Cheesy BBQ Beef Casserole Recipe

When you're looking for a way to prepare flavorful ingredients to feed a crowd, a pasta bake is an obvious solution. As Mashed recipe developer Patterson Watkins notes, "Busy schedules call for tasty meals without a lot of hassle." To assist in the search for meals that are quick and satisfying, she shares this BBQ beef casserole recipe. In this dish, a few easy homemade ingredients are "thrown together into a filling, cheesy, noodly, beefy, BBQy casserole. Bake it up, and voilá, you have a dinner that's stress-free and satisfying."

This hearty dish, with its balance of rich, saucy, and comforting flavors, is substantial enough to stand on its own. But if you want to add a fresh element, Watkins says, "I would 100% round this meal out with some veggies. Asparagus and/or green beans would be excellent." Of course, your favorite mixture of sauteed vegetables is an easy side. Watkins adds, "If you're absolutely done cooking, a crisp garden salad with a tangy vinaigrette would be aces."

If you're not feeding a crowd, "This is an easy recipe to scale down, being that the ingredients can easily be halved," Watkins says. Keep in mind that you'll want to use a smaller baking dish too, "That way you won't risk drying anything out and you can keep the baking time the same," she explains.

For this cheesy BBQ beef casserole, start by getting a package of wide egg noodles. If you're hoping to have plenty of leftovers, Watkins recommends, "Swap out the egg noodles for a firmer noodle (egg noodles tend to break up when reheated)."

Next, you'll need butter, yellow onion (chopped), garlic cloves, (peeled and minced), and a package of pulled BBQ beef or chopped beef brisket. For the sauce, use BBQ sauce, a can of tomato sauce, heavy cream, beef bouillon paste, and water. Finally, grate some cheddar cheese and chop scallions to garnish.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Fill a large pot ¾ full with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, add the noodles, and cook according to the instructions on the package (aiming for the lower end of the time range).

Meanwhile, spritz a 13x9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Once the noodles have cooked, drain and rinse under cold water, and set aside.

Using the same pot used to cook the noodles, melt the butter over medium heat.

Once melted, add the onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes or until tender.

Add the pulled beef to the pot, stir to combine, and continue cooking for 3 minutes more.

Add the BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, cream, bouillon, and water to the pot.

Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove the pot from the heat and add half of the grated cheese.

Stir until the cheese has melted.

Add the cooked noodles to the pot and gently stir to combine.

Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared casserole dish, spreading out in an even layer.

Top the casserole with the remaining cheese and place in the oven.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the edges of the casserole are lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped scallions before serving.

The quest for the perfect BBQ sauce can elicit some pretty strong opinions, so Watkins sticks to broad recommendations. Personally, she says, "I am a fan of BBQ sauces on the savory side (spicy BBQ sauces being a close second), especially for this recipe. You already have some sweeter components; the onions, potentially the store-bought brisket, and the cream, having a sweet BBQ sauce might throw off that flavor balance." Since the recipe calls for tomatoes, you might want to consider a vinegar-based sauce to cut through the richness of the cheese and cream. A mustardy sauce would add a welcome kick to the rich dish without being overwhelmingly spicy, and a smoky sauce would complement the pulled beef. 

Of course, convenience will factor into the decision as well. "I am also one to use what I have already in the fridge," Watkins adds. That said, flavor balance can make or break a dish so she offers some tips on rounding out a sweet sauce. "If your in-home, in-fridge BBQ sauce is a little on the sweet side, maybe add a dash of low sodium soy sauce to offset." Apple cider vinegar can also help to balance overly sweet store-bought BBQ sauce. And if you start with a simple homemade BBQ sauce recipe you can tweak it to suit your preferences and the recipe.

This no-fuss recipe calls for packaged pulled beef or chopped beef brisket as a timesaver. Watkins directs us "down the aisle a-ways from the raw meat products," which is where she found a section of prepared, packaged BBQ goods. Alternatively, she notes that the self-serve prepared food section of most grocery stores might also have a good selection of meat to use in this casserole.  

For an even more convenient option, she tells us, "I also saw some frozen meals that would work in this recipe too, near the family-sized lasagnas," Watkins notes. This recipe is extremely versatile, and you can use whatever kind of cooked meat you prefer or have on hand. "If you're still striking out with the beef, pre-made pulled pork or pulled chicken would work well as a substitute. Or you could turn to things like pre-cooked beef roasts or steak tips (you'd just need to downsize those options into bite-sized bits)." This recipe is also an easy and economical way to use up leftovers.