About
Let's count down the layers of the 8 Layer Casserole! First a layer of melty, sharp cheese (always a good start). Tender, buttery egg noodles follow the cheese. Then a layer of meaty, rich, and herby sauce for extra savoriness. After that, leafy spinach and a creamy, tangy cream cheese sauce. Finally, more layers of meat sauce and noodles! How could anyone resist the layered flavors of 8 Layer Casserole? It just can't be imagined!
Ingredients
- 1 pound homestyle egg noodles, frozen
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- 2 (15-ounce) cans of tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon onion, dried and minced
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk, 2%
- 2 (10-ounce) packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- fresh parsley, optional, minced
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 -Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 -Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions.
Step 4 -In a large skillet, cook the beef, crumbling it as it cooks, over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 5 -Drain the fat from the skillet.
Step 6 -Add the tomato sauce, onion, sugar, Italian seasoning, basil, parsley flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the skillet.
Step 7 -Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 8 -Reduce the heat to low.
Step 9 -Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 10 -In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and milk.
Step 11 -Place 1/2 of the cooked noodles in the prepared baking dish.
Step 12 -Top the noodles in the baking dish with an even layer of 3 cups of the meat mixture.
Step 13 -Layer on the cream cheese mixture.
Step 14 -Add the spinach in an even layer.
Step 15 -Add in the remaining meat mixture.
Step 16 -Top the meat mixture with the remaining noodles.
Step 17 -Sprinkle the Colby-Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses over the top of the casserole.
Step 18 -Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 40-45 minutes.
Step 19 -Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes outside the oven.
Step 20 -Serve topped with fresh parsley.
