Let’s make Cheeseburger Casserole

Posted on by laurenarva

I feel as though the term ‘casserole’ has a bit of stigma attached to it. I realize that is a slightly dramatic statement, but hear me out; plenty of people pull their noses up at the idea of casseroles and write them off as being disgusting, and I’ve honestly never understood this judgment.

I suppose I’ve never had a bad casserole, either, so perhaps that is the issue a lot of folks have with this type of dish. Just trying to give the benefit of the doubt, ya know?

My husband happens to be someone who despises casseroles, unless it’s his mom’s taco casserole which I haven’t yet had the pleasure of sampling. I, however, recently discovered a recipe for a Cheeseburger Casserole from thepioneerwoman.com, and because it looks so enticing, I wanted to share it with all of you.

“Ingredients

“FOR THE CASSEROLE:

  • 1 lb. dried elbow macaroni
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef (90/10)
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 3 c. whole milk
  • 1 tbsp. mustard (Dijon or yellow)
  • 2 tbsp. grilling seasoning
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
  • 12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated and divided (about 3 cups)
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 8 slices American cheese

“FOR THE TOPPING:

  • 1 c. panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

“Directions

  1. For the casserole: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Cook the macaroni until al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside. 
  2. In a large Dutch oven, cook the ground beef over medium heat, stirring occasionally to break into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
  3. Add the butter to the Dutch oven with the beef drippings and melt over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat. Whisk in the mustard, grilling seasoning, Worcestershire, salt, and 2 cups of cheddar cheese, until melted and combined. Stir in the beef and macaroni. Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese, then lay the American cheese slices over top to fully cover the casserole. (Tear the pieces as needed.)
  4. For the topping. In a small bowl, stir together the panko, butter, sesame seeds, and salt. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pasta. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes,” the recipe explains.

Enjoy!

Photo by sheri silver on Unsplash

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