Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole – The Ultimate Comfort Food Recipe
This Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole is the ultimate comfort food—rich, hearty, and oh-so cheesy. With tender rice, seasoned beef, and melted cheese, it’s a family-friendly dinner you can make three ways: classic (with cream of mushroom soup), semi-homemade, or completely from scratch.
Ingredients
- Classic Version
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- ½ –1 lb ground beef cooked
- Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese sliced (about 9 pieces)
- Semi-Homemade Version
- 1 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
- 2 cups water
- ½ –1 lb ground beef cooked
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 13.9 oz Pacific Foods Mushroom Gravy
- ½ cup milk
- Colby Jack or medium Cheddar cheese for topping
- From-Scratch Version
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup onion minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ cup white button mushrooms minced
- 3 tbsp flour
- ½ cup cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups water
- ½ –1 lb ground beef cooked
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese sliced (about 9 slices)
- 1 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cook beef: In a skillet, cook ground beef until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Combine ingredients:
- Classic: Mix soup, rice, water, carrots, and cooked beef.
- Semi-homemade: Mix rice, water, beef, carrots, mushroom gravy, and milk.
- From-scratch: In a saucepan, melt butter and sauté onion, garlic, and mushrooms until tender. Stir in flour to make a roux. Slowly whisk in cream and broth until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Mix with rice, water, beef, and carrots.
- Assemble casserole: Transfer mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cover with foil.
- Bake: Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil, add cheese slices on top, and bake uncovered for 5–10 more minutes, until cheese melts and bubbles.
- Serve: Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Swap carrots with peas, corn, or broccoli for variety.
- For extra flavor, stir in ½ tsp paprika or Italian seasoning.
- Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 3 days.