French Onion Beef Casserole is a savory and hearty dish that combines the rich flavors of French onion soup with ground beef and egg noodles, all made in one large skillet. Then, for added crunch and onion flavor, crispy fried onions top the casserole. If you are looking for a comforting dish that will be enjoyed by everyone, this is it! I also have the best homemade French Onion Soup you will love!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Onion: I used a yellow onion in this recipe. They have a balanced flavor and sweetness. When cooked low and slow, the natural sugars in the onion caramelize, resulting in a rich, sweet, and savory flavor. They add depth to French onion dishes like this one! Make sure you cook the onions as suggested in this recipe and give yourself a few extra minutes just to make sure they are a soft, almost sticky consistency.
Meat: I prefer ground beef in this casserole. However, you could also use ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
Onion Soup Mix: For a fresh alternative to store-bought onion soup mix, make your own! If using homemade, you will need about 3 tablespoons of the mix to match the amount in one envelope of store-bought.
French Onion Soup: You will need two cans of condensed French onion soup.
Egg Noodles: The egg noodles cook in the liquid, no need to use a separate pot and cook them ahead of time!
Crispy Fried Onions: Before serving, top the casserole with crispy onion rings. They add a nice crunch to each bite with some added onion flavor.
What To Serve With French Onion Beef Casserole
Although this is a hearty and rich dish, it’s nice to have some side dishes as options. Here are some of my favorites:
- Wedge Salad
- Roasted Vegetables like carrots, asparagus, or green beans
- A basket of bread with slices of a French baguette or ciabatta bread
- Dinner Rolls
- Roasted Potato Wedges
How To Store French Onion Beef Casserole
This recipe does make a large batch, so you may have leftovers. If so, first, let them cool. Then, store the casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to store it in portions for easy grab-and-go lunches. It will last up to 3-4 days. Reheat the casserole in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Can I Freeze The Casserole?
Sure! If you are planning to freeze some or all of the casserole, I recommend freezing it without the crispy fried onions. Once the casserole has cooled, store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2-3 months. When ready to enjoy, let the casserole thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Top with crispy fried onions.
French Onion Beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 packet (1 ounce) onion soup mix
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups (720 g) beef broth
- 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed French onion soup
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 6 ounces crispy fried onions
Instructions
- In a large skillet (I used a 12-inch) over medium-high heat, melt butter.
- Once melted, add onions and saute for 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally until the onions are very tender and caramel color.
- Add the ground beef, onion soup mix, salt, and pepper. Stir to break the beef into smaller pieces. Cook until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. (Remove any excess grease.)
- Add the beef broth and French onion soup.
- Add in the egg noodles, pressing them under the liquid to ensure the noodles are completely submerged. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10- 12 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Top with crispy fried onions. Serve.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This recipe is a simple and delicious dish that even the kids will love. Personally, I love that you save on dishes by making everything in one pot.
Elizabeth
At first, I wasn't sure this was worthy of a stand-alone recipe (meaning underwhelming for a homemade dish). But, after tasting it again (and again, and again…), I really started to like it and enjoyed the onion flavor with the soft egg noodles and ground beef. It is a flavorful recipe that I would share after giving it another chance.
Rachael
Simple dish to make and minimal dishes to clean. It tastes like comfort food to me, very much like what my Grandma would put together. The flavors were very delicious, and onions make everything better, especially the fried onions on top!
Annabelle
This is an easy dish with tons of flavor! There's also plenty of texture, but it all works together, nothing overpowers anything else!
Bella
I can't get enough of this! It's buttery, fulfilling and beefy. I love how savory and delicious it is while being so easy to make!
Selena
Oh man I love this. It's kind of a mashup between beef stroganoff and hamburger helper. It is just such a warm, comforting food and I adore the crispy onions on top!!
We love this!!! Make it over and over!!
I saw 2 types of condensed onion soup one seemed watery the other creamy. Which one . Thank you 😊
Flavor is good! I had a hard time keeping this in a skillet with the large amount of liquid the recipe calls for, so I ended up dumping it in a large pot. Next time I am going to cut the recipe in half. Also my noodles were
gummy-like.
Super easy, lots of flavor. Huge hit with the family!
I’m sorry to say that I was very disappointed with this recipe__too many noodles.
12 ounces of noodles in a recipe that serves 8? That is actually UNDER the recommended amount of 2 ounces per person per serving. Sorry you are disappointed by something like that.
I made this tonight, and to be honest…a lot of work for what is essentially “Hamburger Helper”. I don’t mean that in a bad way really. The flavors were good, nothing wrong with the recipe. Since I am single and always look for meals I can freeze I liked that it had no dairy, I 1/2’d the recipe and it still made a LOT! If I were going to make this for others I think after the skillet work I’d put it into a casserole pan and maybe do a take on traditional french onion soup. Put on a layer of bread and cover with some cheese and broil.
Where do you buy condensed French onion soup? I’ve only ever seen regular French onion soup. :/
It’s in the soup isle in the canned soups
Not condensed
Campbell soup is condensed. It is very faintly written above Campbells near the top rim. Or very faint under the word Campbell.
It’s really good!
Turned out as good as it looked online. It was amazing. It will be a regular
This recipe as it could not be served to someone with kidney disease or congestive heart failure. Must have at least 1500 mg sodium per serving. People with medical issues cannot have in entire day more than 1200. No kosher salt, low salt onion soup mix, you can buy beef broth with no sodium, would try to get cans of onion soup in low sodium. Definitely will make for our potluck group.
hi Amanda, great recipe! i had all the ingredients on hand and i made this for dinner tonight…all family members agreed that it tasted just like Great Grandma’s that she would serve…i made homemade buttermilk biscuits and our meal was wonderful…A family dinner surrounded by love and fond memories of Gram…thank you Amanda 😉
Wish there was a full set of nutrition facts. However I will be trying this recipe.