This Sour Cream Noodle Bake is a cheesy casserole loaded with tender rotini, savory meat sauce, and a creamy sour cream and cream cheese layer. It’s an easy, family-friendly dinner that comes together quickly and bakes up bubbly and golden.
I love to serve it with Texas toast garlic bread and a creamy cucumber salad.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Sour Cream Noodle Bake
- Flavor: A creamy, hearty meat sauce tossed with tender pasta and topped with melty mozzarella.
- Why Make It: This recipe serves eight and comes together with 15 minutes of prep and simple ingredients. It’s an easy choice for a busy weeknight!
- Pasta Tip: Cook rotini just to al dente so it stays tender without becoming too soft in the oven.
Total Time: 35 Mins Serving: 8 Cooking Method: Stovetop & Oven
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef, or replace with ground turkey or chicken.
- Pasta Sauce: Use your favorite marinara or tomato-based pasta sauce. Garlic, basil, or roasted tomato varieties add extra flavor without any additional ingredients.
- Cream Cheese: Soften the cream cheese first so it blends smoothly with the sour cream. Full-fat cream cheese gives the casserole the creamiest texture.
- Sour Cream: Plain Greek yogurt can be used, though it will give the casserole a slightly tangier taste.
- Rotini Pasta: Use a sturdy, ridged short pasta, like rotini or rigatoni, so the sauce clings to every bite. Swap for penne, ziti, or bow ties.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Pre-shredded mozzarella is the quickest option, while freshly shredded cheese from a block melts more smoothly.
How to Make Sour Cream Noodle Bake
- Prepare the Sauce: Brown the beef with onion and garlic, drain, then simmer with pasta sauce and Italian seasoning (full recipe below).
- Make the Filling: Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, seasonings, and some mozzarella.
- Assemble & Bake: Layer meat sauce, rotini, the cream cheese mixture, the remaining sauce, and mozzarella in the baking dish, then bake.
Save It for Later
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Add a small spoonful of pasta sauce and a sprinkle of fresh mozzarella to help restore moisture and cheesiness to reheated portions.
Easy Ground Beef Comfort Food
Did you enjoy this Sour Cream Noodle Bake? Leave a comment and rating below.
Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (24 ounce) can or jar pasta sauce your favorite
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 pound rotini pasta cooked, drained
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in a skillet. Drain any fat.
- Stir in pasta sauce and Italian seasoning simmer about 5 to 10 minutes.
- With a mixer, combine cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in garlic powder, parmesan cheese, and ½ cup shredded mozzarella.
- Spread half of the meat sauce in a 9 x 13 pan. Top with rotini. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pasta layer.
- Spread remaining sauce on top of the cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is slightly browned and bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Not enough meat sauce and way too much mozzarella .
Hi Deb, thanks for trying our recipe. You can definitely increase the meat sauce next time if you prefer. I would love to hear how you adjust it to your liking. Happy cooking!
Family loved this!! Used 12oz of sour cream (family adores it) and a little extra sauce. Fabulous!! Only recommendation would be to use the absolute deepest 9×13 you have because it does bubble over a bit. In fact we loved it so much, I’m going to invest in a super deep one just for this recipe!! Thanks so much!
I made this recipe exactly for what it called for. Very yummy but I definitely would’ve preferred it be more saucy. Will definitely have to add more spaghetti sauce next time.
One of my favorites
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
This will keep for about 3 days in the fridge Vanessa. Enjoy it!
This looks so good! What a quick and delicious meal to make on a weeknight!
Enjoy it Suzanne! It’s so good!
AMAZING WOW! I didn’t use any meat but did start with onions In pan then 2 min with garlic. Just WOW it’s like fettuccine! Loved it
So happy to hear that you love this noodle bake!
Can I prep this and freeze for another day?
Sharon, this casserole can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving. I haven’t tried freezing it, but I think it would work. Let us know if you try freezing it. Enjoy!
Everyone loved this! Especially my father in law who said it reminded him of a meal they had at school when he was a kid. This recipe is a keeper!
That is so awesome Hannah! Thanks for sharing.
Huge success, with much fewer tweaks to the recipe as written than I usually make:
1) Used ground Italian sausage instead of beef, which worked. (Next time I will mix the two.)
2) Since we are all sour cream lovers, and since sour cream is part of the point here, I used 12 oz instead of 8 oz. Worked!
3) Used basil instead of Italian seasoning (since I thought I had some but didn’t). Worked!
I used arrabiata sauce, which went well with the Italian sausage.
Great recipe, totally in the rotation. Thank you!
That sounds delicious Elliot! Thanks for sharing your substitutions.
Hello and thank you for great recipes. I just wanted you to know step 3 has us adding garlic powder twice. No big deal really. Cannot wait to make this dish! Thank you.
Enjoy Karin! Fixed, thank you!
The recipe is missing cook pasta step. Do I cook to package directions or less time since it is going in the oven?
The ingredients list asks for the pasta to be cooked and drained. Enjoy Kathryn!
What is the correct amount of cream cheese to use? I want to make this ASAP! Thank you in advance!
The ingredients asks for 8 ounces of cream cheese.
I used mascarpone instead of cream cheese. Delish!
That sounds yummy Jacci!
Could you make this in a crockpot??
I have only tried the recipe as written. Maybe another reader has tried it!
Sour Cream Noodle Bake – I made this tonight and followed the recipe exactally as written. It was very good and we both went back for a second helping. As written the ingredients will completely fill a 9X13 pan. I was concerned it might bubble over during cooking but it didn’t. Since we like leftovers I doubt any of the noodle bake will need to be frozen. Recipe is a keeper and I will make it again.
Happy to hear how much you love the noodle bake Nettie!
I messed up didn’t see the noodles had to be cooked first. Any ideas on what to do. Can I add water or just cook longer? Has anyone else done this?
I haven’t done that before. Maybe someone has some ideas for you.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a HUGE hit! Kids and hubby screamed OMG it’s so good, it’s keeper! We all LOVED it! Thank you for sharing your amazing recipe!
You’re so welcome Nancy, I’m so glad your family loved this recipe as much as mine!
Anyway to get this recipe without downloading this site to my google chrome home pages?
You can find a print button near the recipe if that helps.
What was the correct amount of mozzarella cheese to use??
The recipe calls for 16 ounces of mozzarella cheese
Tried this for dinner tonight. My family loved it. I added mushrooms and green peppers as well. So good. Thanks for posting this recipe.
You’re welcome Gaea,so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!
Has anyone tried freezing this?
Family of four with two very picky eaters ate this. Even seconds. My husband said he’d reheat and eat again. Thank you. Will make again.
So great to hear that your family enjoyed it Cathy!
Made this today after looking for something to keep us 2 in food for a few days. I had to get on here to tell you thank you very much. We are cheese a holics and this was perfect. I think i may have added oregano and Worcestershire said to ground meat. But other than that went step by step per your instructions and we are both laying here fat dumb and happy now!! Thank you thank you!!
You’re most welcome! I’m so glad to hear that you loved it Elizabeth!
Do you cook the noodles before you add to the dish?
Yes, the noodles are cooked
Any recommendations on making this slightly healthier? I added this recipe to myfitnesspal and it says it is 1,130 calories per serving, and it is 6 servings?
I used greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Vegan cream cheese and vegan mozzerella cheese and it turned out amazing.
Thank you for sharing Shasta!
Could you possibly put in two 8×8 pans and freeze one?
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I think it would work. Let us know if you try freezing it Ruby!
I am making this right now. I had almost a full 16 oz bag of cheese to put on top because the recipe only said to use a half cup earlier. Am I doing this correctly? It seems like a lot of cheese on top.
Habitat Meal! YUMMMY!
Holy cow! I just made this recipe tonight to the T and everyone loved it! Very easy and delicious!! Thank you!