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When I haven’t planned something for dinner, I have a few staple ground beef recipes that I lean on. Ground beef thaws quickly and is so versatile. In next to no time I can have a pot of chili simmering or taco meat prepared, and that’s dinner. This Beef and Rice Casserole is another “go to” throw-together that takes little effort but is filling and delicious.
A Meal Extender is Your Friend
Rice is a great meal extender. You know, when you need to feed 8 people but only have 1lb of ground beef? Rice – like beans, lentils, or potatoes – is the perfect accompaniment to make your meat stretch and feed more than you could otherwise.
Prepare the rice according to the package instructions. Rice is typically a 1 to 2 ratio (1 part rice to 2 parts water), pretty straightforward. A tip? Instead of water, use chicken, beef, or veggie broth to cook your rice. With this recipe, you don’t necessarily need the extra flavor the broth provides, but it’s something to keep in mind when you want a more savory rice.
The rice can be cooking while you prepare the rest of the meal. You need roughly four cups of cooked rice when it’s all done.
Drizzle and Sauté
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
I’m now going to tell you to grab your Dutch oven again, the one that you love so dearly (or will if you buy one). In that Dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pan if you must, melt three tablespoons of butter over medium heat and sauté one diced onion a few minutes, until it’s soft. Move the onion around as it cooks so it doesn’t burn or brown.
Then drizzle in some olive oil, about a tablespoon, and add a clove of minced or chopped garlic. (I typically use this awesome garlic press to save time or just make sure the garlic is finely chopped.) Cook the garlic with the onion about another minute.
A note on onion and garlic…
If you’re just learning to cook from scratch let me help you out… tremendously. Onion, garlic, and butter are your friend. Start just about any meal by cooking onion and garlic as I’ve laid out above and you’re halfway to a delicious pasta dish, or shrimp and grits, or anything else you can dream up. I keep tons of onion and garlic (and of course, butter) on hand and literally use it everyday, if not every meal.
Add the Meat, Etc.
You’re halfway there! Add a pound of ground beef and if you’re using it, puréed liver.
Why liver?
I’d have to write a whole post about why liver is so excellent for you but instead, read about it from the Weston A Price Foundation. I admit, I don’t care for the taste of liver. So I hide it in meals like this one, tricking even myself into eating it. My tip: purée raw beef liver in a food processor and then freeze it in an ice cube tray (I use a tray that has larger cubes, so I’m getting roughly 1/3 cup per cube). Once frozen, store in a freezer bag. Then, every time you’re making a meal that calls for ground beef with enough seasonings to hide the liver taste, include a cube right along with the beef. You’ll never notice!
Break up the meat while it starts to brown and add the seasonings – salt, pepper, and Charmane’s. Charmane’s Bread Dip is a secret ingredient I grab constantly, it’s divine. If you don’t have that, I have a blend of spices as an alternative listed in the recipe card below. After the meat is browned, add the two cans of mushrooms. (Only in the past year or so have I started keeping canned mushrooms on hand and I’m surprised how often I use them! I buy them in bulk from Azure Standard.)
Stir in the beef stock (chicken or veggie stock also works great – check out my tips on how to make your own) and heavy cream. Bring that to a low boil and then stir in the cheese until it’s melted. Once everything is warmed through, add four cups of rice. Stir so that everything is combined.
Cover with a tight fitting oven proof lid, and carefully place in a preheated oven. (If you don’t have an ovenproof pot/lid, just transfer everything to a 9×13 baking dish.) Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and serve. I love a touch of fresh thyme or parsley sprinkled on top.
Leave a comment below letting me know if you tried this recipe and what you thought! Also, I’d love to know your go-to ground beef recipes.
Beef and Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups Rice, cooked
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 Onion, Diced
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Garlic clove, minced
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- ⅓ cup Beef liver, puréed (optional)*
- 2 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Charmane's Bread Dip or spice blend below**
- 2 6.5oz cans Portobello Mushrooms, drained
- 1 cup Beef Stock
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Cook rice as directed. You'll want 4 cups of cooked rice, when complete.4 cups Rice, cooked
- While rice is cooking, melt butter in large Dutch oven or pot. Add onion and cook on medium until it is soft.3 tbsp Butter, 1 Onion, Diced
- Stir in minced garlic and olive oil. Cook about a minute and then add ground beef and beef liver, if using.*1 tbsp Olive oil, 1 Garlic clove, minced, 1 lb Ground Beef, ⅓ cup Beef liver, puréed (optional)*
- While meat is browning, mix in spices.2 tsp Salt, ¼ tsp Black Pepper, 2 tsp Charmane's Bread Dip or spice blend below**
- After meat has browned, stir in mushrooms, stock, and heavy cream. Once these are warm, stir in cheese until melted.2 6.5oz cans Portobello Mushrooms, drained, 1 cup Beef Stock, ½ cup Heavy Cream, 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Add in cooked rice, mix well, and cover with oven proof lid. (Alternatively, transfer to a 9×13 baking dish if your pot/lid aren't oven safe.)
- Bake for 20 minutes then remove carefully and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
