Description
Poor Man Husband Casserole is a hearty and comforting baked pasta dish featuring layers of tender egg noodles, seasoned ground beef in tomato sauce, creamy cream cheese and sour cream mixture, all topped with melted cheddar cheese. This simple yet satisfying casserole is perfect for a family dinner and comes together quickly with pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces egg noodles, cooked
Meat Sauce
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 2 cans (30 ounces) tomato sauce
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Cream Mixture
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces sour cream
Topping
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking during baking.
- Cook noodles: Prepare the egg noodles according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain them well and set aside.
- Brown the beef and prepare sauce: In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain any excess fat. Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Then add sugar and tomato sauce, stir well and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes to blend flavors.
- Make cream mixture: In a bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese and sour cream until you get a smooth, creamy consistency without lumps.
- Layer the casserole: Spread half of the cooked noodles evenly in the greased baking dish. Layer half of the cream cheese mixture evenly over the noodles, then pour half of the meat sauce on top. Repeat these layers with the remaining noodles, cream mixture, and meat sauce to build the casserole.
- Add cheese topping: Generously sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top layer of the casserole.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden on top.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
- You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
- Feel free to add chopped onions or bell peppers when browning the beef for extra flavor and veggies.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Make sure to drain the noodles well to avoid a soggy casserole.
