Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
This easy-to-make ground beef and rice casserole is the ultimate comfort food dinner. The one-pot hearty meal is great for those busy nights and turns out flavorful and delicious every time.

| Prep Time | Cook Time | Servings | Prep Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | 1 hour | 8 | Beginner + |
Things I Like About The Casserole
- The ground beef casserole recipe is budget-friendly and easy to make.
- Picky eaters love the recipe.
You’re going to want to add some veggies on the side, and these green beans and bacon are so easy to toss together and bake. Or, you can toss some canned corn into the skillet, add a few seasonings, and get some tasty seasoned canned corn for a side.

Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Onion soup mix
- Canned cream of cheese soup
- Canned cream of chicken soup
- Sour cream
- Instant rice
- Chicken or beef broth
- Shredded cheddar cheese
A printable recipe with measurements and instructions is listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
How To Make The Ground Beef Casserole


Start by cooking the ground beef in a skillet on medium heat. Add the onion soup mix and cook until the meat is browned. Drain the grease.
Then, add the soups and sour cream and mix well.


Add the beef broth, rice, and shredded cheese to the skillet and mix well. I added 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese and reserved the rest for the top.

Pour the ground beef mixture into the greased baking dish and top with the remainder of the shredded cheese. Cover with some aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Storage And Reheating Instructions
Any leftovers should be stored in a sealed container or covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. To reheat, put some of the casserole on a microwave-safe plate and heat in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes or until hot.

More Delicious Beef Recipes
- This 5-ingredient ground beef casserole is a simple dinner that everyone at the table will love.
- A hearty option for busy nights is this baked cheesy beef and potato casserole that’s full of flavor.
- If you’re craving comfort food, these hamburger steaks and savory gravy are the perfect pick.
- Nothing beats the flavor of this crock pot ground beef stroganoff when you want something warm and filling.



Can I use regular rice? I don’t like instant
Hi Daryl,
You can but it might take a little longer to cook.
My mom and I both loved this recipe. very easy to make and delicious
That’s great to hear!
This sounds delicious! Do you put it in the oven to cook the rice or cook the rice on the stove top?
Hi Carolyn,
I add it to the skillet, mix it up, and then add it all to the baking dish. So, the rice will cook in the oven. Hope you love it!
Absolutely delicious! I cooked my long grain rice on the stove with French onion soup and water
(didn’t trust my oven right now to cook the rice and I didn’t have instant rice) Great flavor! I did not have the cheese soup so I used creamy mushroom garlic soup. ( I’m not a fan of mushroom soup as a rule)
My son didn’t want cheese on his so I melted cheese on top. All in all the flavors blended well and the casserole was really good! Thanks!
Great substitutions and tips! Thanks so much for sharing so we can try and so glad you liked it!
What was “absolutely delicious”.Your recipe or the published one?
Wheres the recipe?
You can either click on the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top and it will pop you right on the recipe card, or you can scroll to the bottom and find it.
It was so satisfying. I would recommend this to my family and friends .
Thank you so much!
Can you freeze the leftovers?
Hi Judy,
You can freeze this. You can either get it all prepped and ready to cook and freeze it or bake it, let it cool, and freeze. Hope you love it!
Just made this to take to my mom’s for dinner. Smells wonderful & tastes even better! She & my aunt love a good casserole – easy to heat up individual portions. Will definitely make this recipe again!
So glad you all liked it!
Why do most all recipes call for instant rice? I can’t seem to get a taste for it. If I wanted to use regular rice how would this recipe change?
Hi Debbie, regular rice is going to take longer to cook. My suggestion would be to cook the rice, if you use regular, and then add it to the casserole and bake it. Hope you love it!
Any thoughts on a gluten free substitute for the condensed cheese soup? I know they make GF cream of chicken, but not sure what to use in place of the cheese soup…thanks!!
Hi Brian,
I haven’t made this gluten-free, but you could switch out the flour with gluten-free flour. I would use the same amount. Or, you could try it with cornstarch. I would use about 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Melt the butter in the saucepan and then add the chicken broth. Whisk the cornstarch into the milk and then add it to the saucepan, followed by the seasonings and cheese. Hope that helps!
What side dish do you make with it
Hi Donna,
I like to add green beans or butter beans on the side. You could also add some cornbread!
do u cook the rice 1st
No, I add it uncooked. It will cook while the casserole is cooking.
Is the cheese really necessary? I notice that many recipes originating in the USA add cheese. I love cheese, a Bacon and Brie sandwich would not be as nice without it but I can see no advantage here. Similarly with the Sour Cream. I generally avoid Milk/Cream type additions although maybe Yogurt in moderation but how will simply omitting them affect the intended flovour. (I would not put them in anyway btw), just wondering.
Hi James, great question. You don’t have to put the cheese in. It will affect the flavor, but it will just taste different. It will still taste great. You can definitely use yogurt instead of sour cream. I think it will be more dry if you don’t have either sour cream or yogurt, though.
I do not care for onion soup. Any ideas?
You can either gravy, ranch, taco, chili seasoning, or sloppy joe seasoning. Any of those will work!