The best Beef Lombardi Casserole 

If you love a hearty week-night casserole that feeds a crowd, this step-by-step recipe walkthrough has you covered. We’ll talk timing, ingredient swaps, leftover storage, and smart ways to make the gooey cheese topping extra bubbly. By the end you’ll know how to make this recipe once and make it for easy meals all week long.

 Beef Lombardi Casserole: What Exactly Is It?

Beef Lombardi casserole is an American spin on layered pasta bakes. Picture seasoned ground beef simmered in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and mild green chiles until thick. That savory beef mixture is spooned over tender egg noodles, then buried under a tangy blend of sour cream, cream cheese, and teared cheddar. A final snow of mozzarella cheese and shredded colby jack cheese melts into a gooey, cheesy crust as the dish bakes bubbly.

Why does this casserole top so many family dinner lists? It holds heat like a champ, tastes even better on day two, and freezes like a dream. Above all, it’s pure comfort food—a pan of noodle bliss that pleases picky eaters and foodies alike.

Best Noodle for Beef Lombardi Casserole: Egg Noodles or Pasta?

Make this recipe calls for wide egg noodles. Their slightly chewy bite soaks up sauce without turning mushy. Cook the noodles al dente (firm to the tooth) so they finish in the oven. If you only have rotini or shells on hand, go ahead—any short pasta shape works, as long as you drain well and keep the noodle texture firm.

Remember to cook the egg noodles in salted water for flavor. Once drained, toss lightly with a teaspoon of oil so they don’t clump. Set aside the beef mixture over the noodles while you brown the meat.

How Do You Cook the Ground Beef and Build a Flavorful ?

beef lombardi casserole recipe ingredient

1. Brown the meat
   • 1 lb lean ground beef
2. Sweat the aromatics
   • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
   • 1 small bell pepper, diced
   • 2 cloves minced garlic
3. Drain excess fat
   (no added ingredients, just remove drippings so the casserole stays thick, not soupy)
4. Build the tomato base
   • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
   • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles
   • ½ cup tomato sauce
5. Season the sauce
   • ½ tsp garlic powder
   • ½ tsp onion powder
   • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
   • Pinch red pepper flakes (optional heat)
6. Simmer for flavor
   • Return everything to a gentle bubble over medium heat, then simmer 10 minutes so the hearty beef sauce thickens and will blanket every noodle.

What Goes Into the Beef Lombardi Casserole Creamy Cheese Mixture?

While the meat simmers, whisk the cheese  in a mixing bowl: softened cream cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, and half the cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. The lactic tang of the dairy balances the tomato acidity and guarantees a luscious filling.

For extra melt pull, tear your own mozzarella and cheddar—pre-shredded is fine, but fresh shredding melts silkier. Reserve the remaining shredded cheddar cheese, plus mozzarella cheese and a bit of jack cheese, for the golden crown.

How to Assemble the casserole is a hearty recipe

Assembly & Baking — Step-by-Step

1. Preheat and prepare pan
   • Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
   • Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or butter.
2. First noodle layer
   • Spread half of the cooked noodles evenly across the bottom of the dish.
3. First cheese layer
   • Spoon half of the creamy cheese  over the noodles; smooth with a spatula.
4. First beef layer
   • Ladle half of the hot beef mixture on top, covering the cheese layer edge-to-edge.
5. Repeat layers
   • Add the remaining noodles, then the rest of the cheese
   •  followed by the remaining beef mixture.
6. Finish with shredded cheese
   • Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese evenly over the surface.
7. Press and tidy
   • Gently press the top with a spatula so sauce reaches the corners; this prevents dry edges.
8. Set on foil-lined sheet
   • Place the baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed sheet tray to catch any drips.
9. Bake
   • Transfer to the center rack and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the casserole is molten in the middle and bubbly around the edges.
10. Rest before serving
    • Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes to set layers, then slice and serve.

Make Beef Lombardi Ahead or Use Leftover Casserole?

Absolutely. You can make beef Lombardi up to the baking step, cover, and chill 24 hours. Or freeze (unbaked) for three months; thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. Cooked residue portions store four days, tightly wrapped. The flavors deepen, making second-day slices irresistible.

If you have ground turkey or chicken, swap them for the ground beef to lighten things. Even vegetarians can sub crumbled plant meat. The beauty of this casserole is flexibility—just keep the cheese, sour cream, and robust tomato base.

What to Serve with Beef Lombardi Casserole

This cheesy casserole begs for crisp contrast. A green salad with vinaigrette cuts richness, while buttery garlic bread lets you swipe every drop of sauce. For veggies, think roasted broccoli or simple steamed beans tossed in lemon. The hearty beef center means you don’t need heavy sides—fresh works best.

Serve piping hot from the oven and invite everyone to dig into that stretchy mozzarella top. In our house, family dinner starts when we remove the casserole and the table goes silent except for happy slurps.

the Best Way to Reheat This Comfort Food in Oven or Microwave?

To reheat, cover the pan with foil and warm at 325 °F for 20 minutes, or until gooey. Individual squares rewarm in the oven or microwave—two minutes on high. Splash a spoonful of water over the surface before nuking to keep the noodle layer moist.

Avoid overheating or the cheese can separate. Once steamy, garnish with extra shred of mozzarella for revived stretch. Like that, yesterday’s beef Lombardi casserole becomes today’s fast lunch.

Quick-Fire make this beef lombardi casserole FAQs

The best Beef Lombardi Casserole 

Jordan Mike

Master Beef Lombardi Casserole with saucy beef, egg noodles, and melty cheese—get prep tips, make-ahead tricks, reheating, and serving ideas now. ​

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 29 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 8 peoples

Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

  

Brown the meat

• 1 lb lean ground beef

Sweat the aromatics

• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 small bell pepper diced
• 2 cloves minced garlic

Drain excess fat

• no added ingredients, just remove drippings so the casserole stays thick, not soupy

Build the tomato base

• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes with green chiles
• ½ cup tomato sauce

Season the sauce

• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Pinch red pepper flakes (optional heat)

• Simmer for flavor
• Return everything to a gentle bubble over medium heat then simmer 10 minutes so the hearty beef sauce thickens and will blanket every noodle.

Instructions

 

Preheat and prepare pan

• Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
• Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray or butter.

First noodle layer

• Spread half of the cooked noodles evenly across the bottom of the dish.

First cheese layer

• Spoon half of the creamy cheese  over the noodles; smooth with a spatula.

First beef layer

• Ladle half of the hot beef mixture on top, covering the cheese layer edge-to-edge.

Repeat layers

• Add the remaining noodles, then the rest of the cheese
• followed by the remaining beef mixture.

Finish with shredded cheese

• Sprinkle the reserved shredded cheese evenly over the surface.

Press and tidy

• Gently press the top with a spatula so sauce reaches the corners; this prevents dry edges.

Set on foil-lined sheet

• Place the baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed sheet tray to catch any drips.

Bake

• Transfer to the center rack and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the casserole is molten in the middle and bubbly around the edges.

Rest before serving

• Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes to set layers, then slice and serve.

Notes

Nutrition Information (per serving)

Calories	Fat	Sat. Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein	Sodium
450 kcal	22 g	11 g	34 g	2 g	6 g	29 g	830 mg

*Estimated values for home-cooking guidance.

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Category & SEO Tags

• Course: Dinner / Main
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Comfort-food, Family-friendly
• Method: Baking (Casserole)
• Keyword: Beef Lombardi Casserole, cheesy beef noodle bake
• Skill Level: Easy–Intermediate.

Keyword Beef Lombardi Casserole, cheesy beef noodle bake