Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice (Printable)

Comforting beef and rice bake with melted cheese, ready in one hour.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 preferred)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

→ Rice & Grains

05 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked

→ Dairy

06 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
07 - 1/2 cup sour cream
08 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk

→ Pantry

09 - 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1 tsp kosher salt
12 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
15 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned and no longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Drain excess fat.
03 - Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
04 - Stir in frozen mixed vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes until thawed and heated through.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Add uncooked rice, 1 cup cheddar cheese, sour cream, milk, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and cayenne if using. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
06 - Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish, spreading it into an even layer.
07 - Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
09 - Let casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and make serving easier.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything bakes in one dish so you spend less time cleaning up and more time actually eating
  • The combination of seasoned beef and melted cheese hits that same nostalgic comfort button as a homemade hamburger helper but infinitely better
  • This casserole tastes even better the next day making it perfect for make ahead lunches or busy weeknight dinners
02 -
  • The uncooked rice needs to bake long enough to become tender so resist the urge to peek under the foil during those first 35 minutes
  • If your cheese starts browning too quickly tent the dish loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking
03 -
  • Grate your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre shredded cheese which has anti caking additives that prevent it from melting smoothly
  • Let the ground beef mixture cool for a few minutes before mixing in the cheese so it does not melt too quickly and separate

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