Poor Man Husband Casserole (Print Format)

Budget-friendly layered casserole with seasoned ground beef, egg noodles and creamy cheese. Comfort food that feeds 8 people.

# Ingredients:

→ Main Components

01 - 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80/20 blend works best
02 - 16 oz can tomato sauce
03 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
04 - 8 oz sour cream
05 - 8 oz egg noodles, any wide variety
06 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

→ Seasonings

07 - 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
09 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar to balance the acidity
10 - Salt to taste
11 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and let it come to full temperature while you prep everything else.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon until it's completely browned. Drain off any excess fat, then add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning.
03 - Stir in the tomato sauce and sugar, then season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes to let all those flavors come together nicely.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream, mixing until it's completely smooth and no lumps remain.
05 - Boil the egg noodles in salted water according to package directions until they're al dente. Drain them well - you don't want excess water making your casserole soggy.
06 - Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer half the noodles on the bottom, spread half the cream mixture over them, then half the meat sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles, cream mixture, and meat sauce. Top with all that shredded cheddar.
07 - Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted and golden. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Tips:

01 - Let the assembled casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving - this helps it set up and makes it much easier to cut clean slices.
02 - Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature so it mixes smoothly with the sour cream.
03 - Don't skip draining the beef fat - it keeps the casserole from being greasy and helps the flavors shine through.
04 - This is pure comfort food that feeds a crowd and reheats beautifully for leftovers.
05 - You can assemble this ahead of time and refrigerate, just add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time if starting from cold.

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