Hamburger Rice Casserole is an easy, cheesy, one-pan meal that’s made with ground beef, onions, rice, savory seasonings, and topped with plenty of melted cheese.
One pan meals are some of the quickest and easiest when you’re looking for dinner options. Not only are they tasty, but clean up is a breeze.
A couple of our favorites are Mexican Casserole with ground beef, cheese, and tortilla chips, and Taco Pasta which is exactly as it sounds, seasoned ground beef and noodles with taco toppings. If you’re looking for a casserole side dish, our Twice Baked Potato Casserole is warm, cheesy, and tastes just like a loaded baked potato but in casserole form.
This hamburger rice casserole is similar. It starts with onions and ground beef, add in some beef broth, rice, seasonings, then top with cheddar cheese. It makes a great, easy dinner option.
How to make hamburger rice casserole:
- This ground beef and rice casserole is incredibly simple. Start by heating a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add a tablespoon of cooking oil (your choice), some diced onions, and a pound of lean ground beef. Break up the ground beef as it cooks, so it’s in small pieces.
- I like to use a meat spatula, because it easily gets along the circular edges of the pan. After the ground beef is completely cooked and no longer pink, drain the excess grease, and return the meat to the pan.
- Add the broth, long grain white rice, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, chili, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine ensuring the broth covers the rice.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cover. Continue to cook at a simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- After the rice reaches the desired consistency, remove the hamburger rice casserole from heat, and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Add the lid back to the pan for about 5 minutes to allow the cheese time to melt.
- Serve the cheesy hamburger rice casserole hot with a Homemade Fruit Salad or a side of Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli.
Tips and Variations for Hamburger Rice Casserole:
- For best results, we recommend using long grain white rice, Jasmine, or basmati rice for this recipe. This recipe is not intended for Minute Rice or brown rice.
- Use your favorite shredded cheese. Monterey jack, pepper jack, or white cheddar would be great options.
- For a protein variation, try ground chicken, turkey, or pork. The seasonings may need to be adjusted slightly.
- 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 adjust to meet your desired heat level.
- We used a gas stove top on low heat to simmer this recipe. The cook time on the lowest setting was about 20 minutes. An electric stove top may yield slightly different results, so keep an eye on the rice beginning at the 15 minute mark.
Other ground beef meals you may love:
- French Onion Beef Casserole
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Instant Pot Creamy Shells and Beef
- Simple Ground Beef Casserole
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
Don’t forget to check out our Ground Beef Rice Casserole web story!
Cheesy Hamburger Rice Casserole
Hamburger Rice Casserole is an easy, cheesy, one-pan meal that's made with ground beef, onions, rice, savory seasonings, and topped with plenty of melted cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 1 Pound Lean Ground Beef (We used 93/7.)
- ½ Cup White Onion, finely chopped
- 2 ¼ Cups Beef Broth
- ½ Cup Uncooked White Rice (long grain, jasmine, or basmati)
- ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt, or to taste
- ¼ Teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ Teaspoon Oregano
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
- 1 ½ Cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Please see information in the post/article for answers to frequently asked questions and tips.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil, ground beef, and onions. Cook the ground beef until no pinks remain. Drain excess grease, and return to the pan.
- Stir in the rice, broth, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Bring the ingredients to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to simmer.
- Continue to cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender and cooked to the desired consistency.
- Remove from heat, uncover, and top with shredded cheese. Return the lid and all the residual heat to melt the cheese. Serve hot, and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 cup of casserole. Actual calories will vary.
*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1 CupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 476Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 939mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 37g
*The calories are an estimate and are based on the ingredients and serving size listed. The calories can vary depending on the brand of product purchased.
April
Tuesday 24th of May 2022
I've made this 2 weeks in a row, which tells you it's a winner! I followed the recipe almost exactly, using ground turkey instead of ground beef. Sometimes with rice dishes like this it can take forever for the rice to cook through, but it was perfectly done at the 25 minute mark! The second time making it I deglazed with wine just to give it a little lift. Solid crowd-pleaser that will make it into our regular rotation - thank you!
John
Wednesday 25th of May 2022
That's wonderful April! Thank you for sharing your experience. The ground turkey and wine combination sounds lovely. Have a great day :)
Sue
Tuesday 24th of May 2022
It’s good. Tastes like a taco. I’m going to add either beans or corn to it and will have a salad.
Kimberly
Tuesday 24th of May 2022
Those would be great additions! Enjoy!
James
Monday 2nd of May 2022
Can you use water instead of the broth?
Kimberly
Monday 2nd of May 2022
Yes, water will work in place of the broth. Have a great day! :)
Rebecca
Wednesday 27th of April 2022
I made this last night for a quick set it and forget it dinner while I had other stuff around the house to do. I made it in a dutch oven and it turned out perfectly! My son (4), doesn't like tacos or 'Mexican' type food, but he scarfed this down so fast! I served it with tortilla chips!
John
Thursday 28th of April 2022
Good Morning Rebecca, that's wonderful to hear. We're thrilled your son enjoyed the casserole. Thank you for sharing your experience and have a lovely day :)
Nikki Telowitz
Saturday 25th of December 2021
Can this be made without tomato Paste if I don’t have any?
Kimberly
Sunday 26th of December 2021
Hi Nikki!
Yes, it can. Making the casserole without tomato paste will change the flavor and consistency, but if you don't have it just skip it this time around. Happy Holidays! :)