My John Wayne Casserole is a delicious and super easy layered casserole. It’s full of layers of ground beef, taco seasoning, biscuits and cream cheese. It’s great for busy weeknights or for whenever you’re craving something comforting.
Casseroles are my busy day life saver. If you want some fun and delicious casseroles, try my Taco Cornbread Casserole and my Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pasta. They will become true family favorites, try one tonight.
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Why this John Wayne Casserole Recipe is a Keeper
This recipe is pure comfort. It’s super easy to make this biscuit base, layered casserole.
- Biscuit Base: Using canned jumbo biscuits provides a sturdy, fluffy, and incredibly easy crust that makes this casserole a true weeknight dinner champion. Pre-baking the crust prevents a soggy bottom.
- Layered Flavor: The combination of taco-seasoned beef, creamy, tangy cream cheese/sour cream mixture, and melty cheddar offers a perfect balance of Tex-Mex flavors and comfort food indulgence.
- Speed and Ease: It uses simple, common ingredients and comes together quickly with minimal chopping, making it ideal for busy families.
Why is the Name of the Recipe called John Wayne Casserole?
In 1979, a young girl named Cara Connery published a cookbook called Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends to raise money for cancer research. She reached out to celebrities for their favorite recipes and this is an adaptation of the original recipe that the famous western actor contributed by the actor John Wayne.
Pro Tip for Beef and Biscuit Casserole
It’s best to use a 80-20 or 90-10 lean to fat ratio.
John Wayne Casserole Ingredients
You only need a few easy-to-find ingredients, many of which you probably have in your kitchen already. It is like a sloppy joe casserole but better.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Biscuits: You will need to pick up a tube of jumbo biscuits from the store. You could also make a biscuit mix like Bisquick mix.
- Lean Ground Beef: Use ground beef that’s lean to cut out any extra grease.
- Taco Seasoning: The recipe calls for 1 ounce of store-bought taco seasoning, but you can also make your own.
Variations to Make John Wayne Casserole
This beef casserole dish recipe is so easy to change up. I like to experiment with ingredients to make different varieties. This delicious taco beef casserole cooked to perfection can be easily adapted. You can use a cornbread mix instead of biscuit mix.
- Ground Meat: Brown ground turkey, spicy bulk sausage, or a vegetarian ground (plant-based) alternative. You could also make it a mexican chicken casserole by using chicken instead.
- Rotel (Drained): A 10 ounce can of plain diced tomatoes (drained) + a pinch of cayenne or chili powder for a milder flavor. Salsa or Picante Sauce can also work, but may make the meat mixture runnier.
- Green Chiles: Diced jalapeños (use less for a spicier kick), or bell peppers (for a milder taste).
- Cream Cheese: Mayonnaise is often used in the creamy layer of other John Wayne recipes in combination with or instead of sour cream. For a richer flavor, use full-fat cottage cheese and puree until smooth in place of the sour cream.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use Colby Jack cheese, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or a pre-shredded Mexican blend.
- Veggies: To the recipe layers add diced red or green bell peppers and/or a can of drained, rinsed black beans to the ground beef mixture for extra flavor and nutrients.
How to Make Cowboy Casserole
This Mexican ground beef casserole recipe comes together in just 3 quick and easy steps. This recipe for John Wayne casserole is so good, I make this whenever I need an easy, hearty dinner.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Prepare Pan and Ingredients: Preheat the oven and grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Chop the onion and parsley.
- Bake Biscuits and Brown Ground Beef: Press the biscuits into the baking dish and bake. When done, remove from oven. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onion and add ground beef until browned. Drain any excess grease.
- Make the Meat Layer: Add the Rotel, green chiles, taco seasoning and water to the skillet. Stir everything together and pour the mixture over the top of the biscuit layer.
- Make the Sour Cream Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, softened cream cheese, garlic powder and some of the cheddar cheese. Spread cheese mixture over the meat layer.
- Top with Remaining Cheese and Bake: Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Prep Ahead Suggestions to Make this Recipe
Get a head start to make bisquick john wayne casserole even easier. This casserole is a hearty and delicious meal.
- Assemble and Refrigerate (Unbaked): Prepare the casserole up to the point of baking. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking to take the chill off, then bake as directed (you may need an extra 5-10 minutes of bake time).
- Cook Components Ahead: Cook the ground beef mixture and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to assemble, pre-bake the biscuits, reheat the seasoned ground meat mixture, and layer the casserole before baking.
Alternate Cooking Methods to Love this Recipe for Hamburger Casserole
Alternatively, you can make grandma’s ground beef casserole using your crock pot or in a cast iron. This casserole is a delicious taco twist that is easy to adapt.
- Slow Cooker: This version, with the biscuit base, is less suited for a slow cooker as the crust will become very soft/soggy. If adapting for a slow cooker, consider swapping the biscuit base for a layer of frozen hash brown patties or tater tots.
- Cast Iron Skillet: You can halve the recipe and bake it in a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet for a more rustic presentation.
Store, Reheat and Freeze John Wayne Casserole
- Store: Cover cooled leftover casserole in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Use a freezer-safe dish with a tight-fitting lid, or wrap a disposable foil pan tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. If freezing individual portions, use airtight containers or freezer bags.
- Reheat: For an entire casserole or large portions, reheat in a 350°F oven covered loosely with foil. Bake for 15-25 minutes, or until heated through. The foil prevents the top from drying out or burning.
- Quick Method: For individual slices, use the microwave in 60-90 second increments until hot. Be aware that this may result in a softer, less crispy biscuit.
- Use Leftovers: Serve John Wayne casserole with Bisquick crust over a bed of shredded lettuce with salsa and extra sour cream for a Casserole Salad. Spoon the filling onto taco shells or tostadas for a quick second-night taco dinner.
Questions About This John Wayne Casserole with Biscuits
Do not skip the baking step for the biscuits. Give the biscuit dough a head start by baking before adding the ground beef mixture. This sets the base and helps it hold up under the filling. Also, drain off excess fat and liquid. You can even blot it with paper towels to remove lingering moisture before layering.
Of course! Feel free to add more spices, peppers or hot sauce to the beef layer of the recipe contributed by the actor.
Recipe Tips to Love John Wayne Casserole
- Prevent a Watery Filling: Make sure to thoroughly drain the grease from the ground beef and drain the liquid from the Rotel and green chiles. Excess liquid can make the final casserole runny.
- The Creamy Layer: For easier spreading of the cream cheese/sour cream layer, ensure your cream cheese is fully softened. If it’s still stiff, you can whisk the ingredients with a hand mixer or gently microwave the mixture for 10-15 seconds to make it more spreadable.
- Garnish Power: Don’t skip the fresh parsley (or cilantro!) garnish. It adds a pop of color and freshness to this great recipe that cuts through the richness of the cheese and beef.
- Serve With: Some other recipes to serve with John Wayne casserole include Mini Cornbread Muffins, Air Fryer Butternut Squash or Baked Cinnamon Tortilla Chips (Churro Chips) and Fruit Salsa.
More Recipes You Might Like
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John Wayne Ground Beef Casserole
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Ingredients
- 6 ounces Jumbo biscuits, 1 tube
- 1 pound Lean ground beef
- 1 half White onion, diced
- 10 ounces Rotel, 1 can, drained
- 4 ounces Green chiles, drained
- 1 ounce Taco seasoning, 1 packet
- ⅓ cup Water
- 8 ounces Cream cheese, 1 brick, softened
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- Fresh parsley, garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Chop the onion and parsley.
- Grease a 9×13 inch pan and press biscuits into it. Bake the biscuits for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Add the ground beef and onion to a large skillet and cook over medium heat, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any grease.
- Add the rotel, green chiles, taco seasoning and water to the skillet. Stir to combine, and pour over the biscuits layer.
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic and 1 cup cheddar in a medium bowl, and spread over the meat layer.
- Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with fresh parsley to serve.
Christina’s Notes
- Watery Filling: Drain the grease from the beef and drain the liquid from the Rotel and green chiles to avoid a soggy casserole.
- Serving: Let the casserole rest after removing it from the oven before slicing and serving. This lets the layers to set, making the portions cleaner.
- Garnish: Don’t skip the garnish. It adds a pop of color and freshness that cuts through the richness.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.