Garlic Bread Casserole Recipe

Name: Garlic Bread Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces garlic bread; 1 pound ground beef; 1 small onion (diced); 24 ounces pasta sauce; 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

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This easy recipe for garlic bread casserole is one to try the next time you need a new recipe and something that is super easy. Texas toast garlic bread topped with a hearty meat sauce and tons of cheese.

garlic bread and cheese on top in a white dish

When it comes to making an easy weeknight dinner, this delicious garlic bread recipe is one that has become a family favorite for me.

I can’t think of eating spaghetti and meat sauce without garlic bread. So why not combine them?

If you’re looking for healthy dinners or cheap meal ideas, then you have to try this one. The best part?

There are only 5 ingredients in this delicious recipe. You can make it with things that you already have in your pantry.

If you love Italian food, especially Italian casseroles, check out my dump and bake meatball casserole recipe, lasagna casserole, crockpot pizza casserole, and my extra cheesy baked spaghetti casserole.

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labeled picture of ingredients for garlic bread casserole

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Garlic bread – I personally like Cole’s frozen, but you can also use any box of texas toast. You might need 10 to 12 thick slices depending on the shape of the dish.
Ground beef – Lean ground beef works best, but you can use Italian sausage if you want more spice.
Pasta sauce- Don’t like spaghetti sauce? Swap with any kind of tomato sauce, including marinara sauce or pizza sauce.
Mozzarella cheese – This can be replaced with any Italian blend cheeses if you can’t find mozzarella.

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How To Make Garlic Bread Casserole

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13 dish with nonstick spray. In a large skillet over medium heat to medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onions.

ground meat and tomato sauce in a skillet

Saute until beef is no longer pink and onions are soft. Drain excess oil. Pour in pasta sauce and stir.

Line a 9×13 casserole dish with a single layer of slices of cheesy garlic bread.

Pour ground beef and sauce mixture on top of garlic toast.

Top with shredded cheese. Place in hot oven and bake covered for 10 minutes.

melted mozzarella cheese in a white dish

Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley.

For the full recipe and detailed cooking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

Serving Suggestions

Buttery garlic bread pairs as a side with a number of different dishes. My favorites are spaghetti with meat sauce or a meatballs. A vegetable based soup or a crunchy, green salad.

For topping this casserole, I like to mix it up by adding parmesan cheese and a touch of Italian seasoning.

My secret ingredient, which is pepperoni slices, can turn this into a pepperoni pizza casserole recipe made with a garlic bread base.

If you like a crunch on top of your casserole, cover with a butter mixture of bread crumbs or Ritz crackers.

Do I need to thaw the frozen garlic bread before using?

I recommend doing so, but the choice is up to you. Personally, I like to lay my garlic bread slices out on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven for a few minutes. This keeps the bread from getting soggy.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Make this casserole ahead of time and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Make the ground beef mixture and store separately in a bowl. When you’re ready to cook, spread out the garlic bread and top with the meat mixture. Bake as usual.

How To Freeze It

I know this is an easy recipe, but if you want to make it ahead of time and freeze it, it will save you on a busy weeknight.

Make everything as usual but leave off the top layer of cheese. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to bake, remove it from the freezer, top with cheese, and bake.

I recommend taking it out of the freezer and letting it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or at least while the oven is preheating. Don’t forget to top with cheese.

You might want to cover with aluminum foil during the first 20 minutes so the cheese doesn’t overcook.

slice of garlic bread topped with melted cheese

Tips For The Best Casserole

To make cleaning up easy, line the bottom of a baking dish with aluminum foil before you place bread into the pan.
Not a big fan of garlic bread? Try using balls of pizza dough! Each ball of dough can be cooked ahead of time and then used to line the pan in the same way you would with the garlic bread.
One popular variation on this recipe is using meatballs instead of ground beef, and making a meatball sub casserole, rather than serving it sloppy joes style.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!

This delicious recipe is the perfect mix of garlicky toast, tomato sauce, tender ground beef, and a cheesy topping. I’ve been obsessed with this meal since the first time that I cooked it for my family because it’s super easy to make.