This dish has tender noodles swimming in a creamy sauce, a hearty amount of beef, and just a little heat from the Southwest tomatoes. Plus, on top of each bite is some melted cheese, perfectly browned at the edges. If that sounds tasty keep reading to find out how to make this amazing American casserole: Beef Lombardi.
The story of the name of this dish come from one of the first places to ever serve pizza in the US, Lombardi’s in New York City. It’s not part of the menu today, but they do serve pasta so I’d like to believe there’s a link to this famed restaurant. Regardless of where the name comes from this classic dish is a true crowd-pleaser and that’s true no matter where it’s served!
This casserole is a hearty take on the basic formula of pasta + tomatoes + cheese + meat. Each bite is so full of flavor, especially when you use some canned tomatoes with chilis (otherwise known as Ro-Tel).
They add just a little bit of heat. But, if you want no heat at all use canned tomatoes with basil or Italian seasonings instead.
Another twist is that this recipe uses a generous amount of Colby Jack cheese on top. I’m not convinced this aspect of the recipe has roots in Italian cooking, but it’s so tasty that I’m not going to worry about authenticity over flavor. But, in all truth I think this dish would be wonderful with just about any type of cheese on top.
Bake this is until the cheese starts to turn golden brown for the best flavor.
Oh, and I can’t forget to mention that while this makes for a tasty dinner it’s also amazing to have for leftovers!
Beef Lombardi
Yield(s): 8-10 servings
20 m prep time |58 m cook time | 530 calories
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons (3 oz) tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 (10 oz) cans diced tomatoes & chilies (like Ro-tel), drained
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 (12 oz) package egg noodles
1 1/4 cups sour cream
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 1/2 cups Colby Jack cheese
