Ground Beef and Macaroni Casserole (Stovetop)

This Cheeseburger Casserole is comfort food at it's best and is prepared in a single pot on the stove top. It's cheesy, meaty and a delicious homemade version of Hamburger Helper.

3½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded, at room temperature, divided
1 lb ground beef, 85% lean
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 cups beef broth
1 (16 oz) box elbow macaroni, uncooked
¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature

Garnish:
chopped parsley

Shred the cheese and set it aside. It should be at room temperature when added to the pasta later.

Season the ground beef with desired amount of salt and pepper.

In a large pot over medium heat, cook and crumble the ground beef along with the onions. Drain any excess grease.

Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the tomato paste and stir until well-combined.

Add the beef broth and the uncooked macaroni, stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium or medium/low.

Cover the pot and heat for 5 minutes. Uncover, stir briefly, replace the cover and heat for 5 more minutes, or until just al dente. Reduce the heat to low.

Stir in the room temperature sour cream and half of the milk. Only add the other half if desired.

Gradually sprinkle in 2½ cups of the shredded cheddar, stirring as you do so.

Once the cheese is melted and you have a uniform consistency, top with the remaining cheese.

Replace the lid and heat for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Top with parsley and serve.

Cook's Notes:

• Whole milk is recommended for a creamier consistency, but a lower fat milk may also be used.
• A tsp. of ketchup and yellow mustard can be added when the pasta is cooking to round out the cheeseburger flavours.
• A touch of dill pickle relish can also be added at the end.

Make-Ahead:

• If you prefer to do the prep work for this casserole ahead of time, prepare the recipe as-instructed but cook the pasta covered for 7 minutes instead of 8.
• Stop right before you top the casserole with additional cheese.
• Let the casserole cool down, then top it with cheese.
• Refrigerate for up to two days, then bake it in a preheated 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4), covered, for 15 minutes.
• Remove the lid and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Top with parsley and serve.

Nutritional information:
Calories: 811kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 44g, Fat: 53g, Saturated Fat: 28g, Cholesterol: 167mg, Sodium: 1390mg, Potassium: 671mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1145IU, Vitamin C: 4.1mg, Calcium: 683mg, Iron: 3.6mg