Description
Comfort meets convenience in this cheesy hamburger rice casserole, a hearty one-pan meal that brings family favorites together. Savory ground beef, fluffy rice, and melted cheese create a satisfying dinner you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound ground beef
Dairy and Cheese:
- 0.75 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Grains and Vegetables:
- 0.5 cup long grain white rice
- 1 (10.75 ounces / 305 grams) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (14.5 ounces / 411 grams) can diced tomatoes with juice
Seasonings:
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F, preparing a comfortable cooking environment for the casserole.
- Place ground beef in a large skillet, cooking over medium heat until it transforms into rich, caramelized crumbles with no pink remaining.
- Eliminate excess grease by carefully draining the meat to ensure a lighter, less fatty dish.
- Introduce cream of mushroom soup, diced tomatoes, and raw rice directly into the skillet, stirring thoroughly to create a harmonious mixture.
- Enhance the flavor profile with measured salt and pepper, ensuring balanced seasoning throughout the dish.
- Gently transfer the entire skillet contents into a prepared baking dish, smoothing the surface for even cooking.
- Seal the dish completely with aluminum foil, creating a steamy environment that will help cook the rice to perfect tenderness.
- Slide the covered casserole into the preheated oven, allowing it to simmer and meld flavors for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and generously scatter mozzarella cheese across the surface, creating a golden, melted blanket.
- Return to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes, watching the cheese transform into a bubbling, irresistible topping.
- Let the casserole rest briefly before serving, allowing the ingredients to settle and flavors to intensify.
Notes
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter, healthier alternative that keeps the casserole protein-packed.
- Use brown rice instead of white rice to boost nutritional value and add a nutty flavor with more fiber and minerals.
- For gluten-sensitive guests, ensure cream of mushroom soup is gluten-free or replace with homemade cream sauce to control ingredients.
- Enhance flavor complexity by adding diced bell peppers, sautéed onions, or garlic during beef browning for extra depth and nutrition.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 52 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg