Recipe Background
Family Night Casserole combines savory beef with creamy cheese and crisp-topped macaroni for a comforting, shareable meal.
This Family Night Casserole brings together the comforting aroma of Muenster cheese melting into savory ground chuck, with vegetables that soften and release their sweet and peppery essence. The journey from stovetop to oven fills the kitchen with familiar scents that evoke gatherings of years past. Layers of melted cheese and crispy buns crown this dish, offering contrasting textures that are both crunchy and creamy with each bite.
The interplay of browned beef and softened macaroni supports a rich sauce, where tomato meets a hint of sweetness and a whisper of Worcestershire depth. Stir the macaroni into the simmering beef mixture and let it soak up the sauce—this gives each noodle a flavorful coat, elevating the humble pasta to a starring role. As the oven works its magic, a gentle bubbling signals it's nearly ready.
Emerging golden-brown from the oven, this casserole invites everyone around the table. Each serving is a shareable slice of nostalgia, reminding us that some flavors become memories in their own right. With its medley of tastes and textures, this dish feels like a bit of home, no matter where it's eaten.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3/4 cup carrots chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups Muenster cheese shredded
- 2 hamburger buns chopped
Directions
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the macaroni about 3 minutes shy of al dente according to the package directions.
- Drain the macaroni and set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly coat a 7x11-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
- Add the ground chuck to the hot oil and cook, while crumbling, until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Drain the excess fat from the skillet.
- Add the bell peppers, the onions, the carrots, the garlic, the salt, and the black pepper to the beef and cook, while stirring often, until the bell peppers are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, the brown sugar, the dry mustard, and the water to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
- Bring the beef mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, while stirring occasionally, until the beef mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Add the macaroni to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the beef mixture into the prepared casserole dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the beef mixture evenly with the cheese.
- Sprinkle the hamburger bun pieces on top of the cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bun pieces are lightly golden-brown, about 20 minutes.
- Serve.
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