If you’re anything like me, creamy + tomatoey + pasta = delicious. This hamburger macaroni casserole is a childhood favorite that I still make today with just a few tweaks.

Casserole Supreme: A Childhood Favorite

I don’t know when my mother found the Better Homes & Gardens Casserole Cookbook, but it was published in 1968. As far as I’m concerned, it was a very good year. Just as it says about my beloved Angel Slices in older copies of Joy of Cooking, “many a copy of Joy has been sold on the strength of this recipe alone,” the same should be said of the Casserole Supreme recipe in the BH&G Casserole Cookbook.

I just got off the phone with my mom, because I wanted to know why she bought the cookbook in the first place and how she chose Casserole Supreme to make at all. She thinks she bought the book to find “recipes for a crowd,” since we always went to our Wednesday night potluck suppers at our church, and she didn’t want to bring the same thing every time.  I guess the first time she made it, the angels sang and people clambered for the recipe, so she really did end up making more or less the same thing every week after all. But at least it was a delicious thing that everyone loved. And, if there were a very special occasion at home, like Greg and I not fighting for a whole day or dad’s church softball team winning a game, mom would make Casserole Supreme just for our family. No sharing with the greedy Presbyterian horde!

This is by no means Haute Cuisine, but it is definitely Hot Cuisine, which is close enough. The list of ingredients is short and readily available, and the result is a purely American concoction of ground beef, onions and canned tomatoes all swimming in a deliciously creamy sauce.

This recipe makes enough to feed a hungry family of four or a moderately hungry family of six. Or to let 12-16 Presbyterians have a few bites apiece. I have adapted the recipe only slightly from the original by adding some Italian herbs and subbing in a huge can of whole tomatoes rather than a can of tomato soup and one of tomato sauce. Otherwise, this is pretty much the 1968 (and beyond) classic that I grew up eating and loving. I hope you enjoy it.

Let’s Make Hamburger Macaroni Casserole Supreme!

If you love the sound of this recipe, please consider rating it and/or commenting. I love to hear from readers. And if you do make it, and I hope you do–everyone needs casserole supreme in their life!–please share a photo on instagram by tagging @onlinepastrychef and using hashtag #pcorecipe or share it to the Pastry Chef Online Facebook Group page. I can’t wait to see your version!

Casserole Supreme (hamburger macaroni casserole)

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe slightly adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Casserole Cookbook published by Meredith in 1968. Double it to feed a crowd. This casserole also freezes very well.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, (I had some local grass-fed beef)
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil if necessary, (depends on how fatty your meat is)
• 1 small-to-medium onion, , diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, , minced
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, , to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend of your choice
• 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes and their juice
• 3 oz softened cream cheese, (eyeballing it is fine)
• 3/4 cup sour cream, (ditto--a huge serving spoonful will do nicely)
• 1 pound pasta short pasta of your choice, , cooked to al dente (elbows, shells, penne, fusilli, rigatoni, wagon wheels, radiatore, cavatappi, etc)

Instructions

1. Place the ground beef in a heavy skillet to brown, breaking it up with a spatula. If the meat is on the lean side, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to the pan.
2. Once the meat is about halfway done (some will be browned and some still pink or red), add the onion and garlic.
3. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
4. Cook until onions and garlic are softened and meat is completely cooked.
5. Add the tomatoes and softened cream cheese
6. Stir around so the cream cheese melts evenly into the tomatoes.
7. Let simmer for about ten minutes or so.
8. With the heat on low, stir in the sour cream.
9. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
10. Fold the sauce into your freshly drained pasta.
11. Serve as-is or spoon into individual ramekins or a big old casserole.
12. Bake at 350F until the pasta on top has a bit of crunch to it and the casserole is bubbling all around the sides.
13. Let sit for ten minutes before serving.
14. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information calculated for 6 servings.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 649 Saturated Fat: 12g Cholesterol: 84mg Sodium: 299mg Carbohydrates: 69g Fiber: 5g Sugar: 9g Protein: 26g

And there you have it for your quick and easy Sunday Supper! Chances are you have everything you need already in your pantry to make this creamy hamburger macaroni casserole, so go for it. And no, there is no rule that says you can’t add some bell pepper when you add your onions. Or maybe make it Mexican-style by stirring in some black beans and using cumin and/or chili powder for flavor rather than the Italian seasoning.

However you make your Casserole Supreme, do make some and enjoy the creamy retro-goodness!

Thanks for spending some time with me today. Take care, and have a lovely day.

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