Hamburger Rice Casserole
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.
When you’re on the hunt for an easy dinner solution, this cheesy hamburger rice casserole is your go-to.
Not only is it a flavorful one-pan meal that the whole family will love, but clean-up is also a breeze.
Starting with ground beef and onions, mixed with rice and savory seasonings, and topped with melted cheddar cheese—it’s comfort food at its best!
If you’re a fan of Tex-Mex flavors, think of this as a more robust version of our cheesy ranch ground beef and rice skillet.
Looking for more rice casserole recipes? Try our broccoli rice casserole, teriyaki chicken casserole, or green chile chicken casserole.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This casserole is:
- Quick and Easy: Perfect for busy weeknights with minimal prep time.
- Versatile: Swap ingredients to suit your taste or what you have on hand.
- Family-Friendly: A crowd-pleaser with cheesy, hearty goodness in every bite.
How to Make Cheesy Hamburger Casserole
- Cook the Ground Beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil, ground beef, and onions. Cook the ground beef until it’s browned and no pink remains. Drain excess grease and return the mixture to the pan.
- Combine Ingredients: Stir in the beef broth, uncooked rice, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to simmer.
- Cook the Rice: Allow the mixture to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender and cooked through.
- Add the Cheese: Remove the skillet from the heat, uncover, and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Replace the lid and let the residual heat melt the cheese.
- Serve: Serve hot, garnished with your favorite toppings like fresh parsley or a dollop of sour cream.
Tips
- Rice Consistency: Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the ingredients plus an extra ½ to 1 cup of broth. This ensures the rice cooks properly without burning or sticking.
- Extra Flavor: If you want a little more spice, add an extra dash of chili powder, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, or your favorite hot sauce.
Should the rice be cooked or uncooked?
The rice should be uncooked for this cheesy beef casserole. It simmers in the beef broth, absorbing the flavors of the other ingredients, resulting in a more flavorful dish.
Can you use brown rice in this casserole?
Yes, brown rice can be used, but it requires a longer cooking time. You may need to add more beef broth and adjust the seasonings slightly.
If you’re using brown rice, make sure to keep an eye on the liquid levels to ensure it cooks through.
Substitutions and Variations
- Tomato Paste: If you’re out of tomato paste, substitute with tomato sauce (3 tablespoons per 1 tablespoon of paste) or ketchup for a slightly sweeter taste. Adjust amounts as needed to maintain consistency.
- Protein: Swap the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey for a lighter option.
- Cheese: While sharp cheddar is fantastic, try Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, or Monterey Jack for a different flavor twist.
- Veggies: Add extra flavor and texture to this hamburger rice casserole by adding canned or frozen vegetables like mushrooms, green beans, peas, corn, or carrots.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: This casserole freezes well. Let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
More Casserole Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 pound ground beef, (We used 93/7.)
- ½ cup white onion, finely chopped
- 2 ¼ cups low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup uncooked long grain white rice
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 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.1 tablespoon cooking oil1 pound ground beef½ cup white onion
- Stir in the broth, rice, 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.2 ¼ cups low-sodium beef broth½ cup uncooked long grain white rice¼ cup tomato paste1 teaspoon onion powder1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon chili powder½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground cumin¼ teaspoon dried oregano¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cook at a simmer 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 allow the residual heat to melt the cheese.1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Serve warm with your favorite side dish.
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.
I have made this 4 times, followed the recipe exactly, and LOVE it! I couldn’t remember if I rated it so I looked and there’s another Tracy that likes it! Funny! Just wanted to thank you for a “delicious every time” meal!
Thank you Tracy! It’s a small world, especially in the digital age. Kim and I are glad you like the casserole. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe! Have a lovely day 🙂
Flavor was good but not enough for a family of 4 adults. I basically made as recipe said.
Good morning Jacki, thank you for commenting and rating the recipe! We’re glad you enjoyed the flavor of the casserole. Have a lovely day 🙂
We had a pound of hamburger unthawed. It was a late night and my husband said let’s do hamburger with rice. I came apron your recipe. My husband was a chef at his Aunt’s restaurant in his younger days. (He is an amazing cook still.) We both loved your recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
Marty & Owen
Thank you for sharing your experience Marty! Kim and I glad Owen and you enjoyed the casserole. Have a lovely day 🙂
I have this simmering right now and it smells amazing. I can’t wait until its done and dig in. I had one and half pounds of ground chuck thawed so I just one and a halved all the other ingredients. It doesn’t seem like enough rice at the moment but it should double to 2 cups cooked. I have a small cup of cooked rice available if I need to add it later just in case. I’m going to add finely shredded Mexican style cheese at the end. Yummy 😋
Good morning Robin, we hope you enjoyed the dish! I’m glad you have the extra cup of cooked rice on hand. We don’t normally add a lot of rice to our dishes, so I can understand your concern. Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe. We hope you have a lovely day 🙂
can you substitute tomato paste with marinara sauce or another ingredient?
Hi Julie!
Yes, I’d recommend using tomato sauce, but any substitution isn’t going to taste quite the same. We haven’t tried marinara. Although, it may work great! We have an entire section in our FAQ section (in the post above the recipe card) devoted to this question. It may have some information you may find helpful. Have a great afternoon! 😊
this lil unassuming casserole was DELICIOUS!!! Followed recipe exactly, served with corn and taco toppings. perfect week day dinner! thank you for the recipe ❤️
Thank you Tracy! We’re glad you enjoyed the casserole. The leftovers work well as burrito filling too. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a lovely day 🙂
@John, there were no leftovers 😆 made again tonight and increase the recipe by 1.5x and there’s only a tiny bit left!
That’s wonderful to hear Tracy! Hopefully, you have enough leftover for lunch today lol! Thank you again for sharing 🙂 Have a great Wednesday.
I have this on the stove now, it smells great so far. I used a mushroom risotto rice packet I had on hand instead of regular rice. I figured it would give it a nice creamy texture and added flavor also. I had 2 packs of ground chuck both under a pound so it is more beef too.
This is a family favorite. It’s quick and easy to make on a week night. We love having leftovers. Will be trying making them into burritos!
Thank you Deb! Kim and I are glad you and your family enjoys the casserole. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a lovely day 🙂
My family now calls this “taco surprise.” We love this recipe for tacos and burritos. I double the recipe and use the leftovers for burritos for lunches. I use whatever broth I have, either beef or chicken. If I don’t have enough broth I use water to make up the different and it is still fantastic.
It is so easy for weeknight dinners and I always have the ingredients on hand.
Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe, we appreciate it! We’re thrilled to hear everyone enjoys the casserole. It’s awesome you use the leftovers for burritos. Thank you again for commenting and have a lovely day 🙂
This tasted good. My family enjoyed it. We all decided it would be good in a tortilla with taco toppings. Mine did not look as nice as yours, so my husband said he wasn’t sure about at first.
Good morning Jerilea, thank you for commenting and rating the recipe card! The taco idea sounds great. Looks can be deceiving. I’ve tried a few meals that looked delicious, but didn’t taste very good. Thanks again for sharing your experience. Have a lovely day 🙂
This was really good! I love a one-pan type meal that all the kids will gladly eat. We added a can of black beans (drained and rinsed), a can of corn (drained), and topped with crushed doritos. Will definitely be added into our rotation!
Good morning Molly, thank you for commenting and rating the recipe! The beans and corn sound like awesome additions. Have a lovely day 🙂
Easy one pot meal with things you already have in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing! I added a little sugar and some Parmesan.
Hi Rosie!
I love the addition of Parmesan cheese. Yum! Have a lovely evening! 🙂
So easy and very, very tasty!! Thank you for including measurements in the instructions…Brilliant!!
No problem Antonina, we’re glad you enjoyed the casserole. Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a lovely day!
I make the almost exact thing all the time but I add Doritos on top and put it back in the oven for 10 minutes
Doritos would be really good on this dish!
Can’t wait to try this! Can you use tomato sauce instead of tomato paste?
Hi Mary!
Please check out our answer to Belinda’s question in the comments below yours. It’s fairly detailed and may be helpful. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Could you use brown rice or instant rice?
Good Morning Linda, I wouldn’t recommend instant rice because the casserole has to cook for 20-25 minutes. Brown rice is an option; however, you’ll need to keep an eye on it. Make sure to watch the liquid level and add water/broth if needed. Also, the casserole may need to cook a little longer to ensure that the brown rice is done. Hopefully, this information helps, have a lovely day 🙂
Can tomato sauce be used in place of the tomato paste?
Hi Belinda!
Yes, tomato sauce can be used as a substitute. It may change the consistency a bit, though. As a rule of thumb, I use about 3 tablespoons of sauce for every 1 tablespoon of paste. For this recipe, that would equal about 12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) of tomato sauce. If you don’t want that much tomato flavor, it wouldn’t hurt to cut it back a bit. Hope that helps!
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!
That’s wonderful April! Thank you for sharing your experience. The ground turkey and wine combination sounds lovely. Have a great day 🙂
It’s good. Tastes like a taco. I’m going to add either beans or corn to it and will have a salad.
Those would be great additions! Enjoy!
Can you use water instead of the broth?
Yes, water will work in place of the broth. Have a great day! 🙂
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!
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 🙂
Can this be made without tomato
Paste if I don’t have any?
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! 🙂
Next time I will double up on the spices and rice. Also, I think 1 cup of cheese is more than enough. This recipe would be a great filling for hard or soft tacos. Will definitely make again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the casserole! It would make a good taco filling. Great idea! We’ll have to try that sometime. Happy Holidays! 🙂