Ground Beef Casserole

🥘 Ground Beef Casserole
🧾 Ingredients
1 lb (500g) ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked pasta (penne or macaroni)
1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, for richness)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
🧀 Creamy & Cheesy Layer
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Preheat
   Set oven to 180°C (350°F)
   Grease a baking dish
2. Cook the beef
   In a skillet:
   Cook ground beef + onion until browned
   Add garlic and cook 1 minute
   Drain excess fat
3. Add sauce
   Stir in:
   Tomato sauce
   Tomato paste
   Italian seasoning
   Salt & pepper
   Simmer 5–10 minutes
4. Mix creamy layer
   In a bowl, combine:
   Sour cream
   Cream cheese
5. Assemble
   Layer in baking dish:
   Half pasta
   Half beef mixture
   Creamy layer
   Remaining pasta + beef
   Top with shredded cheese
6. Bake
   Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden
7. Serve
   Let rest 5 minutes
   Serve warm and enjoy 😋