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This flavorful Sour Cream Noodle Bake takes pasta to a whole new level! Using sour cream, cottage cheese, ground beef, tomato sauce, noodles and plenty of mozzarella, this recipe will have you coming back for seconds and even thirds!
Noodle bake recipes like this one are so crowd-pleasing! They’re comforting, filling and so easy to throw together! If you love this beefy noodle recipe, here are a few more recipes you should try: meatball casserole, sloppy Joe casserole, baked rigatoni and baked chicken Alfredo.
What is a Sour Cream Noodle Bake?
Creamy Sour Cream Noodle Bake is the perfect dinner solution that’s not only incredibly tasty but also fuss-free! This is one of those recipes you need in your back pocket to pull out when you can’t decide what to make for dinner. It’s really easy, has the most amazing flavor and everyone loves it. Even your picky kids will be begging for more!
You simply brown the meat, sauté the veggies, cook the noodles, make the creamy filling, then layer everything together similar to a lasagna. Pop it in the oven and wait to fill your plate with major deliciousness! On busy weeknights, you can even have this prepped ahead of time, so all you have to do is bake it before dinnertime. Pair it with homemade garlic bread, air fryer vegetables and an Olive Garden salad for a complete meal!
Ingredients Needed
Simple ingredients come together to create an irresistible family dinner in this sour cream noodle bake recipe! Check out the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Beef: Lean ground beef is the hearty base for this pasta bake.
- Onion and Garlic: Yellow onion and minced garlic add major savory flavor.
- Tomato Sauce: For tangy, savory goodness. You can make homemade tomato sauce or keep things easy by using your favorite canned version!
- Salt and Pepper: To taste!
- Egg Noodles: I love using wide, tender egg noodles for this recipe.
- Sour Cream: Makes this dish perfectly creamy with a nice tang that complements the savory flavors.
- Cottage Cheese: Provides the casserole with a creamy texture, subtle tangy taste and a boost of protein.
- Salt: To flavor the creamy sour cream mixture.
- Seasonings: A mix of onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper bring out so much amazing flavor!
- Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella cheese melts wonderfully and is the perfect topping for this baked pasta.
- Green Onions: Optional to garnish for a pop of color. Alternatively, you can garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
How to Make This Sour Cream Noodle Bake Recipe
Get ready for this ground beef noodle bake to be a new favorite with your family! Plus, it’s so easy that you’ll find yourself making it again and again. Here’s how it all comes together:
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Sauté: In a large skillet, sauté the ground beef and onion over medium high heat. Cook until all the beef is browned, 8-10 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté another minute.
- Add Tomato Sauce: Add in the tomato sauce and salt and pepper, sauté for another 5 minutes stirring continually. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the Noodles: Cook the egg noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- Make the Sour Cream Mixture: In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream, cottage cheese, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Assemble the Casserole: Mix the egg noodles into the sour cream mixture and pour half of the noodle mixture into the baking dish. Pour half of the meat mixture on top of the noodles.
- Bake: Repeat one more layer of noodles then meat sauce and top it with the mozzarella cheese. Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before topping with green onions and serving.
Tips and Variations
Here are some helpful tips and ways to make this sour cream noodle bake your own!
- Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole a day in advance, cover tightly, refrigerate, and bake when ready to serve for a convenient ready-to-go meal.
- For the Meat: You can replace the ground beef with ground chicken, ground turkey or lean Italian sausage.
- Cottage Cheese: If you don’t like eating cottage cheese and you’re worried you won’t like it in a casserole, I promise once it’s mixed in with the other ingredients, you won’t even realize it’s cottage cheese. It just adds wonderful creaminess!
- Noodles: You can swap out the egg noodles for another type of pasta like penne, rigatoni or another favorite noodle variety.
- Cheese: Feel free to replace the mozzarella with any cheese you like. Grated sharp cheddar cheese or Colby jack cheese are great choices. Freshly grated cheese, rather than pre-shredded in a bag, will have maximum flavor and melt the best.
Storing Leftovers
You’ll be lucky if you have leftovers! This dish reheats well and makes a great lunch the next day!
- In the Refrigerator: Once it’s cooked and cooled, your sour cream noodle casserole will last in the fridge for up to 4 days. To keep it fresh, store it in an airtight container.
- To reheat: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also rewarm individual servings in the microwave.
More Delicious Noodle Bakes
Here are a few more amazing pasta casserole recipes that your family will devour! They’re warm, comforting, and so easy to make! For more dinner inspo, check out my full list of casseroles!
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Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup diced yellow onion, about ½ medium onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic, about 2 cloves
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ¼ cup cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, sauté the ground beef and onion over medium high heat. Cook until all the beef is browned, 8-10 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté another minute.
- Add in the tomato sauce and salt and pepper, sauté for another 5 minutes stirring continually. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the egg noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream, cottage cheese, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Mix the egg noodles into the sour cream mixture and pour half of the noodle mixture into the baking dish. Pour half of the meat mixture on top of the noodles.
- Repeat one more layer of noodles then meat sauce and top it with the mozzarella cheese. Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before topping with green onions and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I halved the recipe for an 8×8 baking dish, and it turned out wonderfully. Real comfort food. I added 1/2 tsp. of Italian seasoning and was glad I did. Next time I will use 3/4 lb. of ground beef and 12 oz. of tomato sauce for the meat sauce.
Thanks a lot, Alyssa. This one’s a keeper.
I have made this recipe twice now. The second time I added an additional 8oz can of tomato sauce plus 2 T. of tomato paste because the first time I felt the sauce ran short. I also added some dried oregano to the sour cream mixture. I do find the measurements for salt and pepper a little confusing – since the ingredients are mentioned both for meat sauce and sour cream mixture. I just took a guess on them. Otherwise, it is super simple to make and is becoming a family favorite. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Omg, this was so delicious and easy to make! Definitely lasagna vibes which I loved.
I made this recipe! It reminded me of an easy lasagna! When I make it again, I will probably add more lasagna type seasonings to the sour cream mixture. But very good!
Loved this one! Truly comfort food on a cold and rainy day. I added a half a can of diced tomatoes and chopped up some spinach and threw them in just because I had them left over from a previous meal. Turned out delicious. I’m sure the leftovers will be even better.
This recipe is absolutely delicious!! You are right, you don’t even know the Cottage cheese or the sour cream is in here, it just adds all the creaminess you want in a pasta bake!!
Thank you for such a flavourful & delicious meal!!
Can I sub ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese?
Yes, that will work just fine!
Flat out HATE cottage cheese – period! Is there a way to make this w/o it – 2 cups sour cream, maybe?
Yes! You could double up on the sour cream or use plain Greek yogurt instead of the cottage cheese.
If I used 1.3 # of ground beef, would I add more tomato sauce? or more sour cream/cottage cheese to make it more saucy? I wouldn’t want this bake to be dry.
I would add a little extra sauce or cheese for moisture, but not too much that it affects the cooking time. 😊
If I make this ahead of time, without baking, will the pasta absorb too much moisture
It should still be good if you prepare it the night before! Any longer than that though, and the noodles may get soggy.