Cheesy Hamburger Rice Casserole is an easy and delicious one-pan meal that’s perfect for the whole family. Made with ground beef, onions, rice, and savory seasonings and topped with ooey, gooey melted cheese.

Melted cheddar cheese on a beef casserole.

When you’re on the hunt for an easy dinner solution, one-pan meals are your go-to. Not only do they taste fantastic, but clean-up is simpler than ever!

This hamburger rice casserole is exactly that! It starts with onions and ground beef, toss in some beef broth, rice, and seasonings, then sprinkle on the cheddar cheese. Dinner accomplished!

It’s an easy casserole recipe the whole family will love! Looking for more rice casserole recipes? Try our broccoli rice casserole, teriyaki chicken casserole, or green chile chicken casserole.

Substitutions and Variations

Protein: Use ground chicken or ground turkey in place of ground beef.
Cheese: We love sharp cheddar cheese on this casserole, but pepper jack, colby jack, mozzarella, or Monterey jack cheese make great options!
Veggies: Stir in some canned or frozen (thawed) vegetables for a more filling meal. Mushrooms, green beans, peas, corn, or carrots are easy mix-ins.
Garnish: Top with a dollop of sour cream, fresh parsley, or a spoonful of pico de gallo.
Seasoning: Add a packet of taco seasoning instead of using garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, and chili powder.
Make Burritos: Use this ground beef casserole as filling for burritos!

Equipment

This ground beef casserole is so simple to make that you only need 1 piece of kitchen equipment plus measuring cups and spoons. No casserole dish or baking dish required!

Here are some ideas (Amazon affiliate links included):

Large Skillet with Lid: You’ll need a large skillet, about 12-inches with a lid to cook the ground beef, rice, and then to melt the cheese.
Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons: Of course, you’ll need some measuring cups for dry measure and wet measure along with measuring spoons.

Storage

Refrigerate: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: This cheesy ground beef casserole freezes well! Cook it as written and let it cool completely. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw: Place ground beef and rice casserole in the refrigerator to thaw completely before reheating.

Reheat: To reheat, microwave a single serving on half power until warmed through, or place a larger portion in a skillet over low heat. Add a little broth as needed to keep the casserole from drying out.

You can also reheat this casserole in the oven at 350°F until it reaches the desired temperature.

Tips

Use long-grain white rice, Jasmine rice, or basmati rice. Minute rice does not work well in this recipe. Depending on what type of rice you use, the cook time may vary slightly.
Make sure to completely cook the ground beef before adding the other ingredients.
If you want more spice, add more chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, or your favorite hot sauce!
When cooking rice in a casserole, make sure that there is enough liquid to cover all of the ingredients as well as an extra ½ cup to 1 cup of broth – this will ensure that your rice cooks properly without burning or sticking to the pan!
Know how strong the chili powder is before adding it to the ground beef. Some brands of chili powder have more heat than others, so the amount may need to be adjusted to meet your desired heat level.

Frequently Asked Questions

The rice should be uncooked for this cheesy beef casserole. It simmers in the beef broth and absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients.

Yes, brown rice can be used in this casserole. However, it may require a longer cooking time to ensure that the rice is fully cooked.

Additionally, you may need to add more beef broth and adjust the seasonings slightly.

Yes, you can use tomato sauce instead of tomato paste in this casserole. The flavor will be slightly different and the consistency may be thinner due to the extra liquid that is found in the sauce.

Generally, the rule of thumb is you’d substitute 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce for every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. However, it makes this rice and hamburger casserole liquidy and heavy in tomato flavor.

We recommend starting with less and adding more if needed.