I wanted some of the flavor of Salisbury steak hamburger casserole combined with cheese and macaroni or rigatoni. Why? Because sauces with bits of hamburger both cling to and flow through these kinds of pastas just right.
Wouldn’t you rather take the time to make a roux mixture for a homemade hamburger casserole instead of those horrible imitation cheese powders they put in boxed casseroles these days? I don’t even want to THINK about what goes into those cheese powders! I’m like, “Why not use cheese instead? Heck, use a mixture of cheeses—anything but that boxed orange stuff!
A Good Roux, Browned Beef, Yummy Cheeses, and Bake—Done!
I overcame my fear of making sauces when I met my husband and he said his favorite meal was biscuits with sausage gravy.
I had never made a gravy before. So I turned to my mom, who made a good milk gravy. She taught me to make a roux with drippings from bacon fat, which I now save in a pot right by my stove. But drippings are for darker gravies. For a white milk gravy–or white sauce roux–all you have to do is cook that roux ever so slightly.
Just melt your butter then keep adding flour until you have what looks like dark sand. Then add your warmed milk slowly to prevent clumping.
How to Invent Your Own Hamburger Casseroles
Now that you know how to make a basic roux, we can get fancier. With casseroles, you want to give it a bit of a backbone so that you’re not just eating beef, cheese, and noodles. You need a thick sauce so you can bake it all together like a lasagna.
In fact, to make this more of a one-pot meal, simply brown your onions and hamburger together and leave enough hamburger grease in there to act as the butter in the sauce. Sprinkle the flour liberally over the cooked hamburger and start stirring. Soon, a deep beef broth sauce will form. Then add your cheeses!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni noodles
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Nonstick cooking spray for greasing
Instructions
Prep time – 25 minutes
Cooking time – 60 minutes
Yields – 6 servings
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Cook the elbow macaroni in boiling water until just shy of al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain well and spread in the prepared baking dish.
Step 3: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and minced garlic until fully cooked. Drain any excess fat.
Step 4: Transfer the cooked beef to the baking dish, mixing it with the macaroni.
Step 5: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook for 1 minute.
Step 6: Gradually pour in the evaporated milk, heavy cream, and beef broth, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
Step 7: Add the shredded cheddar cheese and grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Step 8: Pour the cheese sauce over the beef and macaroni in the baking dish, stirring to combine everything evenly.
Step 9: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
You can store leftovers in the fridge for three days or freeze this baked casserole for 3 months.
Different Add-Ins?
Try ground turkey, cumin, spinach, and tomatoes, with some Fontina cheese for a delicious flavor combo!
Can I Make This in the Instant Pot?
Add hamburger and minced garlic (add in some diced onions, if you want) on Saute. Add flour and stir until sandy and thick. Then add milk and toss in the rest of your ingredients. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes or until your pasta is perfectly cooked.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with my Oven-Baked Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan and some of my Roasted Glazed Carrots for a delicious, nutritious meal. How about my Cookie Cake for dessert?
Hamburger Mac And Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni noodles
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Nonstick cooking spray for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the elbow macaroni in boiling water until just shy of al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain well and spread in the prepared baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and minced garlic until fully cooked. Drain any excess fat.
- Transfer the cooked beef to the baking dish, mixing it with the macaroni.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually pour in the evaporated milk, heavy cream, and beef broth, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
- Add the shredded cheddar cheese and grated parmesan cheese to the skillet, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the beef and macaroni in the baking dish, stirring to combine everything evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
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