Ground Beef & Cheddar Casserole

By JoyT

A delicious and easy casserole recipe that will be a hit with the whole family. Cheesy, beefy and full of flavor, it’s also incredibly satisfying and makes great leftovers.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces, wide, whole wheat noodles (I used Ronzoni Extra Wide Noodles)
• 16 ounces extra lean ground beef
• 2 medium zucchinis, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 container (16 ounce) fat free sour cream
• 1 can (28 ounce) tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 1/2 cups reduced fat, sharp cheddar, shredded
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 50mins
Adapted from laaloosh.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahenheit. Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with non-fat cooking spray.

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and place into a large bowl. Mix in the sour cream and parmesan, and then pour into baking dish.

While the noodles are cooking, spray a large, nonstick skillet with non-fat cooking spray, and add in the garlic. Cook until tender and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add in the ground beef. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.

Add in the zucchini, bell peppers and onions and cook until vegetables just being to become tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Add in diced tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, and dried parsley, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 3-4 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired.

Empty the beef and vegetable mixture over the noodles, and evenly sprinkle the reduced fat cheddar over top.

Place in oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.