Ground Beef Casserole Rice Casserole Recipes For Weeknight Dinners
This cozy French onion casserole layers jammy caramelized onions, savory ground beef, and a velvety cream base with either tender noodles or fluffy rice. Baked under a blanket of nutty Gruyère and finished with a shower of crispy fried onions, it delivers the nostalgic pull of comfort food with weeknight simplicity.
Whether you’re craving a classic ground beef casserole or leaning into rice casserole recipes, this adaptable bake nails that steakhouse-meets-soup-bowl vibe: deep umami, gentle sweetness, and melty richness in every bite. It’s tailor-made for weeknight dinners, potlucks, and make-ahead meal prep—reliable, crowd-pleasing, and forgiving.
Think of it as your fuss-free classic French onion beef and rice bake: minimal dishes, flexible ingredients, and maximum payoff. Assemble ahead, stash in the freezer, or riff with veggies, turkey bacon, or a lighter dairy swap—either way, the result is cozy, golden, and irresistibly spoonable.
Ingredients
Onions and Beef
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup (240 ml) beef broth
- ½ tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
Sauce and Pasta
- 12 oz (340 g) wide egg noodles (or 12 oz short pasta)
- 1 can (10.5 oz / 298 g) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup sour cream (or 4 oz cream cheese, softened)
- 1 packet (about 1 oz) onion soup mix, optional but boosts flavor
Cheeses and Topping
- 1½ cups shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone
- 1½ cups crispy fried onions
Optional Add-In
- 6 slices Turkey Bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles just to al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and jammy, 18–25 minutes. If the pan dries, splash in a tablespoon of beef broth to deglaze.
Push the onions to the edges of the skillet and add the ground beef to the center. Cook, breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink. Stir in the garlic, thyme, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper, and cook one minute.
Pour in the beef broth to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Simmer until slightly reduced, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the condensed soup and sour cream until smooth. Stir in the onion soup mix if using. Fold in the cooked noodles, the onion-beef mixture, and half of each cheese. If using Turkey Bacon, fold it in now.
Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheeses. Cover with foil and bake until hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes.
Remove the foil, scatter the crispy fried onions over the top, and bake until the topping is golden and crisp, 5–8 minutes.
Let the casserole rest 10 minutes before serving to set for cleaner slices.
Notes
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Caramelize onions low and slow; deglaze with a splash of beef broth to capture fond.
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Season in layers: onions, beef, then the sauce; a dash of Worcestershire sharpened with thyme keeps flavors bright.
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For noodles, cook just to al dente; they’ll finish in the oven and stay pleasantly firm.
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For rice: use 1 cup long-grain with ~2 cups total liquid and bake covered, or fold in 3 cups cooked rice and reduce added liquid.
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Cheese blend matters: Gruyère/Swiss for flavor + mozzarella/provolone for melt and stretch.
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Add crispy fried onions during the final minutes only to protect crunch.
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Optional turkey bacon adds smoky snap; stir in after browning the beef.
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To lighten, choose lean beef or turkey, reduced-fat dairy, and scale back cheese slightly.
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Gluten-free path: GF condensed soup or quick béchamel, plus GF pasta—or go all-in on rice.