Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole (Easy, Hearty & Family Favorite!)

This Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole is the ultimate comfort food—loaded with seasoned beef, tender rice, and gooey melted cheese all baked together in one cozy dish. It’s budget-friendly, easy to make, and perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or feeding a hungry crowd.

🧀 Why You’ll Love Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

• ✔️ One-dish dinner with easy cleanup

• ✔️ Hearty, filling, and kid-approved

• ✔️ Budget-friendly pantry ingredients

• ✔️ Great for leftovers and meal prep

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• 🛒 Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

  • 2 cups beef broth

  • 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

  • ½ cup milk

  • 1 tsp salt

  • ½ tsp black pepper

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar or Colby-Jack cheese

  • Optional: chopped parsley

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  👩‍🍳 How to Make Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

  1. Preheat Oven
     Preheat to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

  2. Cook the Beef
     In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with onion until fully cooked. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Drain excess fat.

  3. Mix the Sauce
     In a bowl, whisk together broth, soup, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika.

  4. Assemble
     Spread uncooked rice in the baking dish. Top with beef mixture. Pour sauce evenly over everything and stir gently.

  5. Bake Covered
     Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

  6. Add Cheese & Finish
     Uncover, sprinkle cheese over top, and bake another 10–15 minutes until bubbly and melted.

  7. Rest & Serve
     Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.

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  🍽️ Tips & Variations

  • Add mushrooms, peas, or corn

  • Use ground turkey for a lighter version

  • Swap cream of mushroom for cream of chicken

  • Add Worcestershire sauce for depth

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  🕒 Storage & Reheating

  • Refrigerate up to 4 days

  • Freeze up to 2 months

  • Reheat in oven at 350°F or microwave

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  ⭐ Final Thoughts

  This Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole recipe is creamy, cheesy, and totally satisfying. It’s the kind of easy dinner your whole family will ask for again and again.