Ground Beef Rice Casserole is a comforting and flavorful dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It’s loaded with savory beef, mushrooms, creamy sauce and topped with crispy French fried onions for the ultimate family favorite.

Bowl of ground beef casserole with wood spoon.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy to make with simple ingredients you already have on hand.
Comfort food at its best with hearty ground beef, cheesy texture and crispy onion topping.
A family favorite meal that’s great for leftovers or meal prep.

Ingredients for Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

Ground beef
Worcestershire sauce
Olive oil
Onion
Mushrooms
Cooked rice
Greek yogurt or sour cream
Half and half
Granulated garlic
Dried thyme
Salt
Pepper
Onion soup mix
Shredded Gruyere cheese
French fried onions
Fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make Ground Beef Rice Casserole

Cook the rice according to package directions and set aside.
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet, breaking it up to brown on all sides. Add Worcestershire sauce, stirring until well combined. Remove from the skillet and drain excess grease.

Cooking sliced mushrooms in a skillet with onions.

Add onions to the skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until golden and tender.

Making creamy sauce for ground beef casserole.

Adding ground beef to skillet with vegetables.

Stir in Greek yogurt, half and half, and seasonings including granulated garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and onion soup mix. Mix until creamy and smooth.
Return the ground beef and add rice to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined and coated in the sauce.

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Ground beef rice casserole in a skillet.

Shredded cheese over ground beef rice casserole.

Top with shredded cheese and French fried onions. Broil 4 to 5 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and the onions are golden and crispy.

Garnish with parsley if desired.

Recipe Tips & Variations

Substitute cheddar, Swiss or mozzarella for the Gruyere if that’s what you have on hand.
Add steamed broccoli or peas for extra veggies.
Use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
Make it ahead by assembling the casserole, refrigerating. Bake in a 350° oven, covered with foil for 40 minutes. Add cheese and French fried onions and continue cooking for 10 -15 minutes.

This Ground Beef Rice Casserole is pure comfort in every bite. It is hearty and delicious, just the kind of easy meal your family will ask for again and again. Make it once and it’ll quickly become a weeknight favorite.

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Bowl of cheesy ground beef rice casserole with a spoon.

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Ground Beef Rice Casserole

Ground Beef Rice Casserole is an easy, comforting dinner loaded with beef, mushrooms, creamy sauce and topped with crispy French fried onions. A cozy weeknight meal the whole family will love.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Course: Casseroles

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ground beef casserole

Servings:

Calories: 812kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

3 cups cooked rice
6 tablespoons olive oil divided use
1 pound lean ground beef
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups yellow onion diced
8 ounces white mushrooms sliced thin
½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 cup half and half
1 packet Onion soup mix
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups Gruyere cheese Swiss, cheddar or Monterey jack works too
3 cups French Fried Onions
fresh parsley optional for garnish

Instructions

Cook the rice according to package directions and set aside.
If using lean ground beef, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to an oven-proof, large skillet over medium-high heat. If using 80/20 or less, skip the olive oil. Add ground beef, breaking it up to brown on all sides. Add Worcestershire sauce, stirring until well combined. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Cook onions in the skillet, adding additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes.
Stir in sliced mushrooms and add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil if needed. Stir occasionally, cooking until mushrooms are softened.
Add Greek yogurt, half and half, onion soup mix, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to the pan, stirring until well combined.
Remove from heat and stir in ground beef and cooked rice.
Top with shredded cheese and French fried onions.
Broil for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cheese is melted – keep a watchful eye so that it doesn’t burn.
Remove from oven, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Substitute cheddar, Swiss or mozzarella for the Gruyere if that’s what you have on hand.
Add steamed broccoli or peas for extra veggies.
Use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
Make it ahead by assembling the casserole, refrigerating. Bake in a 350° oven, covered with foil for 40 minutes. Add cheese and French fried onions and continue cooking for 10 -15 minutes.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Reheat on the stovetop, over medium heat, adding a splash of milk. Stir occasionally until warmed through.