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

How do you fix a casserole that is too dry? ›

The best way to reheat it is to cover it and put it into a cold oven. Covering the dish will trap the steam in and keep it moist while it heats. How do you moisten a dry casserole? Add a little water or milk to the top of the it before reheating.

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.

Can I put casserole in the oven? ›

Casseroles are cooked in a deep ovenproof dish (with a tight-fitting lid) that is glass, ceramic, cast iron, or any other ovenproof material.

Do I bake my casserole covered or uncovered? ›

Uncovering the foods promotes browning and crisping, and reduces the amount of liquid in the finished dish. If a casserole looks soupy when it's ready to bake, bake it uncovered unless the ingredients include pasta or rice, which absorb liquid.

How to fix a watery casserole? ›

10 Tips To Fix Or Prevent Watery Casseroles
  1. Prep Vegetables Ahead Of Time. Vegetables boiling on a stove - Solstock/Getty Images. ...
  2. Add A Starch. ...
  3. Experiment With Pasta Or Grains. ...
  4. Take The Lid Off. ...
  5. Drain Fat From Meat. ...
  6. Choose A Dry Or Low-Fat Cheese. ...
  7. Sprinkle Seeds Into Your Bake. ...
  8. Remove Excess Liquid.
Oct 29, 2023

What is the key to making 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 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 to fix a casserole? ›

10 Tips To Fix Or Prevent Watery Casseroles
  1. Prep vegetables ahead of time. Solstock/Getty Images. ...
  2. Add a starch. NIKCOA/Shutterstock. ...
  3. Experiment with pasta or grains. Pidjoe/Getty Images. ...
  4. Take the lid off. ...
  5. Drain fat from meat. ...
  6. Choose a dry or low-fat cheese. ...
  7. Sprinkle seeds into your bake. ...
  8. Remove excess liquid.
Oct 29, 2023

What temperature do you bake a casserole at? ›

A shallower casserole can take a higher temp and shorter baking time; but if your casserole is a deep one or contains raw vegetables and protein, aim for a slightly longer time and lower temp cook. When in doubt, 350 degrees F is your best friend.

At what temperature do I 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.

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.

What if pasta casserole is too dry? ›

Some of these ingredients, such as the pasta and flour, soak up moisture. Therefore, adding too little broth, milk, or sauce may cause the dish to turn out dry. The same can happen if the sauce is too thick. You can drizzle more liquid on top of the casserole before cooking it to make sure it doesn't dry out.

How do you thicken a casserole after cooking? ›

Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.

Whisk together equal parts cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps.

Why is the meat in my casserole dry? ›

The most likely cause of this is overcooking. As meat cooks, its muscle fibers shorten in both length and width and eventually squeeze out the juices they normally hold. As you can imagine, this leaves meat dry, and often stringy in texture. To avoid this problem, choose less-tender cuts of meat.

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