This is a baked ground beef and macaroni casserole with a three-cheese topping and a full three cups of finely chopped vegetables hidden in the sauce. It comes together in 45 minutes and feeds six people from one pan. If you want a filling weeknight dinner that doesn’t require much cleanup, this is a solid choice.
Before you start
The most important thing here is undercooking the pasta on purpose. Pull the macaroni out after just 4 minutes — it will feel too firm, almost chalky. That’s correct. It finishes cooking in the oven, and if you boil it fully before baking, it turns to mush. The second thing worth knowing is how to tell when ground beef is cooked through on the stovetop: you’re looking for no remaining pink and an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Break the meat up into small pieces as it cooks so it heats evenly — large clumps stay raw in the middle longer than the outside suggests.
Troubleshooting
- Sauce looks watery before it goes in the oven: Cottage cheese and coconut milk both release moisture as they heat. Stir the mixture over medium heat for a full minute or two before adding the pasta — it will tighten up noticeably.
- Cheese topping burns under the broiler before it melts: Broilers vary a lot. Keep the rack one position lower than you think you need, and check every 60 seconds after the first minute. Two minutes is often enough.
- Casserole is dry after baking: This usually means the pasta absorbed too much liquid during the 20-minute bake. Make sure the foil is sealed tightly around the edges of the pan before it goes in — trapped steam keeps everything moist.
- Vegetables are still crunchy in the finished dish: The broccoli and cauliflower go in raw and minced, so they rely on the oven time to soften. If you cut them too coarsely, they won’t cook through. Aim for pieces no larger than a pea.
- Beef clumping into large chunks: Add the meat to the pan before it’s fully hot and break it apart immediately with a wooden spoon or spatula. Waiting until it starts to brown makes it harder to separate.
About the ingredients
- Coconut milk: Use canned, not the refrigerated carton kind. The canned version is thicker and contributes to the creamy sauce texture. You won’t taste coconut in the finished dish — it just adds body. If you’d rather not use it, evaporated milk works as a straight swap.
- Cottage cheese: This is doing the job of a cream sauce without the fat. Don’t drain it before adding — the liquid is part of the sauce. Full-fat or low-fat both work; fat-free tends to make the sauce grainy.
- Cream of mushroom soup: One standard 10.5 oz can. Don’t dilute it with water — use it straight from the can. Cream of chicken works if that’s what you have.
- Whole wheat macaroni: Regular white macaroni is a fine substitute and behaves identically in this recipe. Skip the garnish of extra parsley or herbs on top — not worth the extra dish.
Make-ahead notes
You can assemble the casserole up to the point of baking, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours — add 5 extra minutes to the covered baking time since it’s going in cold. Fully cooked leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions with a splash of water added to prevent drying out. For freezing, cool completely first, then freeze in portions for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating rather than going straight from frozen to oven, which tends to dry out the edges before the center is hot.
Cheesy Ground Beef Casserole (Hidden Veggie!)
Equipment
Ingredients
1 cup broccoli - minced, 70g
1 can cream of mushroom soup - 10.5 oz / 298g
- 2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni - dry, 8 oz / 225g
Instructions
- Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil (I used about a tablespoon of salt).1 teaspoon salt
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ground beef, celery, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to high and cook, breaking the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon, for 4–5 minutes until the beef is cooked through (no pink remaining, 160°F / 71°C internal) and the vegetables are softened.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1/2 medium white onion, 1/2 cup celery stalks, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 lb ground beef (minced beef)
- While beef and veg are cooking, drop macaroni into boiling water and cook for 4 minutes (pasta should still be quite firm and undercooked when you drain it). Drain and leave to add to mixture within a few minutes.2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the cottage cheese, cream of mushroom soup, Parmesan, coconut milk, minced broccoli, and minced cauliflower. Stir until everything is warmed through and well combined.1 cup broccoli, 1 1/2 cups cauliflower, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- Add the drained macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9×13 inch (33x23cm) baking pan and spread evenly.2 cups whole wheat elbow macaroni
- Sprinkle half the shredded cheddar and mozzarella evenly over the top. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and bake in the centre of a preheated 375°F / 190°C (170°C fan-forced) oven for 20 minutes.2 cups cheddar cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Remove from oven. Turn oven on to broil. In a small bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs with the remaining shredded cheddar and mozzarella. Scatter the mixture evenly across the top of the casserole.1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 cups cheddar cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Place under the broiler (without foil) for 2–3 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted and the panko is golden brown. Stay nearby — it can go from golden to burnt in seconds.
- Let cool for 8 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use regular ground beef instead of extra lean?
Yes, but drain the fat after browning or the sauce will be greasy. Tilt the pan and spoon off the excess fat before adding the cottage cheese and soup — regular ground beef can release quite a bit.
How do I know when the ground beef is fully cooked?
It’s done when there is no pink left anywhere in the pan and it reads 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Color alone can be misleading, so a thermometer is the most reliable check if you’re unsure.
Can I skip one of the cheeses if I don’t have all three?
Yes — the cheddar is the most important one for flavor, so keep that if you’re dropping any. Mozzarella adds the stretchy melt and parmesan adds a salty, sharp note, but the casserole will still work with just cheddar and one other.
My family doesn’t like broccoli or cauliflower — can I leave them out or swap them?
You can swap them for any vegetable that cooks quickly when finely chopped — zucchini, frozen peas, or finely diced carrot all work well here. Just keep the total amount close to three cups so the sauce-to-filling ratio stays balanced.
More mince recipes to try
- Hearty Beef Cauliflower Bake
- Ultimate Cheesy Beef Bake
- Creamy Beef Spinach Pasta
- Beef Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
