Crock Pot Beef and Noodles Casserole

There is just something so nice about coming home to dinner ready and waiting. This Crock Pot Beef Noodle Casserole is so easy to put together and a favorite around here.

I can toss this together in hardly no time at all.  Mornings are pretty crazy around here but this is easy enough that I can throw it in the crock pot. It really is that simple and we get to come to an amazing dinner to enjoy. The flavor is SO good!

This casserole has the perfect combination of ground beef, noodles, tomatoes and more for a savory casserole you will love. It taste so delicious and the cheese just makes it even better. If you love this recipe, check out Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles Recipe, French Onion Beef and Noodles and Easy Ground Beef Recipes with Few Ingredients.

Why You’ll Love This Crock Pot Beef and Noodles Casserole

I love a recipe with egg noodles and ground beef. This recipe does not disappoint. The combination of the noodles, beef, and the tomatoes makes this the ultimate comfort food.

This meal is perfect for during the week or a weekend meal. My favorite time to serve it is on Sundays. There is just something about serving a good meal to start our week off.

Ingredients

• Ground Beef – We like using lean ground beef
• Onion – White onion is what we recommend but you can also use yellow onion
• Minced Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
• Tomato Sauce – Substitute with crushed tomatoes
• Italian Seasoning – Learn How to Make Italian Seasoning Recipe
• Wide Egg Noodles – Use noodles that you prefer
• Beef Broth – You can also use water
• Shredded Cheese – Use freshly shredded cheese

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

How to Make Beef and Noodles Casserole in the Crockpot

• Step 1 – Put the browned ground beef in the crock pot.
• Step 2 – Add all of the seasonings.
• Step 3 – Layer with tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.
• Step 4 – Then top with the beef broth.
• Step 5 – Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or cook on high for 3-3.5 hours. Cooking time could vary based on your crock pot.
• Step 6 – Break the meat apart and add the noodles.
• Step 7 – Let the uncooked egg noodles cook for the last 30 minutes of the cook time if cooking on low or 15 to 20 minutes if cooking on high.
• Step 8 – Cook until tender.
• Step 9 – Once you are ready to eat, top the noodle mixture with cheddar cheese. Cover for a few minutes so the cheese gets nice and melted.

Recipe Tips

• Prepare Vegetables Ahead of Time – One of our favorite time saving tips is to use a small food chopper or food processor to quickly and easily chop onions. If you do not have one of these, I highly recommend them.
• Thicker Sauce – If you need to thicken the sauce make a cornstarch slurry, about 2 tablespoon of cornstarch to a little bit of cold water and mix together. Pour this mixture into the beef and noodle casserole and cook for about 5-10 minutes. You can even add a brown gravy mix packet to thicken the meat mixture.
• Cooking Time – Cooking time will vary depending on your slow cooker. We like cooking on low but you can easily cook on high.

Variation Ideas

We love recipes that you can change things up to use what you have on hand. Here are some of the ideas we have tried and have worked.

• Change Pasta – You can change it to penne, elbow, bow tie or whatever you have in the pantry.
• Change Meat – Substitute shredded beef, beef stew meat or leftover chuck roast instead of the ground beef.
• Frozen Noodles – Use frozen egg noodles to save even more time. Sometimes we boil too many and I freeze the leftovers to use in recipes.
• Creamy Texture – Add cream of mushroom soup for a creamier casserole.
• Make without Noodles – Omit the noodles and serve over mashed potatoes instead. Yum!
• Add Heavy Cream – If we have heavy cream, I will add it to the beef and noodles mixture to give it that extra creaminess.
• Cook Noodles Separately – You can cook your noodles separately if you prefer. Then serve your beef mixture of the top to keep everything separate.
• Onion Soup Mix – Add Homemade Onion Soup Mix and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce to the ground beef for even more flavor.
• Add Vegetables – This is a great recipe to sneak in veggies such as shredded carrots, peas or shredded zucchini is always a great addition.

What to Serve with Hamburger Noodle Casserole?

This Beef and Noodle Casserole is great by itself, but we do like to serve it with a vegetable to get in our daily greens. There are some of favorites:

• We love these easy Roasted Green Beans. They are so good to make and paired with this casserole make it a complete meal.
• You can also steam broccoli in the microwave for a super easy veggie side dish. I love broccoli. It is my go-to vegetable as I know my whole family will eat a serving.
• A nice green salad would go perfectly with this meal.
• We love to make Garlic Bread Cheese Sticks to make sure we get every last drop of the casserole.

Storage and Reheating Tips

• Storing – If you have leftover beef and noodle casserole, store in individual airtight container. I keep in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days.
• Freezer – Once the casserole has cooled, place in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to reheat.
• Reheating – Place the leftovers in a microwave safe dish and reheat in 1 minute intervals. You can also reheat on the stovetop in a saucepan over medium heat to ensure there are not hot spots.