Hamburger Casserole

I’ll say it: A cheeseburger is one of the most perfect foods on Earth. There’s the crispy, deep browning of the patty. The refreshing crunch of the lettuce. The rich and melty cheese. And don’t even get me started on the classic burger sauce. It’s hard to replicate the perfection of a restaurant-quality burger in the comfort of your own home (unless you don’t mind smoking up your entire kitchen). But this hamburger casserole captures the same magic in the form of an easy weeknight casserole.

You may have heard the term "hamburger casserole" used to describe similarly cozy recipes using ground beef and elbow macaroni. But instead of the classic tomato-based goulash, this version is made with a sauce reminiscent of your favorite fast food secret sauce—pickles included. But my favorite part is how quickly this recipe comes together, with ingredients you likely already have in your fridge. After only about 10 minutes in the oven, the mixture of beef, elbow macaroni, sauce, and cheese becomes savory, melty, and comforting. And to add a refreshing pop of green, the casserole is topped with shredded lettuce. It’s so good, you won’t miss the bun—but you can replicate the classic sesame garnish with an optional sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

How To Make A Hamburger Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• Macaroni: Bite-size and full of cavities for delicious flavors to hide, elbow macaroni is the perfect pasta for this casserole.
• Ground Beef: There’s no place for the fat to go in a hamburger casserole, so I prefer to use leaner ground beef—90% lean is ideal.
• Garlic and Onion: This power couple lends deep allium savor to the secret sauce.
• Tomatoes: I went with diced tomatoes over crushed because I felt the casserole benefits from a little extra texture and bite.
• Mayonnaise: I wanted a classic burger sauce, so mayo, the base ingredient, was a non-negotiable.
• Dill Pickles: A classic ingredient in many classic burger sauces, chopped dill pickles bring some texture and irresistible zing. And, heck, what’s a great burger without pickles?
• Ketchup, Worcestershire Sauce & Dijon Mustard: This sweet, spicy, savory, tangy trinity of condiments might be familiar from sloppy Joes or comeback sauce. Together they are way more than the sum of their parts, dialing the flavor of the burger sauce up to max volume.
• Cheddar: Why? Because the best hamburger is a cheeseburger, IMHO.
• Sesame Seeds: This being a casserole, buns were never going to be part of the equation. In their absence, I included some toasted sesame seeds to evoke their flavor.
• Lettuce: Just as burgers benefit from a crisp, fresh foil, so do burger casseroles. I chose romaine because I love its intense crunch and mild bitterness.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First thing to get out of the way: Preheat the oven to 400°. Second thing: Boil the pasta. You know the drill: large pot, lots of water, lots of salt. But in this case drain the pasta when it is very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Bite into one to check: It should be just a bit too firm to eat as-is and maybe a teensy bit chalk-colored in the center. Not to worry: The pasta will finish cooking in the casserole. Drain well and transfer to a 13" x 9" baking dish.

While the pasta is boiling away, let’s cook the beef. Heat a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high, and drop in the beef in large chunks. Cook without stirring (it’ll brown better this way) until deeply browned underneath, about 4 minutes. Now break up the meat into smaller pieces and continue to cook until it’s lost its pink color, about 4 more minutes. Transfer the beef to the baking dish; reserve the skillet.

Now let’s get to work on that burger sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the onion and garlic in the same skillet, stirring often, until the onion softens and looks translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients—the tomatoes, mayo, pickles, ketchup, Worcestershire, and mustard—as well as 1 c. water. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the burger sauce into the baking dish and stir to combine.

Add half of the cheese (about 3/4 c.) to the mixture in the baking dish; stir to combine. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and the sesame seeds (if using, though I strongly recommend it) over the top.

Ship the casserole off to the oven and bake until it’s bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with lettuce.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Undercook—yes, undercook—the pasta: When boiling the macaroni, leave it slightly undercooked; it should still be a tiny bit chalky in the center when you cut into one. Undercooking the pasta will allow it to absorb more of the burger sauce and juices when you bake the casserole and will also prevent it from overcooking and becoming mushy.
• Do not disturb, for better browning. The key to getting a good sear on the beef is to be as hands-off as possible. So add the beef to the pan in large pieces and then stand back and let the pan do the work.

Make Ahead

This recipe is a quick and easy weeknight warrior, but if you’re strapped for time, you can also make it 1 day ahead. Simply assemble the casserole, then cover it with foil and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.