Sometimes a recipe catches my attention because it sounds like it’ll result in a delicious dish or because it calls for unique ingredients. On the other hand, sometimes a recipe catches my attention because it sounds like it’ll yield an easy-to-prepare meal. This recipe definitely falls into the latter category!
There’s nothing flashy or unique about this dish. However, it is incredibly easy to prepare and hearty, which is just what I need on busy days!
Ingredients
(Inspired by this recipe.)
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups homemade cream of mushroom soup or 1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- Several dashes of salt and pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 360°F. Lightly grease a 2.5-qt. casserole dish.
Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic in a large skillet. Drain the fat once the meat is thoroughly cooked, then add the cream of mushroom soup, rice, water, salt, and pepper. Stir together. Note: If using 2 cups of homemade cream of mushroom soup, decrease the water from 2 cups to 1 ½ cups.
Turn off the heat and gently stir in the shredded cheese. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Cover and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the lid, then bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 5 servings.
Click here for a printable copy of the recipe and nutrition facts.
Notes
The beauty of this dish is that you toss it all together and then you’re free to do other things while it bakes. I love that the rice doesn’t have to be cooked before you assemble it. The first time you make it, you will need to try a bite of the casserole when you remove it from the oven to make sure the rice is completely cooked. You may need to adjust your cook time slightly. Be sure to use regular long grain white rice and not instant (this will get too mushy). I’m certain this can be prepared with brown rice (which is what we usually use in our house), but I haven’t experimented with this yet to determine how long it needs to bake. Likewise, I believe it can be prepared in a slow cooker, but I need to try this out to determine what adjustments need to be made.
Tools I find useful when preparing this casserole include a 2.5-qt stoneware baking dish, silicone pot holders, and a box cheese grater with a detachable storage cup.
Here is a nutrition label for the recipe. Please note that the nutrition facts are estimated based on the ingredients and preparation instructions described above. They are intended to be used for informational purposes only.
The recipe that inspired this dish calls for a vegetable (such as carrots) to be added to the casserole before it bakes. This is a great idea because it gives you a one-dish meal. I prepared it like this the first time I made it, but my husband didn’t like it because he is very picky about vegetables. He’ll only eat a couple of them, so I find it easier to prepare it without veggies. However, you can really change up the flavor and appearance of the dish by adding veggies (carrots, peas, green beans, diced tomatoes, etc.) and using additional seasonings (paprika, thyme, etc.).
What easy-to-prepare meals have caught your attention lately? I’d love to hear about them.
Have you tried this with brown rice yet? I want to try it for supper tonight but am scared it won’t turn out since all I have at home is brown rice.
Yes, I have. It takes quite a bit longer to bake (60-75 minutes instead of 35). Try the rice and see if it is tender before serving. If not, bake it some more. Just give yourself enough prep time to try the rice to see if it is tender before serving. I hope you enjoy it, Jennifer!
Made this using 1 lb of pork sausage and added green beans and mushrooms. Very tasty!
Sounds delicious, Linda. Thanks for letting us know!
Did you strain the ground beef after cooking? Or just mix it all together without straining it?
It’s probably best to strain it (I’ll need to add that in the recipe). I cook with lean ground turkey most of the time, so I always forget that beef needs strained!
So, yes, remove the fat before adding the other ingredients. Thanks for asking so I can make this change!
Is there anything I can substitute the can of mushroom for? My husband does not like anything mushroom.
Absolutely! You can use a can (10.75 oz.) of whatever condensed cream soup he would eat (cream of chicken, cream of celery, etc.).
Was too much water.. don’t know where I could’ve gone wrong. Pretty simple recipe
Sorry to hear that, Ashley. It’s so frustrating when that happens!
I can imagine any number of things could have gone wrong. Without being there, the best I can suggest is making sure the amounts you use are correct and that you use the correct type of rice.
If all I have on hand is instant rice is there a way to incorporate it? I know you said it would be mushy. Anything you would try to make it work?
You will need to change how you prepare the casserole, but it can be done.
Prepare the meat (with the onion and garlic) and set it aside. Don’t stir in the soup or water at this point.
Cook the rice as directed on the package. You will need more than 1 cup because 1 cup instant rice doesn’t produce as much cooked rice as 1 cup long grain white rice. I’d try 1.5 or 2 cups uncooked instant rice.
Once the rice is cooked, mix it and the cooked meat in a dish. Then stir in the cream soup and some water (start with a little bit and add until you have a creamy texture surrounding the meat and rice–you won’t need the 2 cups listed in the ingredients because the rice is already cooked). Stir in the salt, pepper, and cheese. Bake until warm (everything is cooked so this shouldn’t take long).
I hope this approach works for you!