We are all about comfort food this week, including our favourite cheesy beef casserole dish!
Ok so first things first. With all that’s going on in the world, it definitely feels strange to be writing a blog post. I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, or if it’s insensitive to keep working on this site and churning out new content with all that’s going on.
And while I’m putting a pause on certain drafts that were going to get published this week (pretty sure now is not the best time for my toddler travel tips)- food is always the way to go if you ask me.
Food brings us together at the time, it makes you nostalgic for certain times or certain places. It fills your heart, and it fills your tummy! And in stressful times like this, well, it can make you feel a little better!
But I had to make sure all my mama’s were covered too with this recipe! I mean, how hard is it now to get dinner on the table with the kiddos around all day long!
Even though Aren had only been in daycare for about 5 weeks or so, I definitely appreciated the time to be able to actually make a proper dinner every single day.
Now? Well it’s a lot more difficult.
Enter my fave Cheesy Beef Casserole. Disclaimer, this was up on the old blog but deep down I disliked the pictures I had for it so the perfectionist in me needed to redo it!
It’s been in our rotation for years now and it’s cheesy perfection. It’s based on this Food & Wine recipe that I found ages ago!
The cumin is really what sets it apart from other pasta dishes- and best of all you can prep it throughout the day or ahead of time!
Read on for the recipe and stay safe my friends!
Cheesy Beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni or penne
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 green pepper roughly chopped
- 2 cups zucchini roughly chopped
- 2 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound ground beef I used lean but you can use anything
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups white cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tbsp panko
- scallions to garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Set a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Cook pasta according to directions. When cooked, drain and toss with a little bit of olive oil. Set aside.
- In the meanwhile, warm up a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Toss in onions and green pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring so the onions don't burn. Add in garlic. Stir for another minute. Add in zucchini and let cook for another 5-6 minutes. don't forget to keep stirring!
- Add in ground beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Immediately add cumin and season with salt and pepper. Add flour and stir until well incorporated throughout. Pour in your crushed tomatoes and broth, let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat and add in cooked pasta, 1 cup of shredded cheese and cream. Mix well and pour into casserole dish. Top with additonal cup of cheese and sprinkle with panko. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted on top. Remove from oven and let cool. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve!
Looking for more comfort meals to get your through the next weeks? A few of our faves are this super easy pantry friendly Chili Recipe and this creamy Mushroom Pasta!
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