Description
French Onion Ground Beef and Rice Casserole delivers pure comfort straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Hearty, cheesy, and packed with savory goodness, this one-pan wonder brings maximum flavor with minimum effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound ground beef
Supporting Grains and Starches:
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 packet French onion soup mix
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fire up your oven to precisely 350F and grab a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Sizzle 1 pound ground beef and 1 chopped onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until meat browns completely, about 7-8 minutes.
- Drain every drop of excess fat from the skillet, ensuring a lean mixture.
- Fold in 1 cup uncooked rice, stirring to coat each grain with the meat’s warmth.
- Pour 2 cups beef broth and 1 can cream of mushroom soup into the skillet, mixing thoroughly.
- Sprinkle entire packet of French onion soup mix across the surface, creating deep flavor layers.
- Generously season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, stirring until completely combined.
- Transfer the entire mixture into your prepared baking dish, spreading evenly to the edges.
- Seal the dish tightly with aluminum foil, creating a steamy environment for cooking.
- Slide the covered dish into the preheated oven for exactly 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and shower 1 cup shredded cheese across the top in an even blanket.
- Return uncovered dish to oven for precisely 10 more minutes until cheese melts beautifully.
- Rest the casserole for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to settle and sauce to thicken.
Notes
- Use sweet onions like Vidalia for a deeper, richer flavor that melts beautifully into the casserole.
- Swap ground beef for ground turkey or a plant-based crumble to make the dish lighter and more diet-friendly.
- For extra texture, toast the rice briefly in the skillet before adding liquids to enhance its nutty undertones.
- Opt for low-sodium broth and soup mix to control salt content, especially if watching your sodium intake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 435 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg