Description
This Southern Five Layer Beef Casserole is a hearty and comforting dish featuring layers of seasoned ground beef, cooked rice, corn, tomato soup, diced tomatoes, and melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for a family dinner, it combines simple ingredients into a flavorful, cheesy bake that’s easy to prepare and sure to please.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Mixture
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Layers
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 (10-ounce) can condensed tomato soup
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook Beef and Onion: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion together until the beef is browned and the onion is translucent and soft, approximately 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat to reduce greasiness.
- Season Meat: Stir in garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper into the cooked beef and onion mixture, ensuring the flavors are well combined.
- Layer the Casserole: In the prepared baking dish, spread the cooked white rice evenly across the bottom. Next, add the drained corn as the second layer. Then, evenly distribute the seasoned beef mixture as the third layer.
- Add Tomato Layers: Pour the condensed tomato soup and the undrained diced tomatoes over the beef layer, spreading them evenly to cover the surface completely.
- Top with Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese generously over the tomato layer, covering the entire dish.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes to allow the layers to meld and heat through.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown slightly.
- Rest and Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven to set before serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, mix a little hot sauce into the tomato layer before baking.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef for a lighter version.
- This casserole pairs wonderfully with cornbread or a fresh green salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 29g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
