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French Onion Ground Beef and Rice Casserole: Easy Comfort Dinner

A square serving of french onion ground beef and rice casserole topped with melted golden cheese.
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Welcome to my kitchen! This recipe brings the rich, savory flavor of French Onion Soup into an easy, hearty one-dish meal using ground beef and rice. It is a simple, satisfying bake perfect for your weeknight dinner rotation.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup
  • 1 package (1.0 ounce) dry onion soup mix (like Lipton brand)
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup crispy fried onions (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to caramelize, about 10 to 12 minutes. You want them deeply golden for that French onion flavor.
  3. Add the ground beef to the skillet with the onions. Cook, breaking up the meat, until it is fully browned. Drain off any excess grease.
  4. Stir in the dried thyme, salt, and pepper into the beef and onion mixture.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, dry onion soup mix, and beef broth until smooth.
  6. Add the uncooked rice to the soup mixture and stir to combine.
  7. Spread half of the beef and onion mixture evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  8. Pour half of the rice and soup mixture over the beef layer.
  9. Top with half of the Swiss cheese.
  10. Repeat the layers: remaining beef mixture, remaining rice mixture, and the rest of the Swiss cheese.
  11. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
  12. Remove the foil. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and crispy fried onions over the top.
  13. Return the casserole to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the rice is tender.
  14. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before you serve it.

Notes

  • For deeper onion flavor, you can caramelize the onions slowly over low heat for 25 minutes instead of 10. This is a worthwhile step for true French Onion Soup taste.
  • You can use uncooked brown rice, but you will need to increase the baking time by about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is fully tender.
  • This is a great make ahead casserole. Assemble the entire dish (without the final cheese/onion topping), cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add 15 minutes to the initial covered baking time if baking straight from the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/french-onion-ground-beef-and-rice-casserole/