Busy weeknights call for easy, hearty meals that everyone at the table will actually eat—no complaints, no picking around the plate. This cheesy beef and rice casserole is a crowd-pleaser, even for picky eaters! It’s rich, satisfying, and made with simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry right now.
With seasoned ground beef, tender rice, and melty cheese, all baked together in a creamy, savory sauce, this casserole is comfort food at its finest. Plus, it’s perfect for making ahead and tastes just as good the next day!
Jump to:
- Why this cheesy beef and rice casserole is a must try
- Simple ingredients for an easy casserole
- Step-by-step instructions
- Kitchen tools you'll need
- Beef and rice casserole FAQ's
- Deb's tips for the best beef and rice casserole
- Tasty variations
- More easy casserole recipes
- What to serve with beef and rice casserole
- Beef and Rice Casserole Recipe
Why this cheesy beef and rice casserole is a must try
I think I've made this easy dinner recipe since the beginning of time. I love it because...
✔️ Budget-friendly: Uses simple pantry staples—no fancy ingredients needed!
✔️ Great for meal prep: Make it ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze, and bake when ready.
✔️ Easy cleanup: One pan and a skillet—less mess, more time to relax.
✔️ Perfect for picky eaters: A cheesy, creamy comfort food classic that even kids love.
✔️ Family-friendly dinner idea: A warm, filling meal for busy nights.
Simple ingredients for an easy casserole
You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients. Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- Feel free to use other ground meats in place of beef—ground turkey, ground chicken, and ground sausage are all fair game!
- I recommend cheddar cheese, but use up what you have. Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, and Mozzarella cheese work great in this recipe, too.
- Ground beef pairs best with beef stock, but you can replace it with chicken broth or vegetable stock, too.
- Create your own Montreal Steak Seasoning with my easy spice mix recipe. You have control over the exact flavors and spice blend.
Step-by-step instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For complete directions, scroll down to the bottom.
- Spray the baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook the ground beef and onion until browned. Drain excess grease.
- Add the uncooked rice to the skillet and combine.
- Add the broth, mushrooms, cream soup, and sour cream to the meat mixture. Mixtir well. Add half the shredded cheese, pour into the prepared casserole dish.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated until the rice is cooked.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese over the top. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Kitchen tools you'll need
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Beef and rice casserole FAQ's
This recipe calls for uncooked rice, so you need to use regular long-grain rice like white rice or jasmine rice. Never use Minute rice or instant rice in a rice casserole because it will get mushy!
Yes, you can swap brown rice but you'll need to increase the baking time and add additional liquid. .
Absolutely! You can replace the cream of mushroom soup with cream of cheddar soup, cream of potato soup, or even a can of condensed French onion soup. It'll change the flavor slightly, but still taste great.
Yes! This cheesy casserole recipe is a perfect make-ahead meal. Mix the browned ground beef with the rest of the ingredients in your casserole dish and tightly cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Refrigerate the casserole for up to two days, or freeze it for up to three months and defrost it in the fridge overnight. Let the casserole sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking.
You sure can! Add the cooked ground beef to the slow cooker with the uncooked rice, veggies, seasonings, broth, soup, and ½ cup of cheese. Cook it on low for 2 hours or on high for 1 hour.
Top your casserole with the remaining cheese and continue cooking until the cheese melts.
Deb's tips for the best beef and rice casserole
Use heavy-duty aluminum foil to wrap your prepared baking dish to seal in all the moisture while your casserole bakes. This helps the rice cook. If you don't have heavy duty, use two layers of aluminum foil.
- Stick with regular white rice for the best texture. Instant rice will overcook and turn to mush.
- Wait until the last 5 minutes of baking time before topping your casserole with the remaining cheese. Otherwise, you allow precious moisture to escape and risk drying out your casserole!
- Garnish beef and rice casserole with chopped green onions and parsley for a fresh herby finish.
- Always let casseroles cool to room temperature before storing it in the fridge or freezer.
Tasty variations
Turn this recipe into a Mexican beef casserole by replacing the steak seasoning with taco seasoning and adding a can of Rotel tomatoes. If you like spicy food, top your cheesy beef casserole with a dash of chili powder or red pepper flakes.
Use a can of condensed French onion soup instead of cream of mushroom soup for a unique flavor. And replacing the sour cream with cream cheese makes this hearty meal extra rich and creamy! Oooh it's good!
More easy casserole recipes
- No-Peek Chicken Casserole is another easy casserole rice bake made with creamy chicken, savory soups, and dry onion soup mix.
- This kid-friendly Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole is always a hit!
- Want more easy ground beef recipes? Creamy Noodle Casserole is made with egg noodles and a flavorful Italian seasoning tomato sauce.
What to serve with beef and rice casserole
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👉 Tried this cheesy beef and rice casserole? I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and drop a comment below with your favorite tweaks or serving ideas. Your feedback helps others and makes my day! 😊
Beef and Rice Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9x13 casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning
- 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 cups beef broth
- 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare a casserole dish by spraying it wiht non-stick cooking spray, set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, celery and chopped onion over medium-high heat. Season with steak seasoning. Cook until browned. Drain any excess grease.
- Next, add the uncooked rice to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Add the broth, mushrooms, cream soup and sour cream to the meat mixture. Stir well to combine. Add half the shredded cheese, and give it a good stir. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese over the top, and return the casserole to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Once the casserole is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest lightly covered with aluminum foil for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Lila says
No mention of the steak seasoning and celery in the directions.
Debra Clark says
Hi Lila - thanks for bringing that to my attention. I've updated the instructions. Enjoy the recipe!
Shavaughn says
Could you make this as a make ahead freezer meal? Thinking about if this would work as a freezer meal to make for my parents. Would you cook, cool and then freeze? What would you recommend reheating it at and for how long?
Debra Clark says
Yes, this a great freezer meal. Cook it first, cool and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat (covered) in the oven at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. You may want to add 1/2 to 3/4 cup beef broth to the casserole if it looks dry. Enjoy!
Lois says
We love the combination and so easy to put together. Love it.
Jay says
When do you add the slices mushrooms? This step is omitted in the recipe.
Bowl Me Over says
My apologies Jay, add the sliced mushrooms in step 4. Thanks for bringing that to my attention! Enjoy the casserole!!
Sharon cochranre says
How much ground beef? How much rice?
Bowl Me Over says
All of the ingredient amounts are on the recipe card. You scrolled right past the recipe card to leave your comment, Sharon. Give it another look, all of the information is right there. I hope you give it a try, enjoy the casserole, Sharon! Happy holidays!
Cat stevens says
The hamburger and rice casserole is going to be delicious. We especially like casseroles. Best of all it is enough for a couple days. ❤️ it. Thank you Deb
Bowl Me Over says
Right? Cook once, eat twice - love that! Thanks Cathie - enjoy the yummy casserole!!!