Fargo Hot Casserole

Fargo Hot Casserole–a make ahead casserole with ground beef, pasta sauce, egg noodles, spinach and a cheesy finish that the whole family will love.

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Fargo Hot Casserole

This recipe is a good one to keep in your back pocket for busy evenings because you can put the whole thing together the night before and just bake it when you’re ready for dinner. I made it on a Saturday night and then all we had to do on Sunday was pop it in the oven. We all loved it, and the leftovers were perfect for Skyler’s lunch the next day too. One of my favorite things about this casserole is that you don’t even have to pre-cook the egg noodles. They soften right in the casserole while it bakes, which means one less pot to wash. The creamy cheese mixture, hearty meat sauce and melty cheese on top make this one extra satisfying! (This recipe is adapted from Fargo Hot Dish on Mr. Food).

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Lean ground beef–or ground turkey
• Minced dry onion–or diced onion
• Kosher salt
• Tomato basil pasta sauce–or marinara sauce
• Black pepper
• Cream cheese–or Neufchâtel cheese
• Sour cream–or plain Greek yogurt
• Milk–or half and half
• Garlic powder
• Egg noodles
• Water
• Spinach–fresh or frozen
• Shredded cheddar cheese–or Colby Jack cheese
• Shredded mozzarella cheese–or Italian blend cheese

Steps

Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Add in the ground beef and break it up. Add in the onion. Brown until no longer pink. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the salt, tomato basil sauce and pepper. Bring to a simmer and heat for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. 

In a bowl mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, milk, garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Use a hand mixer or whisk really well. 

In a 9×13 inch pan add the egg noodles and water. The egg noodles are uncooked. Evenly spread the spinach over the top. Then drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture and spread with a spatula. Pour the meat sauce over the top. Finally top with the cheeses. 

Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake heat oven to 375° F. Bake with foil on the pan for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes and then serve. 

Notes/Tips

• Serve with garlic bread and green salad. We like the Olive Garden Italian dressing.
• This is a great make-ahead casserole for busy weeknights or bringing dinner to someone else.
• Covering the casserole for the first part of baking helps the noodles cook evenly and prevents the cheese from browning too quickly.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This casserole freezes well either before or after baking. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Other recipes you can make with mozzarella are Instant Pot Caprese Chicken and Instant Pot Spinach and Ravioli Lasagna.

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for. 

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.