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Beefy Noodles Casserole

A casserole of ground beef, onion, chili, tomatoes, mustard, macaroni, egg, and cheese baked until bubbly.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 8 ingredients
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Why it works: Beans and tomato match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,713 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓

Beefy Noodles Casserole

Oven350°F
Time35 to 40 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Make the meat sauce

  1. Heat oven to 350°F.

  2. In a large skillet, over medium‑high heat, add ground beef and onion.

  3. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until ground beef reaches an internal temperature of 155°F for 15 seconds (judged on temperature, not color or texture of the food) and onion is soft, stirring frequently; drain.

  4. Stir in chili, tomatoes, and mustard. Bring to a boil.

  5. Reduce heat to medium‑low and cook 10 minutes.

Assemble and bake

  1. In a 1 ½‑quart baking dish, stir together the macaroni, egg, and ½ cup cheese.

  2. Add the meat mixture and stir well.

  3. Top with the remaining ½ cup cheese.

  4. Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

490Calories
41 gProtein
28 gFat
18 gCarbs

Counts 7 of 9 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 7 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Beef100g cooked250
Mozzarella Cheese1 oz (28g)85
Egg1 large egg (50g)78
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Mustard1 tsp (5g) yellow3
Beannot in our table0
Macaroninot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Beans + tomatotop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together2,713 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  2. Beans + mustardtop 4% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together852 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  3. Onion + mustardtop 6% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together9,259 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  4. Beef + oniontop 7% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together17,092 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  5. Onion + beanstop 7% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together5,242 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Lean ground beef
Provides the meaty base and savory flavor of the sauce.
Egg
Binds the macaroni and cheese mixture so it holds together when baked.
Mozzarella cheese
Melts into the top and body of the casserole, adding richness and stretch.
Elbow macaroni
Adds starch and bulk, soaking up the sauce and giving the casserole its structure.
Diced tomatoes and green chilies
Adds moisture, acidity, and a mild heat to the sauce.
Dry mustard
Adds a sharp, pungent aroma that deepens the sauce's flavor.

The step that matters

Cook the beef to 155°F. Ground beef must reach the stated internal temperature to be safe, and color alone does not show doneness. Stirring frequently keeps the meat evenly cooked and prevents clumps or scorching in the skillet.

Swap the mustard

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (beef, onion, beans, tomato, egg, mozzarella cheese):

  1. Capsicumfits better
  2. Potatofits better
  3. Chivefits better
  4. Mustardthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against beef, onion, beans, tomato, egg, mozzarella cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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