---
title: "Cheesy Beef and Green Bean Pasta Casserole"
yield: "Servings: 5–6"
prep: "15 minutes"
cook: "20–25 minutes"
recipe_id: "186e0035-c573-4978-9610-8d34f87e1ec1"
---

# Cheesy Beef and Green Bean Pasta Casserole

A creamy, cheesy ground-beef casserole with pasta, green beans, onion, tomatoes, cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

Servings: 5–6 · Cook: 20–25 minutes · Prep: 15 minutes

## Ingredients

- -   1 lb ground beef
- -   12 oz pasta (egg noodles, rotini, penne, shells, or elbow macaroni)
- -   12--16 oz green beans
- -   1/2 medium onion, finely diced
- -   1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes (optional, but recommended)
- -   1 cup chicken broth
- -   1 cup heavy cream
- -   1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar, divided
- -   1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
- -   1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
- -   1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
- -   1/2 tsp garlic powder
- -   1/2 tsp onion powder
- -   1/2 tsp salt
- -   1/4 tsp black pepper
- -   1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
- -   Up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, if needed
- -   1--2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)

## Instructions

### Prepare the Pasta and Green Beans

1. Preheat oven to **375°F**.
2. Cook pasta in salted boiling water for about **2 minutes less than package directions**.
3. For fresh green beans, cut into bite-size pieces and add them to the pasta water for the final **4 minutes**. For frozen, add during the final **2--3 minutes**. If canned, drain and add later.
4. Reserve about **1/2 cup pasta water**, then drain.

### Brown the Beef and Onion

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add ground beef and diced onion.
7. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika if using.
8. Cook for **7--9 minutes**, breaking up the beef, until browned and the onion is soft.
9. Drain excess grease.

### Make the Creamy Cheese Sauce

10. Reduce heat to medium.
11. If using tomato paste, stir it into the beef and cook for **1 minute**.
12. Add chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the skillet.
13. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Do not boil aggressively.
14. Simmer **3--5 minutes**, stirring occasionally.
15. Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in: 1 cup cheddar 1/2 cup mozzarella 1/4 cup Parmesan
16. Stir until melted and smooth. Taste before adding additional salt.

### Combine

17. Add cooked pasta and green beans to the cheese sauce.
18. Fold in chopped tomatoes.
19. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
20. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water. It is fine if the mixture is slightly loose because the pasta will absorb sauce in the oven.

### Assemble and Bake

21. Transfer to a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
22. Top with: Remaining 1/2 cup cheddar Remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella Remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan
23. Bake uncovered for **20--25 minutes**, until bubbling around the edges.
24. Broil for **1--2 minutes** for a browned cheese topping, if desired.
25. Rest for **5--10 minutes** before serving.
26. Garnish individual servings with a small amount of chopped cilantro if desired. Cilantro works especially well if you want a slightly fresher finish.

## Notes

- If you have them, one or two of these work well: - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce - 1/2 tsp mustard - A pinch of smoked paprika - Crumbled bacon
- For this version, keep the creamy cheese sauce as the main flavor.
- Save the salsa verde, salsa roja, pesto, and creamy rosa sauce for other meals.