The other day on Facebook I asked your opinion on “classic casseroles.” The response was almost unanimous—you love them, but would like to see versions made without as many canned ingredients or “cream of” soups. I’m all about that idea, so the first casserole I decided to tackle was this Beef & Mushroom Country Casserole.
What is a “Country Casserole”?
If you pop “country casserole” into Google or Pinterest you’ll find 100 different versions (here’s one from PlainChicken.com and another from SixSistersStuff.com). Sometimes it’s called Amish Country Casserole, sometimes Beef and Noodle Casserole, sometimes just Country Casserole. Despite the different names, they all have one thing in common—they’re a creamy, beefy, noodley delight!
Most versions of this classic casserole include a can of tomato soup, a can of cream of mushroom soup, some sort of cheese, and usually no vegetables. So, I knew there was definitely room for improvement.
More Vegetables PLEASE!
I just had to inject more vegetables into this casserole to feel right, so I added an onion, fresh mushrooms, and a can of diced tomatoes (not fresh, but better than nothing). I then swapped out the tomato soup for tomato sauce, which is very similar but without the huge amounts of sugar that tomato soup is usually hiding.
Instead of cream of mushroom soup, I used sour cream and real mushrooms to give a similar effect. My Beef & Mushroom Country Casserole still has a lot of cheese, but let’s face it. Casseroles are cheesy and/or creamy by nature. That’s just what they are. Let’s not kill it completely. ;)
Six Small but Mighty Servings
As with most casseroles, this guy is pretty filling and caloric. I split mine into six servings. The servings may look on the small side volume-wise, but it made me quite full. If you need more volume in your meal to make your “eyes” full, I suggest adding a simple side salad or using 12oz. pasta instead of eight.
Beef & Mushroom Country Casserole
Servings 6Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 1/2 lb. ground beef ($1.99)
- 8 oz. mushrooms ($1.99)
- 1 onion ($0.25)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.03)
- 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.03)
- 8 oz. extra wide egg noodles ($1.00)
- 1 15oz. can tomato sauce ($0.65)
- 1 15oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained ($1.50)
- 8 oz. sour cream ($1.49)
- 8 oz. medium cheddar, shredded ($2.79)
- 4 green onions, sliced ($0.29)
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions, but until slightly less done. The noodles will further cook while the casserole bakes. Once cooked, drain the noodles and set it aside.
- While the noodles are cooking, finely dice the onion and slice the mushrooms.
- Add the cooking oil and ground beef to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until the beef is fully browned. If using a higher fat content beef, drain off the excess fat before continuing.
- Add the diced onion, sliced mushrooms, garlic powder, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet. Continue to sauté over medium heat until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are transparent. Add the tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce to the beef and mushroom mixture. Stir to combine, then simmer for a few minutes, or until it thickens slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Return the drained noodles to the pot they were boiled in (heat turned off) and add the beef and tomato mixture, diced tomatoes (drained), sour cream, half of the shredded cheddar, and half of the green onions. Stir to combine and then transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Top the casserole with the remaining shredded cheese, then bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until it is bubbling around the edges and the top is starting to brown just slightly. After removing from the oven, sprinkle the remaining green onions over top.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Love casseroles? Check out these other canned-soup-free casseroles: King Ranch Chicken Casserole, Creamiest Green Bean Casserole, Cheesy Chicken Vegetable and Rice Casserole, Wild Rice and Vegetable Casserole, and Cheesy Cottage Pie.
How to Make Beef Country Casserole – Step by Step Photos
Cook 8oz. extra-wide egg noodles according to the package directions, but leave them slightly underdone (cook about 2 minutes less than directed). The noodles will finish cooking while the casserole bakes.
While the noodles are cooking, dice one onion and slice 8oz. mushrooms. Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to a large skillet along with 1/2 lb. ground beef. Cook the beef over medium heat until the meat is fully browned. If using a higher percent fat beef, drain the excess fat before continuing.
Add the diced onion, sliced mushrooms, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, about 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the skillet. Continue to sauté until the mushrooms are soft and the onions are transparent.
Add one 15oz. can tomato sauce and 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine, then let simmer over medium heat for a few minutes or just until it thickens a touch.
My international readers always ask what “tomato sauce” is, so let me show you… :) It’s basically puréed tomatoes, with just a little salt and seasoning (onion, garlic, etc.). It’s not sweet like ketchup or tomato soup. I think the closest product would be passata, but you might need to add a little more salt.
Here’s the back so you can see the ingredients. It’s mostly just tomato and has a LOT less sugar than canned tomato soup.
Anyway, back to the recipe… Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Return the drained noodles to the pot that they cooked in (assuming it’s big enough to be used as a mixing vessel) and add the beefy mushroom tomato mixture, one 15oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (drained), 8oz. sour cream, 2 sliced green onions, and 4oz. shredded cheddar cheese (the rest of the cheese and onions will be used to top the casserole). Stir everything to combine.
Transfer the mixed casserole ingredients to a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Top with the remaining 4oz. shredded cheddar. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until it’s very bubbly around the edges and just a little brown on top.
After it comes out of the oven, top with the remaining two sliced green onions. Then EAT. :)
Okay, so maybe I could have cut back on the cheese just a little… but nahhhhh. 🧀🧀🧀
My favorite way to make casseroles without buying cans of condensed soup is to use the chart in the cookbook More With Less that tells you how to make a white sauce equivalent to most cans.
Big winner here. Used a full pound of beef because portioning is too much of a PITA. Also I like beef. When internet recipe historians look back on this recipe centuries from now, it will no doubt be categorized amongst the greats: italian wonderpot, oven fajitas, black bean quesadillas. Fabulous! Five stars!
I noticed the garlic powder is never mentioned within the recipe. I added it with the tomato sauce and I am now enjoying my casserole :)
Thanks for catching that! Fixing now. :)
Can it be frozen?
This would probably freeze well.
I am going to be trying this recipe soon. I will swap out meat for veggie crumbles or tvp and swap the sour cream for Chobani Non Fat Greek Yogurt. It will also bump up protein with 22 grams in a cup. I often use yogurt for at least most of sour cream and mayo if not all. If you don’t want to spend so much on greek yogurt make your own. Take a coffee filter or cheese cloth line a collander put it in a bowl dump in yogurt put it in the fridge till it drains. You can also add herbs and spices or make flavored yogurt cheese. The longer you let it drain the drier it gets check often.
Do you think this would be freezable? Before or after cooking?
I think it would probably freeze well. I like to freeze food after cooking so I can just quickly reheat in the microwave.
This looks delicious! But would it be possible to make this vegetarian and just double the amount of mushrooms used? Perhaps as a combination of half white mushrooms, half baby bellas?
You could use “Meat” Crumbles, like what Morning star makes or even TSP (textured soy protein). Of course, the doubled/mixed mushrooms too!
Cooked brown lentils (or another bean), might work well in place of the ground beef. Just make sure they’re not too mushy.
Sure, I don’t see why not. :)
Any suggestions on alternatives for the egg noodles? Thank you =)
Maybe rice.
I have this in the oven with fusilli right now.
We’ve used Orzo and Whole wheat noodles.
This looks amazing! I love the concept of your blog, and appreciate that you list the price of each ingredient found in your recipes. Budget meals are a necessity! I can’t wait to make this.
I’m a sucker for casseroles!!! Can’t wait to make this dish!!! :-)
This look really good. Do you have any suggestions for a mushroom replacement? Also, I’ve seen around the interwebs homemade “canned soup” mixes. Have you experimented with those at all? I’ve always been curious but I guess not curious enough to try it, haha. I avoid those canned soups like the plague, though.
I haven’t tried any of those homemade canned soup recipes because I just really never make recipes that call for them. Ha! :D You could either just leave the mushrooms out, or maybe add some black beans. I wouldn’t say they’re critical to the flavor, they served more as a filler.
Do you have any suggestion for making this vegetarian? Black beans maybe?
I think black beans would probably be pretty good in this.
Black beans would work well. You could also use more mushrooms (several different kinds perhaps) as a meat replacement. Could also sub greek yogurt for the sour cream so you still get some protein.
Looks good! I love casseroles but usually try to avoid them due to the canned soups. I’m thinking maybe a cup of frozen peas could be thrown in for some extra veggie too :) Thanks for a great recipe, yet again!
This looks great. I have stopped buying canned tomato sauce. When I need some for a recipe, I simply puree a can of diced tomatoes, including juice, with my stick blender. It’s not exactly the same flavor or consistency, but it’s fewer ingredients and I don’t have to plan ahead to have tomato sauce in the cupboard. (I always have diced tomatoes.)
Love it! But I really dislike sour cream. Could I sub in plain Greek yogurt?
I’m no recipe expert, but I can’t see why that can’t work. I say go for it and tell us how it worked for you! :D
Turned out great! The Greek yogurt added the creaminess, and the fire roasted diced tomatoes supplied the tang. Maybe next time I’ll bulk it up a bit more with some cooked lentils. But as-is you’ve got a winner.
Some people are okay with subbing Greek yogurt for sour cream, but honestly I don’t like to do that. I feel like the flavors are too different.