I Tried The Pioneer Woman’s Sour Cream Noodle Bake, and It's the Most Comforting Dinner Ever

Published on December 23, 2025

As a born and raised Midwesterner, I’ve seen my share of casseroles. From classics like chicken and wild rice casserole and party potatoes to more inventive takes like huevos rancheros casserole or crab rangoon casserole, there are seemingly endless riffs on this iconic comfort food, and I’m not complaining. I’m always on the lookout for new casserole recipes that are delicious, filling, and easy to make—in addition to being an easy way to feed a family, they’re also the perfect thing to drop off for new parents or friends in need, as they can usually be assembled ahead of time and baked in a pinch. Recently, I came across Ree Drummond’s recipe for a classic sour cream noodle bake and wondered if it should be added to my casserole hall of fame. Here are my takeaways from testing it at home.

How to Make Ree Drummond’s Sour Cream Noodle Bake

1. Brown the meat. In a large skillet, brown ground chuck. Drain the fat from the pan, then add tomato sauce, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then let the mixture simmer while you prepare the rest of the casserole.
2. Cook noodles. Cook egg noodles until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
3. Make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, small-curd cottage cheese, and more freshly ground black pepper. Add to egg noodles and stir to combine. Add chopped green onion and stir again.
4. Assemble the casserole. Add half of the cooked, sauced noodles to a baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture, then sprinkle with half of the grated Cheddar. Repeat layering process with noodles, meat, and then a final layer of cheese.
5. Bake. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and browned.
   

Tips for Making Ree Drummond’s Sour Cream Noodle Bake

• Drummond strongly recommends the No Yolks brand of egg noodles. I used the brand's extra broad variety, and they worked perfectly for this recipe. Note that the recipe only calls for 8 ounces of egg noodles, so make sure not to cook the whole bag.
• Also, make sure not to overcook those egg noodles, or they’ll end up mushy in the casserole. I boiled them for 8 minutes (the package’s recommendation for al dente) and they had a perfect texture in the finished casserole.
• Drummond’s recipe calls for ground chuck, but she notes that any type of ground beef will do. That said, ground chuck has a higher fat content, giving it a richer flavor.
• While you might be tempted to use pre-shredded sharp Cheddar, Drummond politely requests that you grate your own. Wondering why? Pre-grated and pre-shredded cheese usually contain anti-caking agents to prevent clumping, so they don’t melt as well as freshly grated cheese. It’s worth grating your own, and our top picks for cheese graters will get you there in no time.
• Don’t feel the need to create perfect layers for the casserole. Drummond notes that other recipes for sour cream noodle bakes call for mixing the noodle and meat mixtures together before adding to the pan. Either approach will be delicious.
• This recipe doesn’t call for much in the way of seasoning, so don’t skimp on the black pepper. If I make this again, I’d probably add a little more seasoning—Drummond suggests adding Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes for a little kick, and I also think some chopped fresh herbs or garlic would go a long way.

The Verdict on Ree Drummond’s Sour Cream Noodle Bake

This recipe lives up to the easy breezy casserole reputation. It was incredibly easy to make—it calls for minimal ingredients and requires almost zero prep work, making it a hero meal for busy weeknights. Drummond notes that the casserole can also be made ahead of time and refrigerated, unbaked, so it would be a great meal to drop off for new parents—all they have to do is throw it in the oven for 20 minutes.

Much like our other favorite casseroles, this cheesy sour cream noodle bake is cozy and comforting, with a familiar flavor profile that might remind you a bit of your favorite lasagna or beef stroganoff. Several commenters noted that this recipe is similar to one they know as “poor man’s lasagna,” and the name is fitting. This casserole has a similar (though not as complex) flavor profile, but uses more affordable ingredients and requires much less work—canned tomato sauce stands in for a homemade sauce, and cottage cheese takes the place of the standard ricotta.

While I found the cheesy casserole satisfying, I wasn’t blown away by the flavor profile—green onion is the only aromatic, so I’d be interested to try this casserole again with some other spices and seasonings to amp up the flavor profile. That said, it’s still an easy, comforting casserole that comes together quickly and will appease even the pickiest of eaters.