You don’t even have to boil the rice or brown the meat! Let the oven do the work, and just stir together the raw ingredients for this dump-and-bake ground beef casserole with rice. Loaded with vegetables, lean protein, and rice, it’s a cozy, complete dinner with just 10 minutes of prep.
If you love easy casseroles like this one, try my 4-ingredient crescent roll ground beef casserole or dump-and-bake beefaroni. You can find more easy options in my Favorite Dump and Bake Dinners collection.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
A few quick tips to set you up for success:
- Cover the dish tightly. A tight seal with foil is essential for the rice to cook through and absorb the liquid properly.
- Use extra lean ground beef (96% or 97% lean). Since you’re not browning and draining the meat first, leaner beef prevents a greasy casserole. If you prefer fattier meat, brown it in a skillet and drain before adding to the dish.
- Stick with long grain white rice. Brown rice needs a much longer cook time (at least 90 minutes), and instant rice won’t absorb the liquid properly. Long grain white rice is the only type I’ve tested and recommend here.
- Break up the raw meat into small pieces. Use your fingers to crumble it as you add it to the dish, just like you would with a wooden spoon in a skillet. This helps the beef distribute evenly throughout the casserole instead of cooking in one big lump.
How to Make Ground Beef Casserole
This casserole is incredibly hands-off. Once you stir everything together, the oven does all the heavy lifting.
Step 1: Prep the Dish
Preheat your oven to 375°F and spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Place the raw ground beef in the dish and use your fingers to crumble it into small pieces.
Add the drained diced tomatoes, condensed tomato soup (don’t dilute it), beef broth, uncooked rice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together until well combined.
** TIP: You can mix everything directly in the baking dish to save on cleanup, or use a large bowl if that’s easier for stirring.
Step 2: Bake Until the Rice is Tender
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
** Note: Cooking time can vary depending on your dish. Rice cooks faster in a dark metal pan than in a ceramic dish. Start checking around the 55-minute mark so you don’t overcook the rice and end up with a mushy texture.
Step 3: Add the Cheese and Finish
During the final 5 minutes of baking, remove the dish from the oven and take off the foil. Give the casserole a good stir, then sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
Return the dish to the oven (uncovered) for 5 to 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil if you’d like, and serve!
I just made this for the first time, followed the recipe as written, very flavorful and seriously easy to make. My family really enjoyed it. Thank you!
– Jennifer
Variations and Serving Ideas
This recipe is flexible and works well with a few simple swaps.
Protein Swaps: Substitute ground chicken breast or ground white meat turkey for the beef. Just make sure to use lean meat (or brown and drain fattier options first).
Creamy Version: For a creamier casserole, swap the condensed tomato soup for a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup (or another creamy condensed soup).
Add More Veggies: Stir in diced bell peppers, zucchini, or frozen peas for extra color and nutrition.
Since this casserole already includes protein, veggies, and a starch, it’s a complete meal on its own. But if you’d like to round things out, here are a few sides that pair well:
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- A simple green salad with Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Homemade Garlic Bread (or 3-Ingredient Homemade Breadsticks)
Storage, Freezing, and Make-Ahead
To Store: Let leftovers cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
To Reheat: Add a splash of beef broth or water to the casserole before reheating to restore moisture. Reheat in the microwave or in a covered dish in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
To Freeze: This casserole can be frozen after baking. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make-Ahead Option: You can assemble the casserole (without the cheese) up to a day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. When ready to bake, you may need to add 10-15 minutes to the cook time since the dish will be cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of rice works best for this casserole?
Long grain white rice is the best choice. It absorbs the liquid properly and cooks through in the 60-75 minute bake time. Instant rice cooks too fast and won’t absorb enough liquid, while brown rice needs a much longer cook time (at least 90 minutes).
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?
Yes! Ground turkey breast or ground chicken breast both work well. Just make sure to use lean meat (at least 93% lean) since you won’t be draining the fat before baking.
How do I keep the rice from getting mushy?
Start checking the casserole around the 55-minute mark. The exact cook time depends on your baking dish. Dark metal pans cook faster than ceramic. Once the rice is tender, remove it from the oven promptly so it doesn’t overcook.
More Easy Ground Beef Casseroles
- Hamburger Noodle Casserole
- Cowboy Casserole
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
- Ground Beef Casserole with Rice
- Chili Cornbread Casserole
- Johnny Marzetti
- Frito Pie Recipe
- Taco Pie (Ground Beef Casserole with Cornbread Topping)
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Dump-and-Bake Ground Beef Casserole with Rice
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb. extra lean ground beef (at least 96% or 97% lean)
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste (about 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper)
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional garnish: fresh chopped parsley or basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish (or in a large bowl), use your fingers to crumble uncooked ground beef into small pieces.
- Add tomatoes, tomato soup, beef broth, uncooked rice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 55-60 minutes (or until the rice is tender). During the final 5 minutes of cooking, remove the dish from oven, uncover, and fluff the rice with a fork. At this point the rice should be almost tender (but not quite done). If it's still too firm, cover again and return to the oven. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Place back in the oven (uncovered) for the final 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the rice is perfectly tender. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- Use extra lean beef: I recommend 96% or 97% lean ground beef since you’re not browning and draining the meat first. If using fattier ground beef, brown it in a skillet and drain off the fat before adding to the casserole.
- Rice matters: Use long grain white rice only. Brown rice requires at least 90 minutes to cook, and instant rice won’t absorb liquid properly. I’ve only tested this recipe with long grain white rice.
- Break up the meat: Crumble the raw beef into small pieces as you add it to the dish. This ensures even distribution throughout the casserole.
- Cover tightly: A tight foil seal is essential for the rice to cook through properly.
- Watch the timing: Start checking at the 55-minute mark. Dark metal pans cook faster than ceramic dishes. Remove promptly once the rice is tender to avoid a mushy texture.
- Creamy swap: For a creamier casserole, replace the condensed tomato soup with condensed cream of mushroom soup.
- Protein swap: Ground chicken breast or ground turkey breast work well in place of beef. Use lean meat or brown and drain first.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Add a splash of broth when reheating to restore moisture.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze the baked casserole (wrapped tightly) for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Originally published in September, 2019, this post was updated in January, 2026.
I am trying this recipe this today to take to a friend. I was wondering if you have any thoughts about if this recipe would lend itself to being mixed up earlier in the day and then baked closer to time of serving? Or would it be better to just mix up the wet ingredients and add the “dry” (meat and rice) at the time of baking? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. I think the family will really enjoy this recipe.
Hi, Teresa! I’m so glad that you’ll share it with a friend! I prefer to wait to mix the dry and wet ingredients together closer to baking time, since the rice will otherwise start absorbing some of the liquid and may have a bit of a gummier texture in the end. It’s not a huge problem, but that’s always my preference. 🙂
I thought this stuff was really bad. No flavor or taste. I even tried adding hot sauce, didn’t help. Throwing the rest out. I hate wasting food like that
This recipe is very close to a favorite one of mine.
I do it on the stove in a large frying pan.
Few ingredients but delish!!!! And very quick-10-15 minuites
Ground beef
Onion (chopped)
1/2 a large can of tomatoe juice
3 cups of Minuite rice
1 cup of frozen corn
Salt and pepper to taste
You cud add some chilli powder or a bit of hot sauce for some kick. My kids liked it without
1- cook ground beef and drain
2-chop onions and add to meat, cook till transparent
3- add all remaining ingredients, stir and put lid on
4- cook on med-low for 10 min
5- optional- you cud add some grated cheese
6- enjoy your quick yummy meal
Wonderful! Your version sounds great, Barb. Thank you so much for sharing!
I think your recipe, even though it has more ingredients sounds like it would be more tasty. Will print it out.
I just made this for the first time, followed the recipe as written, very flavorful and seriously easy to make. My family really enjoyed it. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks, Jennifer!
I love the ease of this recipe. I was looking for a ground beef casserole that didn’t require pré browning of the beef, like my mom used to make. I never remember my mother or grandmother cooking up ingredients before making ground beef and rice casseroles. Thank you for sharing, this is a very simple and quick to put together recipe. It’s a hit in my home!
Yay! Thanks, Roxanne! I’m so glad that it was a winner with your family. 🙂
I just made 1/2 recipe and it was very good. I did add diced green pepper and onion, otherwise followed recipe to a T. Will make this again.
Awesome! So glad that you enjoyed it, Sonny! 🙂
Forgot to add I baked for 45 minutes as it was 1/2 recipe. Topped with the cheese, turned oven off and let it set cheese melted.
This has quickly become our favorite recipe. I love it, my husband loves it, our 2 year old loves it, my parents love it, etc. THANK YOU for it! I particularly love that it requires zero pre-cooking or slicing anything (I even use store bought minded garlic lol).
I’m wondering if there would be an easy way to modify it to be Mexican tasting instead of Italian tasting. I imagine you would just keep the beef, tomatoes, soup, broth, and rice the same, and use a Mexican cheese blend… But I’m not sure what to do about the Worcestershire sauce and spices. Any ideas? I would love to have TWO awesome recipes instead of one!
Hi, Jill! Thanks so much for your kind note! It makes me happy to hear that you enjoy this recipe. 🙂
I have so many other similar “dump-and-bake” dishes on the site, so you can scroll through and see if any of these sound good as well when you need a new idea: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/?s=dump
For a Mexican twist on this particular recipe, you can do exactly what you say above (but just omit the Worcestershire and use your favorite Mexican seasoning like a taco seasoning or just a combo of chili powder, cumin, paprika, etc.). For more specific Mexican-inspired dump-and-bake recipes, you might want to try one of these:
– Dump-and-Bake Fiesta Chicken and Rice: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/fiesta-chicken-and-rice-bake/
– Dump-and-Bake Taco Casserole: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/dump-bake-taco-casserole/ (you can use ground beef here instead of the meatballs)
So yummy and easy to ‘dump’ together. The entire family requested we have it again soon.
Thanks, Tammie! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
I am trying this recipe for first time but don’t have any tomato soup on hand. Will this work without it?
Hi, Janet! The tomato soup adds moisture and flavor to the dish, so you’ll need to replace it with an equal amount of tomato sauce if you have it? Or marinara sauce? Something like that. The tomato soup adds a hint of sweetness, too, so if you’re using tomato sauce, you might want to include some additional seasoning and brown sugar. Hope you enjoy!
I found your recipe while searching for ways to make a mince (ground beef) dish in the oven after my stovetop decided not to work and I had mince that needed to be cooked that day. Thanks for coming to the rescue. A ‘dump’ recipe is my type of recipe! Will definitely be checking out the other ones.
I’m so glad to hear that, Carmel. Thanks for your note! I hope that you find many other dump-and-bake recipes to try here: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/category/dump-bake/
Found this on search for recipe using some already mixed ground beef with uncooked rice I had. What a great find. Worked perfectly and so many possibilities for variations. Thanks!
Thank you, Maggie!
how much time do you let it sit in the oven if using precooked rice?
Hi, Rob! You can definitely use precooked rice, but you’ll also want to reduce the liquid in the dish (since cooked rice will not absorb nearly as much liquid as the raw rice does). I would just use a little bit of broth to thin the soup to desired consistency, and then omit the rest. Bake the casserole at 375 degrees F for maybe 45 minutes, and then check the beef. You’ll obviously need to make sure that the beef is cooked through before pulling it out of the oven. I just don’t know exactly when that will be, so just keep an eye on it.
Super easy and delicious! I used regular 80/20 ground beef and did not cook it prior to mixing everything together. It turned out perfectly.
Thanks, Jessie! I’m so glad that you liked it!
I made this last night using Impossible Burger as my son is vegan. Made the recipe exactly as listed and it was a huge hit. So easy not even having to brown the meat. Quick, easy and my family loved it. What more do you need. Thanks for the recipe!
We’re so happy to hear this, Shameen! Thank you for sharing.
Flavor was great, Thank You for posting. My only subs were ground turkey and condensed cream of chicken.
Next batch I will add more meat, leave bigger chunks to get this casserole closer to an entree and start checking at 45 minutes (used a smoked glass 9 X 13 )
Thank you for the feedback, David. We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!