This Sour Cream Noodle Bake is made with layers of egg noodles tossed with sour cream and cottage cheese, ground beef simmered in marinara sauce, and melty cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. It’s a cozy, filling casserole that’s perfect for busy nights and meal prep.
Sour cream noodle bake is a comfort food casserole that’s been around for quite some time. It’s an easy way to stretch a bit of ground beef into a filling meal, and it’s incredibly creamy and cheesy. Egg noodles are coated with a mixture of sour cream and cottage cheese for added creaminess, then layered with a marinara meat sauce and lots and lots of cheese.
A bit of time in the oven and a cheesy, cozy dinner is ready to enjoy. If you love dishes like tuna noodle casserole or chicken noodle casserole, you’ll love this one.
Why This Sour Cream Noodle Bake Is A Family Favorite
- Creamy & cheesy. The cottage cheese adds a ton of creaminess to the noodle mixture, along with the sour cream. Then, the layers of noodles and meat sauce are topped with 4 (!!) cups of cheese. Every bite is creamy, cheesy deliciousness.
- Hearty & filling. This sour cream noodle bake is definitely on the hearty side of casseroles. It’s not all noodles and cheese! The ground beef adds protein to keep it filling and turn it into more than just noodles coated in sour cream.
- Make-ahead friendly. This casserole makes fantastic leftovers. But, even better than that, it makes a great freezer meal. It can be assembled and frozen, ready to pop in the oven on a future busy night when there’s just no time to cook.
Key Ingredients
Let’s take a look at the ingredients needed for each part of this casserole. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the exact measurements.
Meat Sauce:
- Ground beef – I like to use lean ground beef to prevent excess grease but whatever you have on hand is fine.
- Onion & garlic – Aromatics to add flavor to the beef.
- Marinara sauce – I like to use my homemade marinara, but a jar from the store works too.
- Salt & pepper
Sour Cream Layer:
- Cottage cheese – Small curd cottage cheese offers the best texture for this casserole.
- Sour cream – Adds a bit of smooth texture and tangy flavor.
- Green onions – I like to use green onions because they have a lighter flavor than regular onions and also add a pop of color to the casserole.
- Salt & pepper
Noodles and Topping:
- Egg noodles – If you don’t have egg noodles, you can use rotini, penne, or any short pasta you have on hand.
- Shredded cheese – I like to use a combination of cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. Mozzarella or Colby Jack can also be used.
How To Make Sour Cream Noodle Bake
This casserole comes together pretty easily with just a few separate steps. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the baking dish.
- Cook the noodles. Cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the beef. Cook the beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain any excess grease.
- Simmer. Stir in the marinara sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Make the sour cream mixture. Combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, green onions, salt, and pepper. Add the egg noodles and stir to coat.
- Assemble. Spread half of the noodle mixture into the baking dish. Top with half of the meat sauce and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the cheese on top.
- Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Enjoy. Garnish with more green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Variations
Here are a few general tips for making this sour cream noodle bake, as well as some easy variations.
- Don’t overcook the noodles. Boil the noodles just to al dente, as they will continue cooking in the oven. Boiling them for too long will result in mushy noodles.
- Try a different protein. Swap the ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage for a different flavor.
- Add some veggies. For extra flavor, mix in sautéed mushrooms, diced bell peppers, or spinach to the meat sauce.
- Add some heat. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meat sauce for a little heat.
Serving Suggestions
Since this sour cream noodle bake is on the richer, heartier side of things, I like to balance things out with a crisp green salad or roasted vegetables to turn it into a complete meal. My Olive Garden salad, oven roasted vegetables, and roasted asparagus are some of our favorites. I’ll sometimes add some garlic bread as well.
In addition to the green onions, you can garnish with fresh parsley or a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for added flavor.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover sour cream noodle bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or the entire dish in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
- Freezer: This dish freezes well. Assemble the casserole, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Sour Cream Layer:
- 1 cup cottage cheese small curd
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Noodles and Topping:
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until the beef is browned and the onion is softened. Drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, green onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until well mixed.
- Add the cooked egg noodles to the cottage cheese mixture and stir to coat.
- Spread half of the noodle mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spoon half of the meat sauce over the noodles, then sprinkle on half of the shredded cheddar and monterey Jack cheeses.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining noodle mixture, meat sauce, and shredded cheeses, ending with the cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with additional sliced green onions, if desired, and serve hot. Enjoy!
Last Step:
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