Beef Noodle Casserole

• butter or nonstick cooking spray — for greasing the casserole dish
• 8 oz wide egg noodles
• kosher salt — for the cooking water

Beef Layer

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can sliced mushrooms — 4 oz, drained
• 1 clove garlic clove — minced
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Cheese Filling

• 2 cups small-curd cottage cheese
• 1 package cream cheese — 8 oz, fully softened
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ⅓ cup yellow onion — very finely diced
• ⅓ cup green bell pepper — very finely diced
• as needed kosher salt — for the cooking water
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Garnish

• ¼ cup parmesan cheese (optional) — freshly grated, optional
• 2 tablespoons parsley (optional) — chopped, optional

1. Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 1–2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente. The noodles should be flexible but still slightly firm in the center. Drain well and set aside. Do not rinse.8 oz wide egg noodles, kosher salt for the cooking water
2. Prepare Beef Mixture: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and the largest crumbles reach 160°F. Drain the excess fat. Add the drained mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has slightly thickened but remains loose enough to spoon.1 pound ground beef, 1 can sliced mushrooms, 1 garlic clove, 2 cups tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
3. Make Cheese Filling: Place the softened cream cheese and sour cream in a large mixing bowl and beat with a sturdy spoon until smooth and evenly blended. Stir in the cottage cheese, onion, green bell pepper, salt, and pepper until well combined.2 cups small-curd cottage cheese, 1 package cream cheese, ¼ cup sour cream, ⅓ cup yellow onion, ⅓ cup green bell pepper, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
4. Layer Casserole: Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Spread half of the cooked noodles evenly across the bottom. Spoon all of the cheese filling over the noodles and gently spread it into an even layer. Add the remaining noodles, then spoon the beef mixture evenly over the top. Do not stir the layers together.
5. Bake: Loosely cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the center of the casserole reaches 165°F.
6. Rest and Serve: Let the casserole rest uncovered for 10 minutes before cutting it into squares. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.¼ cup parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons parsley