French Onion Beef Casserole
This French onion beef casserole recipe takes everything you love about French onion soup and turns it into a hearty, baked dinner the whole table will fight over. Ground beef and egg noodles get folded into a creamy onion soup sauce, then topped with melted cheese and crispy fried onions.
Equipment
- Large stockpot - for boiling noodles
- Large skillet or sauté pan - for browning beef and onions
- 9x13 inch baking dish - ceramic or stoneware recommended
- Colander - for draining noodles
- Box grater - optional, for shredding cheese
- Instant-read meat thermometer - optional
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef - 900g, 80/20 blend
- 12 oz wide egg noodles - 340g
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - 28g
- 1 large yellow onion - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 cans condensed French onion soup - 10.5 oz / 298g each
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup - 10.5 oz / 298g
- 1 cup sour cream - 240g
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- 2 cups Gruyère cheese - 200g, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups French fried onions - 90g, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the egg noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook diced onion for 4-5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Add ground beef and cook for 7-8 minutes until no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Drain excess grease.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in both cans of French onion soup, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 3 minutes until heated through.
- Add drained noodles to the skillet and gently fold until evenly coated in the sauce.
- Pour the beef and noodle mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle shredded Gruyère evenly over the top, then scatter half of the French fried onions over the cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the remaining French fried onions over the top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
- Don't skip draining the beef: Excess grease will make the sauce greasy and thin instead of rich and creamy.
- Add fried onions at the end: If you put them on before baking, they lose their crunch and can burn under the heat.
- Use freshly grated cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains additives that prevent it from melting as smoothly into the sauce.
- Let the casserole rest: Cutting into it too soon will cause the sauce to run instead of holding its shape.
- Taste before adding salt: Condensed soups already bring plenty of sodium to the dish.
- Make-ahead: Assemble the entire casserole up to the baking step and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 5-10 extra minutes to bake time.
- Freezing: Freeze the casserole without the fried onion topping for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 28gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 980mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 6IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 15mg
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