Description
A comforting one-pan French onion ground beef and rice casserole featuring the rich savory flavors of French onion soup with tender rice, ground beef, and bubbling melted Gruyere cheese. Perfect for easy weeknight dinners, this hearty casserole is baked to golden perfection in an oven-safe skillet.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Dairy and Cheese
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese, divided
Liquids and Sauces
- 2 cups beef broth (low-sodium recommended)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Dry Ingredients and Spices
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice (do not rinse)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) to get it ready for baking the casserole.
- Cook beef and onions: In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, sliced onions, and butter together for 8-10 minutes until the beef is fully browned and the onions become softened and golden. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, ensuring the garlic does not burn.
- Add liquids and rice: Still on the stovetop, mix in the beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, uncooked rice, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer to combine flavors.
- Incorporate cream and cheese: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the heavy cream and 1 cup of the shredded cheese until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
- Prepare for baking: If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the mixture into a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake: Place the casserole uncovered in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender, edges are bubbly, and the top cheese is golden and melted.
- Rest and garnish: Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to set. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use long-grain white rice, not instant rice, to avoid mushy texture.
- Do not rinse the rice; the natural starch helps thicken the casserole during baking.
- For more pronounced onion flavor, cook onions separately in butter for 15-20 minutes before adding ground beef.
- If the cheese browns too quickly while rice is still cooking, cover the casserole loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- To freeze, assemble the casserole through step 6, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: French onion casserole, ground beef casserole, rice casserole, Gruyere cheese, one-pan dinner, comfort food, easy weeknight meal
