Description
Ground beef and rice casserole brings comfort straight to your dinner table, melding hearty flavors into one satisfying family-friendly meal that disappears quickly from hungry plates.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein and Starch:
- 1 pound ground beef (cooked and drained)
- 1 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
- 2 cups water
Vegetables and Dairy:
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 8–10 slices cheese
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup cream or milk
- ½ cup chicken broth
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and coat an 8×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice, 2 cups water, 1 cup sliced carrots, and 1 pound cooked ground beef directly in the prepared baking dish.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 90 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Remove foil and arrange 8-10 cheese slices evenly across the casserole’s surface.
- Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts completely and becomes bubbly.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the cheese to set and flavors to meld together.
Notes
- Give the casserole extra flavor by using sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese for a bolder taste.
- If making the from-scratch version, sauté the vegetables until they’re golden for deeper caramelized notes.
- For a gluten-free adaptation, replace regular flour with cornstarch or your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
- Save time by using pre-cooked rice or rotisserie chicken as protein alternatives to ground beef.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 575 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg