Dump-and-Bake Ground Beef Casserole with Rice

Overhead shot of ground beef casserole surrounded by fresh herbs

5 from 8 votes

Dump-and-Bake Ground Beef Casserole with Rice

Let the oven do the work, and just stir together the raw ingredients for this Dump-and-Bake Ground Beef Casserole with Rice -- an easy and healthy dinner!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword easy ground beef recipe, ground beef casserole, Ground Beef Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 25

Servings - 6 people

Calories 330.2kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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, NOT diluted
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
Salt and 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 degrees. Spray a large baking dish (about 9 x 13 inches) with 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 60-75 minutes (or until the rice is tender). During the final 5 minutes of cooking, remove dish from oven, uncover, and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Place back in the oven (uncovered) for the final 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Notes

I recommend using 96% or 97% extra lean ground beef for this recipe, because you are not browning and draining the meat before it goes into the dish. The extra lean meat will not make your casserole greasy. That said, if you prefer to use ground meat with a higher fat content, that's fine -- just cook the meat in a skillet and drain off the fat before stirring the beef into the casserole.
Cooking time can vary, depending on the type of dish that you're using. For instance, rice will cook faster in a dark, metal pan than it will in a ceramic dish. Just keep your eye on it starting at the 55 minute mark (when you may need to add the cheese), because you don't want your rice to be over-cooked and mushy.
Substitute ground chicken breast or ground white meat turkey breast for the ground beef.
Make sure that you break up the raw meat as you place it in the dish. This is similar to using a wooden spoon to break up ground beef as you brown it in a skillet. Since the meat bakes in the oven, you don't want it to cook in one big lump. By breaking it into smaller pieces, it will evenly distribute throughout the casserole!
Brown rice or instant rice are not equal swaps for the long grain white rice called for here. Brown rice requires a much longer cooking time (so the casserole would need to bake for at least 90 minutes), while instant rice cooks faster and will not absorb as much liquid. I have only tested the recipe with long grain white rice, so I cannot recommend using other grain substitutes.
For a creamier casserole, omit the can of condensed tomato soup and replace it with a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup (or other creamy condensed soup).

Nutrition