Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.
This creamy, cheesy Hamburger Casserole with Rice is an old-fashioned, easy dinner with just 15 minutes of prep! The simple ground beef recipe is an entire meal that bakes in one dish — making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Your picky eaters are going to love this “busy day casserole!” The flexible recipe can be adjusted to suit your family’s preferences, so adjust the seasoning, pick your rice, and throw in your favorite veggies — anything goes. This Hamburger and Rice Casserole is a cozy, hearty and nourishing supper to share with your loved ones.
How to make Hamburger Casserole:
In general, a “casserole” is any food that is cooked and served in the same dish. Casseroles typically include three main components: a base that provides the main flavor and texture of the dish (in this case, the ground beef), an extender that helps thicken the dish (here it’s the rice), and a binder or liquid that holds it all together (such as the condensed soup). We’ve checked all of the boxes with this easy hamburger casserole recipe, and we’ve upped the ante with some vegetables, cheese and a buttery, crunchy Corn Flake topping! Let’s get started…
Ingredients:
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup and cream of celery soup
- Milk
- Salt, chives, pepper and garlic powder
- Rice
- Frozen mixed vegetables
- Cheddar cheese
- Corn Flakes cereal
- Butter
First, cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet.
While the meat cooks, stir together the condensed soups, milk, salt, chives, pepper and garlic powder.
Combine cooked meat, cooked rice, soup mixture and thawed vegetables, and then transfer to a large baking dish.
Finally, the topping! It wouldn’t be an old-fashioned casserole recipe without some grated cheddar cheese and a crunchy topping!
Sprinkle the cheese and buttered Corn Flakes crumbs over the dish, and then bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 30 minutes. The casserole is done when it’s hot and bubbly inside, and the topping is a nice, toasty golden brown.
What to serve with Hamburger Casserole:
Since this casserole includes protein, veggies and a starch, you really don’t need anything else on the side. Convenient, right? However, if you’d like to round out the meal with a couple of other options, here are some great sides that go well with the casserole:
- A simple green salad tossed with balsamic vinaigrette;
- Roasted broccoli;
- Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans;
- Roasted asparagus;
- Dinner rolls, crusty French bread, or buttermilk biscuits
- Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, or Secret Ingredient Jiffy Cornbread
- Southern Fried Apples
Preparation, Storage and Freezing Tips for Hamburger Casserole with Rice:
- Prep ahead: You can assemble this casserole in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.
- To freeze: Assemble the casserole, cover tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then allow to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- Have leftovers? The cooked casserole will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat a previously baked casserole: Cover the dish loosely with foil to prevent the top from excess browning. Warm in a 300 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, or just until heated through. If you need the topping to get crispy again, remove the foil cover during the final 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, just until heated through.
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- You’ll need 4 cups of cooked rice for this recipe. I like to use two packets of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice for a shortcut, which I can microwave in minutes. If you prefer, you can cook your own rice on the stovetop or use leftover rice from a previous meal.
- Any variety of cooked rice will work — brown rice, white rice or even a wild rice blend.
- Just about any vegetables will work in this casserole. I use frozen mixed vegetables, but you can substitute with broccoli florets, green beans, peas and carrots, or just corn. You do not need to cook the vegetables before adding them to the casserole — just make sure that they’re thawed.
- I love the flavor and crunch of the Corn Flake topping; however, you can swap out the cereal and toss the melted butter with breadcrumbs, crushed potato chips, crushed Ritz crackers, or even dry stuffing mix.
- Instead of the hamburger meat, try using an equal amount of ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Serving a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare the casserole in an 8-inch square baking dish. The smaller casserole will probably only need about 25 minutes in the oven, but the rest of the instructions remain the same.
What else can I make with cooked hamburger meat?
- Hamburger Pie
- Ground Beef Casserole with Tomato Soup
- Hamburger Casserole with Tater Tots
- 4-Ingredient Ground Beef Casserole
- Hamburger Casserole with Noodles
Hamburger Casserole with Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced (or about 1 cup of frozen pre-diced onion for a shortcut)
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, NOT diluted
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, NOT diluted
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried chives
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups cooked rice (I use 2 packages (8.8 oz each) of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice microwaved according to package instructions)
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (I use a 10-ounce package)
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crushed Corn Flakes cereal (about 1 ¾ c. whole cereal before crushing)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until meat is no longer pink (about 5-7 minutes). Drain.
- In a separate bowl, stir together condensed soups, milk, salt, chives, pepper and garlic powder.
- Add cooked rice, soup mixture and vegetables to the cooked beef. Stir to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over top.
- In a small bowl, toss together Corn Flakes crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over top of the casserole.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Prep ahead: You can assemble this casserole in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.
- To freeze: Assemble the casserole, cover tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then allow to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- Have leftovers? The cooked casserole will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat a previously baked casserole: Cover the dish loosely with foil to prevent the top from excess browning. Warm in a 300 degree F oven for about 20 minutes, or just until heated through. If you need the topping to get crispy again, remove the foil cover during the final 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, just until heated through.
- You’ll need 4 cups of cooked rice for this recipe. I like to use two packets of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice for a shortcut, which I can microwave in minutes. If you prefer, you can cook your own rice on the stovetop or use leftover rice from a previous meal.
- Any variety of cooked rice will work — brown rice, white rice or even a wild rice blend.
- Just about any vegetables will work in this casserole. I use frozen mixed vegetables, but you can substitute with broccoli florets, green beans, peas and carrots, or just corn. You do not need to cook the vegetables before adding them to the casserole — just make sure that they’re thawed.
- I love the flavor and crunch of the Corn Flake topping; however, you can swap out the cereal and toss the melted butter with breadcrumbs, crushed potato chips, crushed Ritz crackers, or even dry stuffing mix.
- Instead of the hamburger meat, try using an equal amount of ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Serving a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare the casserole in an 8-inch square baking dish. The smaller casserole will probably only need about 25 minutes in the oven, but the rest of the instructions remain the same.
I love your recipes, so many great ideas! Thank you
Thanks, Cole!
Why rate the recipe if you have not made it just because it sounds good or you have liked some of the other recipes that have been posted. It messes up the rating system for those of us that are looking for legitimate reviews of people who HAVE TRIED the recipe.
Hi Blair,
This looks yummy and healthy. Looks like perfect for dinner.
Thanks, Asma!