This high protein creamy ground beef noodle casserole is rich, cozy, and packed with flavor, but gets a boost from cottage cheese that makes it extra satisfying without feeling heavy.
A nostalgic, family-friendly ground beef noodle casserole that uses cottage cheese to make a genuinely high-protein dinner—without tasting like “health food.” Each serving has 18g of protein!
It’s like a homemade version of Hamburger Helper—cheap, familiar, kid-friendly and comforting, but this one is secretly high protein which makes it more healthy!
Love easy ground beef dinners? Try our Korean Ground Beef Noodles or Korean Beef Cottage Cheese Protein Bowl next.
My mom was in the depths of motherhood—five kids, a husband traveling a lot for work, and dinner was starting to feel like a burden. Then my grandma called and said, “I have this casserole recipe for you. It’s super easy and cheap to make!”
My mom needed both, and this casserole has been in our family ever since.
Over the years, we’ve figured out how to make it even better: cottage cheese makes the filling extra creamy while adding protein, without making this taste remotely like “health food.”
Recipe The Secret to Why our Ground Beef Casserole is an Internet Sensation
Cottage cheese is the secret to making this classic casserole higher in protein and creamy! I hate the dry, flavorless egg noodle casserole recipes online. They are bland and a total waste of money. But adding cottage cheese in just the right proportion to the ground beef takes it from bland to grand! Not to mention, the added protein keeps you fuller longer and is a healthier option than sour cream or those weird mayo versions.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Beef Noodle Casserole
- Extra creamy: Cottage cheese creates a rich, creamy filling without canned soup.
- Protein-packed: Ground beef, cottage cheese and shredded cheese make it especially satisfying.
- Family-friendly: Familiar noodles, seasoned beef and melted cheese make this an easy one for kids.
- Budget-friendly: It’s made with simple, inexpensive grocery-store ingredients.
- Great for busy nights: Prep is