warm, soothing, filling, and delicious.
My mother didn’t start making casseroles until my early teens. She had been raised to cook the traditional Southern meal of “Meat and Three” which consisted of a meat, three vegetables, bread, and tea. At our table, dessert was served every night as well. Jealous? Me too. Sure do wish I could have meals like that cooked *for* me now!
My mother never thought to make a casserole because her mother and grandmother had never made them either. The first casserole I remember her making was Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli casserole. Why did she finally make one? Up until then, she’d never had a single casserole recipe!
Casseroles: A Cook’s Best Friend
In today’s busy world, rather than buying frozen family sized meals, homemade casseroles enable you to make your own “convenience” meal in one dish much more economically. Usually, you can double or even triple a recipe for just a few dollars more. I like to mix up several at once and freeze them for home cooked convenience.
How To Cook A Frozen Casserole
To cook a frozen casserole, simply place it in the oven while it preheats and add about ten minutes to the baking time. To develop your own signature casserole recipes, check out my Handy Dandy Casserole chart by clicking here. I developed it on a twelve hour drive back home from Disney World and it has been a great tool in my kitchen!
A Little Bit of Casserole History
Did you know the word ‘casserole’ comes from a french word that means sauce pan. Me neither! This sauce pan is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. Sound familiar?
The word casserole also doubles for the food in the “sauce pan” Casseroles came into fad in a big way in the sixties and seventies and with that a variety of colorful casserole dishes were introduced. Have I got you in the casserole mood yet?
We’re off to the races!
Recipe Ingredients:
- French Fried Onions (you don’t need a can as big as the one I have pictured)
- Rotini Pasta (can substitute other type if you like)
- Cream Of Mushroom Soup
- Can of Diced Tomatoes
- Green Pepper
- Ground Beef
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Season All
Here is the Season All.
What is Season All?
It is some lovely seasoned salt.
Cook pasta according to directions. Drain when done.
In large mixing bowl place cream of mushroom soup, tomatoes…
Add seasoned salt..
Cheese…
(“…” is my best friend ya know)
Add green peppers and ground beef that has been cooked and drained.
Toss in your drained pasta
Give it a good stir.
Spoon into casserole Dish.
This recipe says to bake in a 2 quart casserole, which is just slightly smaller than a 9×13 inch dish.
You could bake it in a 9×13 if you like, it just won’t be as deep.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
As always, baking times vary by oven.
Obviously, I’m going to give you the baking times in the original recipes as these have always worked for me.
After thirty minutes, remove from oven and remove foil.
Top with onions and return to oven for five more minutes.
Serve hot. Oh yum.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Corkscrew Macaroni Rotini
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 3/4 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 3/4 tsp Seasoned Salt
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 can 14 oz whole or diced tomatoes
- 3/4 C Green Pepper optional - I leave it out for the kids
- 1 can french fried onions
Instructions
- Cook pasta as directed, rince and drain. Brown beef, drain fat. Combine all ingredients except french fried onions. Pour into greased 2 quart casserole. Cover and bake at 350 for thirty minutes. Uncover, top with french fried onions, and bake five minutes longer.
Nutrition
You may also enjoy these easy casserole recipes:
Green Bean Casserole Rich, Creamy With The Perfect Crunch
Ham Egg and Cheese Casserole (Insta Pot or Oven!)
Thank you so much for reading Southern Plate. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of you!
Gratefully,
Christy:)
For those who wish to sing, there is always a song
~on a sign hanging in my kitchen.
To submit your positive or motivational quote and read an awful lot of others, please click here.
Christy, This crunchy beef casserole was amazing!!! I bought your Southern Plate cookbook last week and have already made eight recipes from it. I love that the ingredients are so basic and inexpensive. My fiance’s family is from the south and I swear every time I eat one of your recipes I feel like I’m right down there with them. Even better, my grandmother passed away several years ago and every time I make a recipe the smells and tastes remind me of her. My grandma used to cook enough food to feed an army, and I have certainly inherited that gene. Anyway, this Crunchy Beef Casserole was so quick and easy to make and was absolutely delicious. In addition, it is very filling! Just wanted you to know I love your cookbook and all the stories you write with each recipe… I must admit I have cried reading some becuase I am such a stickler for sentimental, family traditions! Keep up the good work and thank you for sharing your life and family with us!
Sara, you just made my day!!! I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying the cookbook along with the recipes and stories. Don’t feel bad, I cried while writing some of them. Ok, a lot of them.
I made this last night except I didn’t have any french fried onions so I used potato chips on top. 🙂 It was a hit! My DH had THREE servings. Thanks Christy!
Now I want to get some new casserole dishes haha. I saw these Pyrex in Friendship on Ebay and thought of you 🙂 http://cgi.ebay.com/Pyrex-Friendship-Cinderella-Nesting-Bowl-Casserole-/330576132846?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf7df7aee I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Oh my goodness, I love that pattern! I hope you enjoy the recipe!!
Yummm! My husband LOVED this! Christy, you are amazing! Me and one of my best friends are hooked on your website and recipes! Thanks for getting us out of our supper rut 🙂
BTW- I found this site two days ago and have made dinner from things on here for both of thoughs nights and am here now looking for dinner tonight. I have never used a site like that before… I get things here and there but 3 for 3 on purpose? Nope. You have a great site here 🙂
I made this tonight- it was going in a 9X13 pan so added an extra cup of Rotini and after being worried I wouldn’t have enough soup, etc… to go with the extra Rotini I added a bit more cheese in it and then on it along with a big can of the onions. I was sure it wouldn’t turn out good but I was waaaaaaaaay wrong- my picky eater cleaned her plate before I even really noticed she was eating it and everyone had seconds… may have to make this two pans at a time cause everyone wants the little left-over for lunch tomorrow.
I am so glad to hear that this was such a hit at your house Adrian!!! Thank you for sharing this with me, just made my day!
I loved seeing pictures of your collection…I also collect Pyrex and love finding them at thrift stores and garage sales. I have the cinderella bowls inthe Cinderella and the regular bowls….my grandma bought them at the Green Stamp store way before i was born! 🙂 and several other sets i have gotten from my friends parents since their children do not care for them…how can you NOT love Pyrex? I have to rotate them out so I make sure to uses all of my bowl sets (So the hubby won’t ask why I have so many! 🙂 )Thank you for all the great recipes.
You can NEVER have too many!