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I made this casserole last week with leftover Barbeque Pork Meat. It got gobbled up so quickly that I’ve deemed it “Disappearing Casserole.” It was such a hit and so darn easy to make I made it again two days later….sure enough it disappeared again.
This recipe would also work great with leftover taco or sloppy joe meat.
I think my kids especially liked that the casserole was not mushy. Sometimes they get a little worried if a casserole looks too mushy or they can’t recognize what is in it.
This casserole passed their scrutiny with flying colors. I threw the casserole together in a bit of desperation to get dinner on the table quickly with little effort and I have to admit I was a little worried it was going to be a flop.
Boy, was I wrong. Give this super easy casserole a chance next time you find yourself with some leftover, barbecue, taco or sloppy joe meat.
More noodle recipes
- 1 16 ounce box of elbow macaroni or pasta of your choice
- 4 cups mixed frozen vegetables (the one with peas, corn, carrots, and beans)
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 2 cups leftover meat of your choice (taco meat, sloppy joe meat or shredded barbecue meat)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¾ tsp chili powder
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- Salt for noodle and veggie water
- Cook noodles, in generously salted water, according to package directions to aldente, add frozen veggies to cooking pasta for the last 6-8 minutes of their cooking time.
- Drain noodle and veggie mixture and add tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, meat and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Pour mixture in to 9x13 casserole dish
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, remove and sprinkle with two cups of cheese and return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. I like to put mine under the broiler for a minute or two to get a nice little brown-ness going on with the cheese. but you can do whatever you prefer.
Samantha
November 30, 2016 at 7:45 pmDo you have to use the veggies?
Maria
November 30, 2016 at 7:58 pmNo, it will still be really good without them.
Samantha
November 30, 2016 at 8:37 pmThank you! Using what I have on hand with leftover sloppy joe mix. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Maria
November 30, 2016 at 9:04 pmYummy! That sounds delicious. I love this for when I have meat left over, but not enough for a whole meal. 🙂
Julia
September 12, 2018 at 12:22 amThis was so good! I used leftover chicken fajita instead of meat and it was still just as tasty as it would’ve been with meat! I served it with sour cream and sprinkled Parmesan cheese! I’m so happy I made this!
Maria
September 17, 2018 at 2:22 pmIsn’t this an awesome way to use up leftovers!? I am so glad you found it and tried it out. Thanks for leaving a comment and letting me know Julia!