Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.

This flavorful Sour Cream Noodle Bake takes pasta to a whole new level! Using sour cream, cottage cheese, ground beef, tomato sauce, noodles and plenty of mozzarella, this recipe will have you coming back for seconds and even thirds!

Noodle bake recipes like this one are so crowd-pleasing! Theyโ€™re comforting, filling and so easy to throw together! If you love this beefy noodle recipe, here are a few more recipes you should try: meatball casserole, sloppy Joe casserole, baked rigatoni and baked chicken Alfredo.

A serving of some sour cream noodle bake in a stoneware bowl.

What is a Sour Cream Noodle Bake?

Creamy Sour Cream Noodle Bake is the perfect dinner solution thatโ€™s not only incredibly tasty but also fuss-free! This is one of those recipes you need in your back pocket to pull out when you canโ€™t decide what to make for dinner. Itโ€™s really easy, has the most amazing flavor and everyone loves it. Even your picky kids will be begging for more!

You simply brown the meat, sautรฉ the veggies, cook the noodles, make the creamy filling, then layer everything together similar to a lasagna. Pop it in the oven and wait to fill your plate with major deliciousness! On busy weeknights, you can even have this prepped ahead of time, so all you have to do is bake it before dinnertime. Pair it with homemade garlic bread, air fryer vegetables and an Olive Garden salad for a complete meal!

Ingredients Needed

Simple ingredients come together to create an irresistible family dinner in this sour cream noodle bake recipe! Check out the recipe card for exact measurements.

  • Beef: Lean ground beef is the hearty base for this pasta bake.
  • Onion and Garlic: Yellow onion and minced garlic add major savory flavor.
  • Tomato Sauce: For tangy, savory goodness. You can make homemade tomato sauce or keep things easy by using your favorite canned version!
  • Salt and Pepper: To taste!
  • Egg Noodles: I love using wide, tender egg noodles for this recipe.
  • Sour Cream: Makes this dish perfectly creamy with a nice tang that complements the savory flavors.
  • Cottage Cheese: Provides the casserole with a creamy texture, subtle tangy taste and a boost of protein. 
  • Salt: To flavor the creamy sour cream mixture.
  • Seasonings: A mix of onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper bring out so much amazing flavor!
  • Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella cheese melts wonderfully and is the perfect topping for this baked pasta.
  • Green Onions: Optional to garnish for a pop of color. Alternatively, you can garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

How to Make This Sour Cream Noodle Bake Recipe

Get ready for this ground beef noodle bake to be a new favorite with your family! Plus, itโ€™s so easy that youโ€™ll find yourself making it again and again. Hereโ€™s how it all comes together:

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9ร—13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Sautรฉ: In a large skillet, sautรฉ the ground beef and onion over medium high heat. Cook until all the beef is browned, 8-10 minutes. Add in the garlic and sautรฉ another minute.
  3. Add Tomato Sauce: Add in the tomato sauce and salt and pepper, sautรฉ for another 5 minutes stirring continually. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Cook the Noodles: Cook the egg noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.
  5. Make the Sour Cream Mixture: In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream, cottage cheese, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
  6. Assemble the Casserole: Mix the egg noodles into the sour cream mixture and pour half of the noodle mixture into the baking dish. Pour half of the meat mixture on top of the noodles.
  7. Bake: Repeat one more layer of noodles then meat sauce and top it with the mozzarella cheese. Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
  8. Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before topping with green onions and serving.
6-photo collage of the beef mixture being prepared it being added to a casserole dish along with the pasta and sauces.

Tips and Variations

Here are some helpful tips and ways to make this sour cream noodle bake your own!

  • Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole a day in advance, cover tightly, refrigerate, and bake when ready to serve for a convenient ready-to-go meal.
  • For the Meat: You can replace the ground beef with ground chicken, ground turkey or lean Italian sausage.
  • Cottage Cheese: If you donโ€™t like eating cottage cheese and youโ€™re worried you wonโ€™t like it in a casserole, I promise once itโ€™s mixed in with the other ingredients, you wonโ€™t even realize itโ€™s cottage cheese. It just adds wonderful creaminess!
  • Noodles: You can swap out the egg noodles for another type of pasta like penne, rigatoni or another favorite noodle variety.
  • Cheese: Feel free to replace the mozzarella with any cheese you like. Grated sharp cheddar cheese or Colby jack cheese are great choices. Freshly grated cheese, rather than pre-shredded in a bag, will have maximum flavor and melt the best.

A scoop of sour cream noodle bake on a wooden spoon.

Storing Leftovers

Youโ€™ll be lucky if you have leftovers! This dish reheats well and makes a great lunch the next day!

  • In the Refrigerator: Once itโ€™s cooked and cooled, your sour cream noodle casserole will last in the fridge for up to 4 days. To keep it fresh, store it in an airtight container.
  • To reheat: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also rewarm individual servings in the microwave.

A cheesy scoop of sour cream noodle bake being pulled up with a wooden spoon.

More Delicious Noodle Bakes

Here are a few more amazing pasta casserole recipes that your family will devour! Theyโ€™re warm, comforting, and so easy to make! For more dinner inspo, check out my full list of casseroles!

Pin this now to find it later

Pin It

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9ร—13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

  • In a large skillet, sautรฉ the ground beef and onion over medium high heat. Cook until all the beef is browned, 8-10 minutes. Add in the garlic and sautรฉ another minute.

  • Add in the tomato sauce and salt and pepper, sautรฉ for another 5 minutes stirring continually. Remove from heat and set aside.

  • Cook the egg noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.

  • In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream, cottage cheese, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.

  • Mix the egg noodles into the sour cream mixture and pour half of the noodle mixture into the baking dish. Pour half of the meat mixture on top of the noodles.

  • Repeat one more layer of noodles then meat sauce and top it with the mozzarella cheese. Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

  • Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before topping with green onions and serving.

Serving: 1servingCalories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 35gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 1076mgPotassium: 761mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 790IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 214mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.