Can't-Get-Easier Casserole Recipe (2024)

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Beef casseroles are undeniably among the easiest meals to make for families who are busy, individuals who are constantly on the go, and parents who just cannot find the time to do anything with the ingredients they possess besides turning them into a casserole.

Any beef casserole will fill this need of creating a meal on the fly and in a speedy fashion, but this particular casserole fills the void more perfectly than any other beef casserole. Aptly named the “can’t get easier” beef casserole, you will never be struggling to cook quickly with this recipe that will delight the whole family.

Easy Beef Casserole

Not only is beef casserole extremely easy to make, but it is also just as filling as any other meal you could make with similar ingredients. Just because it comes out of the oven quick does not mean you need to concern yourself with the idea that you will not feel satisfied with the meal. This recipe is sure to leave everyone feeling completely full and content.

Can't-Get-Easier Casserole Recipe (1)

Additionally, this beef casserole definitely lives up to its name, because it truly does not get easier than this. All you need to cook it is just a single skillet, so not only is the cooking process a breeze, but the dishes you will be left with at the end of the meal are so minimal that you will not even mind turning on some soapy water!

Whether it is just an average night of the week or even a busy weekend evening, you can always rely on this super simple beef casserole that eliminates all of the fuss and stress from the cooking side of your life and helps you relax.

Combining just five ingredients into a skillet, there is no home-cooked meal that can get easier than this. After all, any meal that you want that would go any quicker or easier than this would probably a microwavable meal that does not involve any cooking. If you want to engage in some home cooking, then the can’t get easier; this beef casserole is the way to go.

5 Ingredient Beef Casserole

This beef casserole is about as easy as can be thanks to its short and simple cooking process that only requires one skillet. However, much of the ease also comes from the fact that this beef casserole only consists of five ingredients. Not only will it be simple to remember which ingredients you need to purchase (they are so simple and basic that you might actually have them in your kitchen already!), but it will be easy to put them together. It is a beef casserole, after all. For this recipe, you only need five ingredients. And that is the hallmark of this meal’s simplicity!

Pasta, corn, tomato soup, onions, and ground beef are the only ingredients you need for this beef casserole, but they all come in manageable sizes and weights, as well.

Just because this recipe calls for those specific ingredients, however, that does not mean that you cannot get a little bit crazy and experiment with the recipe. For example, instead of grilling the beef and onions together to mix the flavors with one another, you could always try some exterior seasoning for the beef singularly. Additionally, corn is not the mandatory vegetable for this casserole. If there are some veggies you prefer, you can absolutely substitute them for the corn.

Additionally, an optional ingredient is cheese, which many consider being a crucial aspect of a casserole. But in this case, it is optional. After all, that is what makes it so simple.

Make This With Your Kids

Involving your kids in the cooking process can be a fun time! For parents who have never tried it before, ti can seem like a daunting task more than a fun one. After all, kids are often clumsy and act without thinking, making them more vulnerable to critical mistakes and accidents.

You may worry that a slip-up from your child could completely ruin dinner. Even worse, injuries may occur. A trip to the hospital is certainly not what you want or need when you're just trying to make dinner!

With careful preparation and some caution, you can avoid any of these disasters. A recipe like this one is very simple, so it's a good place to start with kids. Give them easy tasks to start, like mixing or adding ingredients. These steps are hard to get wrong, but your kids are still participating and learning.

While your kids help you, explain to them why each step in the recipe is important. Why are you browning the beef? Why do you need to cook pasta for a certain amount of time? Helping your kids understand why food is cooked as it is will help them learn more about performing such a task themselves.

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Can't-Get-Easier Casserole

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  • Author: Moms Who Think
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
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Description

One skillet is all you’ll need to make this belly filling dinner. It’s a no-fuss 5 ingredient meal for any night of the week or a busy weekend.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 can tomato soup
  • 1 can corn or your favorite canned vegetable, drained
  • 8 ounce package of your favorite dry pasta
  • Shredded cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef and diced onions.

2. Drain off drippings if neccessary.

3. Add tomato soup and drained corn to browned meat.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions (firm but not hard). Drain.

5. Add pasta to meat mixture, stir gently.

6. Add cheese (optional).

  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 Minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Sauteeing
  • Cuisine: American

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Joe Gough/Shutterstock.com.

Can't-Get-Easier Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake a casserole covered or uncovered? ›

Generally, casseroles with grains, rice or pasta that will cook during the baking process are usually covered, for at least part of the time. Casseroles made of cooked ingredients are usually baked uncovered. If you like a crisper, browner top, be sure the casserole is uncovered for at least part of the bake time.

Is it better to cook casserole the day before or? ›

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

What makes a good casserole? ›

  1. Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ...
  2. Undercook your pasta. ...
  3. Drain your meat. ...
  4. Beware of mushy vegetables. ...
  5. Know your cheeses. ...
  6. Master the art of casserole assembly. ...
  7. Don't skip the topping. ...
  8. Make it now, but bake it later.
Nov 1, 2021

How can I improve my casserole flavor? ›

Fresh herbs or citrus zest can also punch up flavors with a bit of welcome brightness for a long-cooked dish, as can adding some heat in the form of a dash of hot sauce, a generous pinch of minced or sliced fresh chili pepper, or a shake of red pepper flakes.

Is it better to bake a casserole in glass or metal? ›

What Should I Bake In a Metal Baking Pan? We hate to say it – we've got nothing against glass, we promise! – but metal does an overall better job than glass of baking almost everything except for acidic desserts. It bakes evenly because it heats up so quickly.

How long should a casserole be in the oven for? ›

Select food(s) from each category or use your own favorites. Combine in a 2- to 2 1/2- quart casserole dish that has been greased or coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or microwave using 50% power for about 15 to 30 minutes, rotating or stirring as necessary.

Why put foil on casserole dish? ›

It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal. Loosely covering your dish with foil can prevent uneven browning while baking. However, tightly sealing your bakeware with foil is the way to go for more steam.

Do you have to brown meat before casserole? ›

The browning adds a lot of good flavor. No. However, doing so gives better appearance to the meat as well as adding some flavor to a stew.

What temperature do you bake a casserole? ›

Casseroles should be baked in a moderately hot oven

But too hot, and it won't cook evenly without some parts of it scorching first, according to KitchenSeer. A great rule of thumb, the site states, is to bake a casserole above 300 degrees F and below 400 degrees F: 350 degrees F is a great sweet spot.

What are 5 components of a casserole? ›

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

What is the most popular casserole dish size? ›

"The standard size of a casserole dish is 9 by 13 inches. However, due to varying shapes, they are often measured by volume, with three quarts being average,” says Contrino. “It is important to note that if a recipe calls only for a casserole dish, it is most likely asking for a 9- by 13-inch rectangular size.

What is the oldest known casserole? ›

Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

How do you fix a bland casserole? ›

From boring to brilliant: Five easy ways to fix a bland recipe
  1. Salt. Advertisem*nt. ...
  2. Acid. One of my favorite ways to perk up a bland dish is with a splash of acid. ...
  3. Chilli peppers. Adding something spicy is a sure way to transform an underseasoned dish. ...
  4. Sugar. ...
  5. Fresh herbs.
Mar 13, 2023

How do you make a casserole less rich? ›

If your food is too rich...

Add an acid such as lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, or pickled vegetables (such as jalapeños).

Why is the meat in my casserole tough? ›

Now if your meat is tough after the stewing process, then there's a few things that might have gone wrong. Two options really, either it is really a poor cut of beef, or more likely it hasn't been cooked for long enough. Usually 3 hours in the oven in a casserole dish at 180C/350F should make any cut of beef tender.

Do you cover a casserole with foil when baking? ›

Some recipes say to leave the casserole uncovered the entire time it's in the oven, while others say to cover it. Which one is true? The short answer is both. Covering a casserole traps heat and steam and gets the casserole cooking.

Should I put foil over my casserole? ›

Cover dishes

Loosely placing or tenting a sheet of foil over a dish can prevent the top from browning while the rest of your dish continues to bake. If you're looking to create more steam in the baking process, sealing the dish tightly with a foil lid will do the trick.

Should you put a lid on a casserole? ›

A tight-fitting lid on your casserole dish ensures the dish doesn't lose moisture during the long cooking process.

What does covering a casserole with foil do? ›

It's always a great idea to cover your dishes with aluminum foil while cooking at high temperatures in the oven. It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal.

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