Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

Looking for a delicious and easy dinner recipe? This Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole is sure to be a family favorite. With a few simple ingredients, you can have a comforting and satisfying meal on the table in no time!

Beef and Rice Casserole Recipe

So you’ve heard of my BEST EVER Chicken and Rice Casserole, but have you heard of Beef and Rice Casserole? If not, let me introduce you! This dish is a one pan meal that is comfort food at its finest. Tender rice, ground beef, cheese, an incredible cream sauce, and of course….CHEESE! This casserole is a surefire way to please even the pickiest of eaters!

If you scroll through the blog, chances are, you’ll find a casserole. What can I say? I love a good casserole, especially on busy weeknights! After making several chicken casseroles, like my ULTIMATE Chicken Casserole, and wanting to try something new, I decided to try using ground beef and am I ever glad I did. Packed with ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness in every bite, this definitely goes down as one of my top favorite dinner recipes!

Why you’ll love this Ground Beef Casserole

Casseroles are so quick and easy, this recipe is no exception! After one bite, you’ll know exactly why my family is obsessed with this recipe, but here are some top reasons:

• Versatile- you can change this up to fit your tastes. More cheese, add in some peppers, veggies, use chicken or ground turkey, etc. The possibilities are endless!
• One Pan Meal- with rice, ground beef, and cheese combined, this can be a one pan meal without needing to make a mess in the kitchen.
• Flavor Packed- have I mentioned just how good this casserole is? Well, its has a burst of flavor in each and every bite!
• Budget Friendly- using only 5 simple ingredients, this meal is quite budget friendly.
• Reheats Perfectly- if you are lucky enough to have leftovers, store them and enjoy them again the next day. Leftovers are just as tasty!

Ingredients Needed

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Beef- ground beef, you can also use ground turkey in this recipe
• Rice-a-Roni (Beef)- you’ll find this at your local grocery store by the rices and boxed packages/ minute meals.
• Cream of Chicken Soup- try to use reduced sodium to cut down a bit since the other ingredients can be higher amounts
• Cheese- I used shredded cheddar cheese, feel free to use whichever type you prefer or have on hand
• French Fried Onions- you can also use crushed Ritz crackers or breadcrumbs if you aren’t a fan of fried onions

How to make Beefy Rice-A-Roni-Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
2. Prepare Rice-A-Roni according to boxed directions.
3. While rice is cooking, cook beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain fat.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice, beef, and creamed soup.
5. Pour ground beef mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle cheese and Fried Onions on top evenly.
6. Place pan into preheated oven and cook for about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Variations to try

This casserole is so easy to change up to fit your tastes, here are a few great ideas to try:

• Stir in onions, spinach, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, or veggies to make this a complete meal.
• Use ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the ground beef.
• Feel free to use cream of celery or cream of mushroom in place of the cream of chicken.
• You can use sour cream in place of the creamed soup, just be sure to add additional seasonings to make the casserole just as delicious.
• Change up the cheddar cheese to fit your desires. We have made this using Colby Jack and Pepper Jack cheeses and its tasty!
• Sprinkle crushed Ritz crackers or breadcrumbs on top in lieu of the French Fried Onions.
• Add 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce for added flavor.

What to serve with this Cheesy Beef Rice Casserole

This casserole can be served on its own since it includes both rice and ground beef, however, I love to serve a veggie with this to get some healthy greens in us. We love to enjoy this casserole with Parmesan Roasted Brussel Sprouts or Roasted Asparagus to get our greens in. If you love bread items with your meals like my family does, try these Garlic Cheese Crescents or Pull Apart Garlic Bread. You can also keep things simple and serve a side salad with this dish. I love keeping a bagged salad on hand for a quick option on busy nights!

Storing Hamburger Rice Casserole

• Refrigerator: leftover ground beef rice casserole can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
• Freezer: assemble the casserole and let casserole cool to room temperature. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze. When ready to bake, thaw completely and bake as directed. If freezing leftovers, simply store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in microwave.
• This casserole can be prepped and assembled the day before you need and simply placed into the oven when desired! Cover with aluminum foil and place in fridge for up to 24 hours. Add a few minutes to cook time if casserole is chilled going into oven.

More Main Dishes to try

• ULTIMATE Tuna Noodle Casserole– classic Tuna Noodle Casserole has canned tuna and egg noodles smothered in a creamy mushroom soup filling with cheese and peas.
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole– hearty casserole anyone will love while enjoying a quick 20 minute prep time. The incredible flavor combinations in this easy chicken bacon ranch bake will have your family asking for seconds come dinnertime.
• Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole– comfort food at its finest! A one pan, cheesy meal that the entire family will enjoy!
• Taco Tater Tot Bake– incredibly simple and absolutely delicious! Everyone will love it and want the recipe!
• Chicken and Stuffing Casserole– savory and filling casserole is perfect for feeding a family and only takes 15 minutes of prep time!!