🧀 Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

📝 Description

Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole is a comforting, family-friendly dinner made with seasoned ground beef, tender rice, creamy sauce, and melted cheese. It’s simple, budget-friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights. Everything bakes together into a warm, hearty casserole that’s satisfying and easy to customize.

🍽 Servings

Serves: 6–8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
Total Time: About 50 minutes

 Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups cooked white rice (or 1 cup uncooked, prepared)

• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup sour cream

• ½ cup milk

• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• ½ cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables (optional)

 Instructions

1️⃣ Preheat

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 baking dish.

2️⃣ Cook the Beef

In a skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef.
Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until softened.
Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Drain excess grease.

3️⃣ Mix the Filling

In a large bowl, combine:

• Cooked beef mixture

• Rice

• Soup

• Sour cream

• Milk

• 1 cup shredded cheese

• Seasonings

• Optional vegetables

Mix until fully combined.

4️⃣ Assemble

Spread mixture evenly into prepared baking dish.
Top with remaining ½ cup cheese.

5️⃣ Bake

Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.

Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

💡 Tips

✔ Use rotisserie rice (leftover rice works great).
✔ Add diced bell peppers for extra flavor.
✔ Substitute ground turkey for a lighter option.
✔ Add a sprinkle of paprika on top before baking for color.
✔ For extra creaminess, stir in 4 oz cream cheese.

🥗 Nutritional Info (Approximate Per Serving)

Calories: 420–480
Protein: 22g
Carbohydrates: 30g
Fat: 25g
Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 650mg

(Nutrition varies based on ingredients used.)

🌟 Benefits

✅ Budget-friendly
✅ Easy one-dish meal
✅ Great for leftovers
✅ Kid-approved
✅ Customizable

❓ Q & A

Q: Can I use uncooked rice?
A: Yes, but add 1 cup uncooked rice and 2 cups broth. Cover tightly and bake 45–50 minutes.

Q: Can I freeze it?
A: Yes! Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 3 months.

Q: How do I make it gluten-free?
A: Use gluten-free condensed soup.

Q: Can I make it ahead of time?
A: Absolutely. Assemble, cover, refrigerate up to 24 hours, then bake.