It was one of those chaotic rainy Tuesday afternoons where Lily came home from school completely exhausted and Noah decided he did not want to take his nap. The house was loud, my energy was completely drained, and the last thing I wanted to do was spend an hour chopping vegetables for a complex dinner. I pulled some ground beef out of the fridge, grabbed a can of soup from the pantry, and threw together this Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole. The kitchen instantly smelled amazing as the garlic hit the hot pan. By the time I pulled the bubbling baking dish out of the oven, the kids were standing right at the kitchen counter with their plates ready.

This Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole is the ultimate easy comfort food for busy weeknights. It combines savory browned beef, fluffy white rice, and a rich creamy sauce, all baked under a thick and gooey blanket of melted cheddar cheese. It is incredibly quick to prep, uses basic pantry staples, and fills your family up without breaking the budget. If you need a hearty, satisfying meal that guarantees absolutely zero complaints at the dinner table, you need to add this recipe to your rotation.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Quick and Easy: You can have the entire dish prepped and in the oven in under 15 minutes, which gives you time to relax while it bakes.
Budget-Friendly: This recipe stretches a single pound of ground beef to feed the whole family by pairing it with inexpensive staples like rice and milk.
Kid-Approved: The mild creamy sauce and the melted cheddar cheese make this a massive hit even with the pickiest eaters in your house.
Perfect for Meal Prep: The flavors actually deepen and get better the next day, making it an incredible option for your weekly lunch rotation.
One-Pan Cleanup: You cook the beef and build the filling in a single skillet before transferring it to your baking dish, saving you from dirty pots.

Ingredients You'll Need

The beauty of this casserole is how it transforms very simple, everyday ingredients into something rich and comforting.

450g (1 lb) lean ground beef – using an 85% or 90% lean mix prevents the final dish from becoming too greasy.
1 small yellow onion, diced – this adds a wonderful sweet depth to the savory beef base.
2 cloves garlic, minced – fresh garlic provides a sharp, aromatic bite that powder just cannot replicate.
300g (2 cups) cooked white rice – leftover cold rice works perfectly because it holds its shape in the sauce.
298g (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup – the savory umami shortcut that makes our sauce incredibly creamy.
120ml (1/2 cup) milk or beef broth – to thin out the condensed soup and bring the sauce together.
225g (2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese, divided – grating it yourself from a block is the secret to the best melt.
1 tsp paprika – adds a subtle warmth and a beautiful color to the creamy sauce.
Salt and black pepper to taste – to perfectly balance all the savory notes.

Whenever I make a casserole that calls for cooked rice, I highly recommend using rice that is at least a day old. Freshly cooked, steaming hot rice is full of moisture and can sometimes turn mushy when baked in a creamy sauce. Cold leftover rice has firmed up in the fridge, allowing it to soak up all that incredible mushroom and beef flavor while maintaining a perfect, fluffy texture.

I also want to encourage you to buy a block of sharp cheddar cheese and grate it yourself. The pre-shredded bags you find at the grocery store are very convenient, but they are coated in anti-caking starches. Those starches prevent the cheese from clumping in the bag, but they also prevent it from melting smoothly over your hot casserole. Taking two extra minutes to grate your own cheese gives you that beautiful, stringy cheese pull that makes comfort food so satisfying.

Note: Take the time to drain the excess fat from your skillet after browning the ground beef. If you leave all that liquid in the pan, your creamy sauce will separate and the bottom layer of your casserole will end up greasy instead of rich.

How to Make Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

This recipe comes together so fast, so I like to have my baking dish greased and my cheese grated before I even turn on the stove.

Step 1: Brown the savory beef.

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon until no pink remains and the onions are soft and translucent. Drain the excess fat from the pan.

Lora’s Tip: Do not rush the browning process. Let the beef sit undisturbed for a minute or two to develop a slight crust, which adds a massive amount of flavor to the final dish.

Step 2: Add the aromatics.

Reduce the heat to medium. Stir the minced garlic into the browned beef and onion mixture. Cook for just 30 to 60 seconds until you can smell that wonderful roasted garlic aroma filling your kitchen. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Step 3: Whisk the creamy sauce.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Whisk everything together vigorously until the condensed soup is completely smooth and the spices are evenly distributed.

Lora’s Tip: If you are out of milk, you can use beef broth instead. It makes the sauce slightly less creamy but adds a wonderful, deep meaty flavor.

Step 4: Combine the casserole filling.

To your large bowl of sauce, add the cooked white rice, the warm beef and onion mixture, and exactly half of your shredded cheddar cheese. Stir everything together gently with a large spoon until every grain of rice and piece of beef is coated in the creamy sauce.

Step 5: Assemble and bake covered.

Pour the entire mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread it out into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Step 6: Bake until bubbly and golden.

Carefully remove the aluminum foil. Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. You want to see the sauce bubbling up around the edges and the cheddar cheese completely melted and starting to turn golden brown. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving hot.

Lora's Kitchen Tips

Taste your sauce first. Before adding the raw eggs or meats, always taste your creamy soup base to see if it needs an extra pinch of salt.
Do not overmix the rice. Fold the cold rice into the beef mixture gently so you do not break the grains and turn the casserole into a dense paste.
Keep the foil tight. Sealing the baking dish tightly with foil traps the steam, which ensures the rice stays soft and the entire dish heats evenly.
Watch the broiler. If you like a crispy cheese top, turn the broiler on for the last two minutes, but do not walk away because cheese burns fast.
Let it rest. Giving the casserole five minutes to sit on the counter before serving allows the creamy sauce to thicken up.

Variations and Substitutions

I love a recipe that acts as a blank canvas, and there are so many fun ways to tweak this one based on what you have in your pantry.

The Sneaky Vegetable Addition: Stir a cup of frozen peas, diced carrots, or steamed broccoli florets directly into the beef mixture before baking to add some extra nutrition for the kids.

The Lighter Protein Swap: You can easily replace the ground beef with lean ground turkey or ground chicken. Just add a tiny splash of olive oil to the pan when cooking so the lean meat does not dry out.

The Flavor Twist: If you are not a fan of cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken or cream of celery will work perfectly and give the dish a slightly different savory profile.

The Crunchy Kid-Friendly Topping: During the last ten minutes of uncovered baking, sprinkle crushed butter crackers or crispy French fried onions over the melted cheese for a texture the whole family will love.

What to Serve with Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole

Because this casserole is so incredibly rich, cheesy, and satisfying, you really want to serve it with something bright and fresh to balance out the plate.

A crisp garden salad loaded with cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, tossed in a light lemon vinaigrette, is usually my first choice. It cuts through the heavy creaminess perfectly. [INTERNAL LINK PLACEHOLDER: link to a healthy salad dressing recipe]

If we are craving cooked vegetables, I love serving this alongside some simple roasted asparagus or [INTERNAL LINK PLACEHOLDER: link to a green bean side dish]. The slight bitterness of green vegetables pairs beautifully with the savory cheddar cheese and beef.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

Storage: Keep any cooled leftover casserole in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze the unbaked casserole wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months.
Component prep: You can brown the beef and onions up to two days in advance, keeping them in the fridge.
Reheat in the oven: Bake covered at 175°C (350°F) for 15 to 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Quick microwave method: Reheat individual scoops for 90 seconds. Add a tiny splash of milk if the rice seems dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the questions I get asked most often about this cheesy ground beef and rice casserole:

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes, but you will need to make a few swaps. Use a dairy-free cream soup alternative, a plant-based milk, and a dairy-free cheddar cheese shred to keep the same comforting texture.

Why did my casserole turn out mushy?

Mushy casseroles usually happen when you use freshly cooked, hot rice that contains too much water. Always try to use cold, day-old rice so it holds its structure in the creamy sauce.

Can I use brown rice instead of white rice?

Brown rice works wonderfully and adds a slightly nutty flavor and extra fiber. Just make sure the brown rice is fully cooked before you mix it into the casserole.

Can I assemble this ahead of time?

Absolutely. You can mix the entire casserole together, put it in your baking dish, cover it, and leave it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add 5 extra minutes to the covered baking time.

Can I double this recipe for a crowd?

This scales beautifully. You can double all the ingredients and bake it in a very large roasting pan, or simply use two separate 9×13 inch baking dishes side by side in the oven.

This Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole is proof that the best dinners are often the simplest ones. It transforms a handful of basic pantry ingredients into a warm, creamy, and deeply satisfying meal that takes the stress completely out of weeknight cooking. I hope you try making this when you need a quick win in the kitchen, and please come back to let me know how much your family enjoyed it.

With love and a little extra cheese,
Lora x