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Ground Beef Chow Mein Casserole

A ground beef casserole topped with crunchy chow mein noodles, just like grandma used to make! Serve with rice.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people
Calories 2963.1 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Dish
  • 1 Large Skillet
  • 1 Spatula or wooden spoon For browning beef and mixing
  • 1 Aluminum Foil For covering casserole during initial bake

Ingredients
  

Main

  • cooking spray
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 10.5 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 10.5 ounce can condensed cream of celery soup
  • 1 8 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • ¾ cup water
  • ⅔ cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese
  • ½ cup sliced almonds
  • ½ cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 5 ounce can chow mein noodles

Instructions
 

  • Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Allrecipes / Qi Ai
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Transfer beef to the prepared baking dish. Allrecipes / Qi Ai
  • Add condensed soups, water chestnuts, celery, water, Colby-Jack cheese, almonds, mushrooms, soy sauce, and pepper to the baking dish; stir with beef until well combined. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Allrecipes / Qi Ai
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle chow mein noodles over top of casserole. Continue baking until casserole is browned around the edges, about 30 minutes more. Allrecipes / Qi Ai

Notes

For enhanced depth, sauté diced yellow onion and minced garlic with the ground beef until fragrant before draining. To elevate the flavor profile, a dash of toasted sesame oil or a pinch of ginger powder can be incorporated into the mixture. Ensure water chestnuts and celery are uniformly diced for even cooking and consistent texture. For optimal crunch, add the chow mein noodles only during the last 30 minutes of baking to prevent them from becoming soggy. Consider using low-sodium condensed soups and soy sauce to better control the overall saltiness, seasoning to taste. Serve alongside plain steamed rice or a light, crisp green salad to balance the richness.