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Square overhead shot of a serving spoon in a white dish of ground beef and corn casserole.
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5 from 1 vote

Ground Beef and Corn Casserole

An easy, cozy ground beef casserole with corn, bacon, squash, and noodles in a zesty tomato sauce with plenty of melty cheddar cheese on top!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword easy ground beef casseroles, ground beef and corn casserole, ground beef casserole, ground beef casserole with noodles
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 620kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dry egg noodles, elbow macaroni, or medium shells pasta
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup diced zucchini or yellow squash
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned corn
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite-diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch cayenne (or more to taste)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside.
  • Cook noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water for about 1 minute less than al dente, according to package instructions. Drain.
    Cooked egg noodles in a colander.
  • While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the pan. Add the ground beef and cook for 3 minutes (the meat doesn’t need to be completely cooked through at this point). Add the onion, zucchini or squash, and garlic; cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5-7 more minutes.
    Process shot showing how to brown ground beef.
  • Stir in the corn, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
    Cooking ground beef with corn and tomato sauce in a dutch oven.
  • Add the cooked, drained noodles and the cooked bacon to the beef mixture; toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish; top with shredded cheese.
    Horizontal overhead image showing how to make ground beef and corn casserole.
  • Bake, uncovered, until the casserole is hot and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.
    Overhead shot of ground beef and noodle casserole with corn in a white baking dish.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley or green onion.
    Close overhead shot of a bowl of ground beef and corn casserole.

Notes

  • Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste preferences. For instance, you might like to add an extra teaspoon of brown sugar for a slightly sweeter tomato sauce, increase the cayenne to make it spicy, or use a bit more chili powder for a zestier flavor.
  • Boil the pasta in well-salted water. This is your opportunity to really season the noodles.
  • Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than al dente. The noodles will continue to cook in the oven, so you want to slightly under-boil them so that they don’t become mushy after baking.
  • Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, basil, or oregano) for a bright, fresh touch. Sliced green onions are also good!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the casserole | Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 860mg | Potassium: 1043mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1120IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 342mg | Iron: 5mg