Description
Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole is a creamy, family-approved comfort dish packed with seasoned beef, tender rice, cheddar cheese, and an easy homemade feel. Perfect for busy weeknights or freezer-friendly meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
1½ tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp butter, divided
¾ cup diced onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2½ cups beef broth
1¼ cups uncooked long-grain white rice (not instant)
8 oz sliced button mushrooms
10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
½ cup milk
½ cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- Brown the beef: In a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, cook ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning as it browns.
- Drain grease, hold beef aside: Once cooked through, drain off excess fat. Transfer beef to a plate and loosely cover with foil.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same pot, melt 2 Tbsp butter. Add diced onion and cook ~5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Add liquid and rice: Pour in beef broth, and add the remaining butter (1 Tbsp) and uncooked rice. Stir gently to combine.
- Simmer covered: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and let simmer 10 minutes (do not stir).
- Add mushrooms: After 10 minutes, stir in the sliced mushrooms (or gently nestle them on top), re-cover, and cook an additional 5–10 minutes (or until rice is tender). Follow your rice package’s total cooking time guidelines.
- Rest (don’t stir): Remove from heat. With the lid on, let the pot sit undisturbed for 10 minutes so any bottom bits release.
- Combine with sauce & cheese: Return the cooked beef to the pot. Add cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, and half (1 cup) of the shredded cheddar. Gently stir to combine.
- Transfer to baking dish: Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Pour the mixture into it and smooth evenly.
- Top & bake: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar over the top. Cover the dish (with foil or lid) and bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve warm, straight from oven.
Notes
Use cooked rice to skip the broth step (need 3¾ cups cooked).
Swap mushrooms for peas, corn, or carrots.
Make ahead: Refrigerate up to 2 days before baking.
Freezes well before or after baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Casserole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~1.5 cups
- Calories: ~475 kcal
- Sugar: ~2 g
- Carbohydrates: ~38 g
- Protein: ~26 g