Description
Hearty cheesy ground beef and rice casserole combines comforting midwestern flavors in one satisfying dish. Home cooks appreciate this simple, budget-friendly meal that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (454 g/16 oz) ground beef, 85% lean
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 ¼ cups uncooked white long grain rice (not instant)
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- 10.5 oz (298 g) cream of mushroom soup
- ¾ cup onions, diced
- 8 oz (226 g) sliced button mushrooms, washed
- ½ cup milk, any kind
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 tbsps butter, divided
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1.5 tsps Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly lubricate a 9×13 inch (23×33 centimeter) baking vessel with cooking spray or butter for optimal non-stick performance.
- Meat Manipulation: In a spacious skillet, transform ground beef over medium-high flame, fragmenting into delicate crumbles. Infuse with Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Eliminate excess fat and reserve meat temporarily.
- Aromatic Foundation: Within the same skillet, melt butter and gently caramelize diced onions until translucent and tender, approximately 4-5 minutes. Introduce minced garlic, allowing its fragrant essence to bloom for 60 seconds.
- Liquid Integration: Introduce beef broth, bringing the mixture to a vigorous boil. Incorporate uncooked rice, reduce thermal intensity to low, and seal with a lid. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, periodically monitoring liquid absorption.
- Mushroom Incorporation: Fold sliced mushrooms into the rice mixture, maintaining low heat and covered conditions until rice fully absorbs liquid and achieves tender consistency.
- Creamy Fusion: Combine cooked ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, whole milk, sour cream, and half the shredded cheese with the rice. Mix thoroughly to ensure even distribution of flavors and textures.
- Baking Finale: Transfer the harmonized mixture to the prepared baking dish, crown with remaining cheese. Envelop with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese transforms into a golden, bubbling blanket.
- Resting Phase: Once removed from the oven, allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes, enabling flavors to meld and texture to stabilize before serving.
Notes
- Optimize Meat Browning: Ensure ground beef is thoroughly browned and crumbled for maximum flavor development and even texture throughout the casserole.
- Rice Moisture Management: Let rice rest covered after cooking to absorb remaining liquid, preventing a dry or undercooked final dish.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Cover with foil during initial baking to prevent cheese from burning while allowing even melting and golden edges.
- Resting Period Importance: Allow casserole to rest 5 minutes after baking to stabilize ingredients and let flavors meld together for a more cohesive taste experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg