French Onion Beef Noodle Bake

There are some casseroles that attempt to approximate an entire healthy meal in a single baking dish, maybe involving some rice and some chicken and some sensible broccoli. And then… then, there are casseroles that are unapologetically creamy, meant solely to provide you a delicious helping of comfort out of a casserole dish. This is the latter. This easy casserole has only seven ingredients, but each one wholeheartedly plays its part in creating a seriously comforting and delicious bake.

This is a bake that’s based on the love of French onion flavor… Not the lofty, carefully tended and slowly caramelized soup variety (which is delightful in its own right), but rather, the guiltier pleasure of a storebought jar of dip and crispy, packaged fried onions. Yup, they both show up here.

A jar of French onion dip mingles with sour cream and cream of mushroom soup in a sauce that’s entirely devoted to blanketing everything it touches in creaminess and flavor. That sauce binds together a base of tender egg noodles and ground beef that bake up (along with some cheddar cheese) into a bubbly mixture that’s basically the pinnacle of comfort food.

The fried onions show up last, in just enough time to get golden brown and crispy in the oven, ensuring that every bite of this bake greets you not only with chewy noodles and hearty beef in a creamy, cheesy, French onion flavored sauce, but also with their signature delicate oniony crunch. It’s comfort food at its finest, my friends.

French Onion Beef Noodle Bake

45 minutes to prepare serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 8 oz egg noodles
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 (16 oz) container French onion dip
  • 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups fried onions

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 10-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray.
  2. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and place noodles in a large bowl. Set aside.
  3. In large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain any excess grease.
  4. To the large bowl with the noodles, add French onion dip, condensed soup, and sour cream. Stir until thoroughly combined and then stir in cheese and ground beef.
  5. Spread into prepared baking dish and bake until golden brown and bubbly, 25 minutes. Top with fried onions and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!