Description
This comforting Beef and Sour Cream Noodle Bake combines savory ground beef and Italian sausage with a creamy sour cream and cottage cheese mixture, layered with wide egg noodles and melting cheeses. Baked to bubbly perfection, this hearty casserole offers rich flavors with the option to add a spicy kick with red pepper flakes. Perfect for a family-friendly dinner served alongside garlic bread and a fresh salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- ½ pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken)
- ½ pound mild Italian pork sausage
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced (such as Vidalia)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup green onion, chopped (green and light green parts only)
Tomato Sauce
- 2 cups tomato sauce (homemade or jarred marinara)
Pasta
- 1 (12-ounce) bag wide egg noodles (or penne or elbow macaroni)
Dairy
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 ¼ cups small curd cottage cheese (optional, whipped for smoother texture)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more for dusting)
- Optional: Red pepper flakes for heat
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter or spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Shred the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, then toss them together in a bowl and set aside.
- Brown Meats: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking them apart as they cook. Brown the meat thoroughly until no longer pink, then remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels to remove excess fat.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add diced sweet onion and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent, approximately 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 more minute until fragrant. Remove skillet from the heat.
- Make Meat Sauce: Return the browned beef and sausage to the skillet with the sautéed onions and garlic. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Simmer the sauce gently on low heat. For added heat, sprinkle in red pepper flakes if desired. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin it with a splash of reserved pasta cooking water.
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the wide egg noodles and cook according to package directions but reduce the cooking time by 1 minute to keep them slightly firm. Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Prepare Cottage Cheese (Optional): For a smoother texture, place the cottage cheese in a food processor and whip it for 1-2 minutes until creamy and smooth. This step is optional and can be skipped if preferred.
- Make Sour Cream Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the whipped or regular cottage cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Pour this mixture over the cooked noodles and stir well to evenly coat the pasta.
- Assemble Casserole: Spread half of the coated noodles into the prepared casserole dish. Top with half of the meat sauce, then sprinkle with half of the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese mixture. Repeat the layers with the remaining noodles, meat sauce, and cheese. Sprinkle additional black pepper on top if desired.
- Bake: Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese has melted completely and the dish is bubbly and golden around the edges.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve hot. Pair with a fresh side salad and garlic bread for a complete meal. Pass grated Parmesan cheese at the table for extra flavor if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef to reduce fat content.
- Whipping the cottage cheese in a food processor creates a creamier texture but is optional.
- If you like a spicier dish, add more red pepper flakes to taste.
- Use wide egg noodles for classic texture, but penne or elbow macaroni work well too.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- To make this dish gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta and check that tomato sauce and sausage contain no gluten ingredients.
