One-Skillet Beefy Enchilada Noodle Casserole

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One-Skillet Beefy Enchilada Noodle Casserole

This image courtesy of Todd Coleman

Editor's Note: If you need to cook and wash the dishes, then finding a one-skillet recipe is music to your ears. In this recipe for One-Skillet Beefy Enchilada Noodle Casserole, you'll cook up a tasty riff on the traditional noodle casserole in no time. Featuring ground beef, peppers, and plenty of noodles, this hearty enchilada noodle casserole is one that your family will love. In addition, this easy one-pot meal can be made in advance. If you're trying to incorporate more meal planning into your weekly plans, then you'll definitely want to give this tasty and easy casserole recipe a look — and a try!

There is a recipe for One-Skillet Cheesy Beef and Macaroni in The Mom 100 Cookbook that not only is my husband's favorite from the book, and high on my kids' list, but also one of the recipes that people most often email me about, declaring it a staple in their weekly repertoires. It seems only right to try to follow it up with a beefy cheesy noodle-y encore. And so, I present for your consideration a Mexican twist on this much-loved dish, and a meal that is greeted in my house with thunderous applause. Okay, not thunderous applause, but requests for seconds, which is as close to thunderous applause as I can hope to get.

Serves8

Cooking MethodSauteeing

CostModerate

Easy

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Kid FriendlyYes

One Pot MealYes

OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get Together, Game Day

Recipe CourseMain Course

MealDinner

Taste and TextureMeaty, Savory

Type of DishCasserole, Pasta

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray, for the skillet
1 1/2 pint lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive, canola, vegetable, or peanut oil
2 onions, chopped
1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 to 3 cups chicken broth, preferably low-sodium
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (16-ounce) package fusilli, rotini, or egg noodles
1/2 cup light or heavy (whipping) cream, or half-and-half
1 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack, cheddar cheese, or a Mexican blend

You can never have too many make-ahead recipes and tips! If you want to get into meal prep, then take a look at these 8 Meal Prep Tips, Ideas, and Recipes You Can Use to Make Life Easier

8 Meal Prep Tips, Ideas, and Recipes You Can Use to Make Life Easier

Instructions

Spray a very large, deep (13-inch; 6 quart) skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat, until it is crumbly and browned throughout, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander and drain.
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions are softened and the spices are nice and toasty and aromatic, 5 minutes.
Raise the heat to high, add 2 cups of the chicken broth, the tomato paste, and enchilada sauce, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the drained beef and noodles, and stir well. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, covered, until the noodles are cooked, following the package directions. Stir once halfway through the cooking time. The liquid should be pretty much absorbed, but the mixture should still be moist looking. If the noodles absorb all of the liquid before they are cooked, add up to an additional cup of chicken broth to the pan, stir, and cover until the pasta is tender.
You can continue with Step 5 or see the Fork in the Road if you want a spicy casserole.
Stir in the cream, and sprinkle over the cheese. Cover and cook until the cheese melts, just 1 or 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Variation:

You can also make this with ground turkey for a slightly lighter version.

Spicy Enchilada Casserole: When the pasta becomes tender at the end of Step 3, stir in about 1 tablespoon finely minced jalapeño pepper and 8 trimmed and chopped scallions (white and green parts) along with the cream, then sprinkle on the cheese. Cover and let the cheese melt.
For half spicy and half tame, before adding the cream and cheese, remove half of the mixture to a shallow serving bowl, stir in 1/4 cup cream, and sprinkle on 3/4 cup of the cheese, then cover and let the cheese melt. Then, to the mixture remaining in the skillet, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons minced jalapeño and 4 chopped scallions with 1/4 cup cream. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese, cover, and let it melt.
Fork in the Road: Nicely seasoned for those who don't like a lot of heat, pumped-up seasoning options for those looking for some kick.
What the Kids Can Do: Measure the spices, cream, and cheese; dump things into the pan and stir (with supervision); sprinkle on the cheese.
Make Ahead: You can make this casserole up to the point that the noodles are about halfway cooked, and refrigerate it, covered, for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature and warm the casserole gently over low heat until the noodles are cooked through (you may need to add a bit more broth). When it is hot, stir in the cream (and the spicy ingredients if using) and finish it off with the cheese.