This hearty casserole with lots of gooey cheese is perfect for back to school and busy weeknights!
Don't want to scroll through the page to get to the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on the section you want to go to.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This comfort food casserole recipe is cheesy, hearty, and picky eater friendly!
- Since this can be made ahead and frozen it's the best for having on hand for extra busy weeknights, back-to-school chaos, and unexpected disruptions.
- FYI: Using lean ground beef (90/10) means that you won't need to drain off the fat. Even though it's a little more expensive you retain more protein when it's cooked.
Some foods just make us feel good, don't they? This simple John Wayne casserole is one of them!
Cheesy, beefy, and a little spicy - it's definitely family-friendly comfort food. Be sure to try this kid-friendly ground beef Dorito casserole and tater tot cowboy casserole, too.
🧾 Ingredients
📖 Variations
- If you don't like red meat or prefer not to use it, you can easily replace the meat mixture with ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Hunters in the family? Ground venison works great!
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free baking mix. Be sure to check other ingredients for hidden gluten.
- We love cheddar cheese in my house, but if you want an extra kick of spice you can swap it for pepper jack cheese!
- And if you're really looking to amp up the level of spice, you can add jalapeño peppers to the top of the meat layer.
- Cream cheese makes for a great alternative if you don't like (or don't have) sour cream.
- Sneak in any fresh vegetables you like as an extra single layer in this casserole.
- Try cornbread batter instead of the biscuit dough.
- Green bell peppers have a more in-your-face flavor than red, orange, or yellow ones. Any bell peppers will be fine.
🔪 Instructions
These are an overview of the instructions. You'll find the full instructions in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced onions, bell peppers (you can use red bell pepper or green bell pepper), taco seasoning and ½ cup water.
- Blend together the sour cream, mayonnaise, shredded cheese and ranch seasoning to create the sour cream mixture.
- To create the biscuit layer combine the Bisquick with ¾ cup of water in a medium bowl. Stir the biscuit mix until combined.
- Pat dough into a 13-inch casserole dish to create the the biscuit base and bake for 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef mixture, making sure to cover all edges of dough.
- Scoop on the sour cream and cheese mixture the top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve up this beef and biscuit casserole for your whole family to enjoy!
🎥 Video
🥫 Storage
You can store any leftover casserole in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
This can be reheated in the oven or microwave easily.
The microwave is best for reheating one serving at a time. Heat on high for a minute or two until it's hot all the way through.
To reheat in the oven preheat it to 350 degrees F and bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
You can also store this easy casserole in the freezer for up to 3 months. Use an airtight container to prevent any freezer burn.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Speed things up a bit! Use refrigerated biscuit dough or crescent roll sheets instead of the Bisquick mix. Easier cleanup, too!
- Make sure to prepare your baking dish with non-stick cooking spray to get the most of your biscuit layer.
- If you have leftover taco meat, you can use that in place of the ground beef mixture.
- When you spread the biscuit dough in the bottom of the dish be sure to pat it out so that it goes to the edges and maybe a touch up the sides.
- Don't have enough onions handy to make this great recipe? You can always add onion powder to make up for it!
👩🍳 FAQs
Absolutely! Instead of making a biscuit layer as the base, you can use tater tots, or any other kind of shredded potatoes. Just make sure they are gluten free.
The famous actor contributed the original John Wayne casserole recipe to a cookbook of the stars put together by Cara Connery in the 1970s.
You can easily assemble this delicious casserole a day in advance and cover in your fridge with aluminum foil to bake at a later time.
You can substitute Miracle Whip if you prefer it.
📚 Related recipes
- Try this cheesy, 30 minute, stuffed pepper skillet casserole.
- If you love this John Wayne casserole recipe, then my indulgent hamburger noodle casserole is perfect for you!
- Crescent roll taco bake is quick and easy for busy weeknights. Takes your Tuesday Taco Night to the next level!
🍽️ Serve with...
This easy biscuit and ground beef casserole doesn't need much to round it out. I like this broccoli-cauliflower salad with dried cranberries on the side. A plain garden salad would be fine, too.
A bowl of crispy pickled okra and this classic Texas sheet cake would meet with the Duke's approval for sure.
📞 The last word
My dad loved John Wayne - and I don't think he ever missed a movie when it was on tv. I can't tell you how many times I fell asleep on Dad's lap watching westerns and war movies!
This vintage casserole is a perfect example of what dinners were like - comforting, simple, and filling! You'll like this ground beef pot pie if you like this recipe.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
John Wayne Casserole
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 2 cups onion, diced
- ½ cup bell pepper, diced
- 1 ounce taco seasoning , 1 packet
- 1-½ cups Cheddar cheese, divided use
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Ranch seasoning, dry
- 10 ounces Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 2 cups Bisquick, or favorite biscuit mix
- 1 ¼ cup water, divided
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray 13X9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet; drain off any grease that accumulates.
- Add diced onion, bell pepper, taco seasoning and ½ cup of water to pan.
- Stir until well blended.
- Bring to a simmer and cover.
- Simmer 10 minutes or so - until onion & pepper are soft.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise, ½ cup of the cheese, and Ranch seasoning.
- Whisk until smooth and blended. Set aside.
- Add Bisquick (or other biscuit mix) to a large bowl.
- Pour in ¾ cup of water and stir to make a soft dough. You may ned a little more water.
- Gently press dough into bottom of pan and bake 5 minutes - just until set.
- Remove from oven.
- Spread ground beef mixture over the biscuit layer.
- Spread the Rotel over that.
- Spoon the sour cream mixture over that and gently spread over the top.
- Finish with the remaining cheese.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until biscuit layer is done and the casserole is heated through.
Notes
- Make it quicker by using refrigerated biscuit dough or crescent roll dough instead of the Bisquick.
- Make sure to prepare your baking dish with non-stick cooking spray to the biscuit layer from sticking.
- If you have leftover taco meat, you can use that in place of the ground beef mixture.
- When you spread the biscuit dough in the bottom of the dish be sure to pat it out so that it goes to the edges and maybe a touch up the sides.
- Don't have enough onions handy to make this great recipe? You can always add onion powder to make up for it!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published December 14, 2021. Last updated August 11, 2023, for editorial improvements and to add helpful video.
Sallie says
Love your recipes ! A God send !
Sandy says
My family likes this a lot! But the Bisquick and water doesn't form a "dough" it's more like a cake mix consistency. Either use less water or add more Bisquick 👍
Marye says
Hmmm.... it turns into a thick drop-biscuit type dough for me - like in the video. But yeah, if it isn't thick enough add more bisquick or less water.
Denise says
I will use ground pork instead for beef and honey cornbread by krutz and maybe add jalapeño
Jamie says
This was a good hearty meal. I am thinking about adding some of my own variations so my family will like it better. But it was delicious and easy to make!
Vanissa Bender says
This was a huge hit with the family. Definitely putting in my rotation. One thing I did (not because I thought it would better) but because it called for a 1 1/2 lbs hamburger and I only thawed 1, I added bacon for more meat.
Carmela Cox says
This is a favorite, I have made it many times and it's always good I sometimes use Jiffy cornbread mix instead of the biscuit mix and we love it.
Tena Dupree says
There are some steps missing when you go to layer. Like when to put the Taco seasoning stuff with the peppers lol
Marye says
No - that's step 14. It's there.