CREAMY CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE

This Cheeseburger Casserole is beefy, cheesy and saucy, and it has all the flavors of a cheeseburger in one comforting pasta dish!  I dare you to include the pickles I have in the recipe!  They add the perfect surprising tang to each bite. So so good!

I make casseroles often because they are relatively cheap and quick to throw together and my entire family loves them.  This recipe is a delicious option and is perfect to pre-make the day before to pop in the oven the next day which also makes it a great dish to take to a potluck.   It also freezes really well for those busy days or to pass on to someone in need.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 (796 ml/28 oz) can diced tomatoes (with the juice!)

2 dill pickles, diced (trust me on this!!)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp yellow mustard

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

8 oz dried pasta (shape of your choice)

Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups warmed milk

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole or baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.

2. In a large pan, fry the ground beef over medium heat until cooked through with no pink remaining. Drain any excess fat and return ground beef to the pot.

3. Add the diced onion, celery, red and green pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and tender. Add the tomatoes, pickles, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, oregano, salts and pepper. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

4. While the ground beef mixture is cooking, in a separate pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions and then drain.

5. Add the beef and tomato mixture and the cheese sauce (recipe below) over the pasta and stir until blended.

6. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. Serve.

CHEESE SAUCE:

Directions:

1. Pre-warm the milk before starting.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it becomes a smooth paste and begins to bubble, stirring constantly.

3. Add the warm milk, salt and nutmeg to the pan and continue whisking until smooth.

4. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

5. Add the shredded cheese and gently stir. When the cheese sauce is smooth and velvety, it is ready to pour into the pasta.