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Cheesy Amish Hamburger Casserole - Cozy, Crowd-Pleasing Comfort Food

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef (80–90% lean works best)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 ounces egg noodles (wide or medium)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup cottage cheese (small curd preferred)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional for color and warmth)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter (for greasing the baking dish and added richness)

Method
 

  1. Preheat and prep: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or coat with cooking spray.
  2. Cook the noodles: Boil egg noodles in salted water until just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside. Toss with a teaspoon of butter to prevent sticking if needed.
  3. Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is soft, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
  4. Add aromatics and sauce: Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, parsley, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer 5 minutes to meld flavors.
  5. Mix the creamy layer: In a bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. This adds the signature Amish-style creaminess.
  6. Layer the casserole: Spread half the noodles in the prepared dish. Dollop and gently spread half the sour cream mixture over the noodles. Spoon on half the beef-tomato sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar. Repeat the layers with the remaining noodles, sour cream mixture, beef sauce, and top with the remaining cheddar.
  7. Bake: Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges.
  8. Rest and serve: Let it rest 5–10 minutes before slicing. This helps the layers set. Garnish with a little extra parsley if you like.