Growing up, my mother cooked something we simply called “casserole” because it was the only casserole we ever had in our home. I loved it. (Still do.) It consisted of spaghetti shells, cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, tomato sauce, ground beef, and, if she felt fancy, green onions. When I saw this, I instantly thought of that cherished dish, which contains a lot of the same delectable ingredients.

Some folks find my mother’s casserole unusual… Cottage cheese, spaghetti, and red sauce? This Sour Cream Beef Noodle Casserole may generate the same problems. But not for me. I’m familiar enough with this combination to know that it’s pure comfort food. You don’t need much here. Ground beef, egg noodles, a couple of cans of tomato sauce, onion and garlic, Italian seasoning, and the best part: sour cream, cottage cheese, and cheddar.

To begin, prepare the egg noodles and then mix in the sour cream and cottage cheese so that each bite is a little creamy. You brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic before simmering it in a tomato sauce seasoned just with Italian seasoning. Some may wonder why you wouldn’t use bottled marinara or a more strong homemade marinara, but with these types of ground beef-pasta casseroles, a basic tomato sauce always tastes good to me.

Pour half of the noodle mixture into a baking dish and top with half of the meat sauce. Repeat.
This is the type of dinner that everyone enjoys and never complains about. But one that prioritizes both comfort and convenience.