My recipe for cattle drive casserole is a hearty, comforting meal that is a great way to get everyone around the table. With layers of herbed biscuit, seasoned beef, sour cream, and cheese, this casserole is a no-fuss, family friendly dinner.

 

When I need a dinner that I know is going to be a hit, I turn to this cattle drive casserole, sometimes called “John Wayne casserole”. It’s one of those recipes that’s easy to throw together and guaranteed to be a hit with the family.

The best part is my kids always ask for seconds of this hamburger casserole, which is rare for them. They really love the Tex-Mex flavors and especially the herbed biscuit crust.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to find a meal that will satisfy both my kids and my husband, but this one is always a winner, plus it’s a complete meal in one casserole dish. You can’t beat that!

I also love this totcho casserole, beef and rice casserole, and mac and cheese with ground beef, if you are looking for more ground beef dinner recipes.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Simple ingredients – This recipe can be made with the help of a few shortcuts like biscuit mix and a pack of taco seasonings.
• Easy – Perfect for a weeknight meal, this dinner can be made in just a few steps.
• Customizable – You can easily change up the ingredients to suit your taste.
• Crowd friendly – A great dinner for a crowd and also makes wonderful leftovers for the next night.

Ingredients

• Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix – You can typically find this in the baking aisle of the grocery store..
• Milk – This is used to make the biscuit crust. You can substitute with water.
• Cheese – I am using cheddar and colby and jack. You can use your favorite blend of cheese.
• Ground Beef – I like using a lean ground beef.
• Onion – About 1/2 of a large onion.
• Bell Pepper – Use your favorite color bell pepper.
• Taco Seasonings – I am using a packet but you can use homemade taco seasonings.
• Sour Cream
• Mayonnaise
• Rotel – Use a whole can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis. You don’t need to drain the can.

How to make cattle drive casserole

I have included step-by-step photos and you can scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and video.

1. Biscuit bottom: Stir together the biscuit mix, the seasoning packet from the box, and milk. Spread the mixture in a 9 x 13 casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Ground beef: Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain off any excess grease and add in the diced onion and diced pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Layer the ground beef on top of the biscuit. Top with the can of Rotel.

4. Sour cream layer: Stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and colby jack cheese in a bowl. Spread over the tomatoes. Top with the cheddar cheese.

5. Bake: Bake for 30 minutes. Let the casserole cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Heather’s recipe tips

• Spreading the biscuit dough. I like to either spray my hands or a spatula with non-stick cooking spray to help spread the biscuit dough in the casserole dish. Try to spread it out into an even layer.
• Shred the cheese. I recommend shredding your own cheese for the best taste.
• Let it rest. Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. This helps the casserole stay together.

Variations

This recipe is easy to change up to suit you. Here are a few ideas:

• Protein: You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey, ground sausage, or ground chicken. You can also mix in a can of black beans with the meat to make it extra hearty.
• Biscuit mix: If you can’t find the Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, you can substitute with Bisquick.
• Cheese: Try substituting with a Mexican blend of cheeses, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack cheese.
• Sour cream: The sour cream can be substituted with Greek yogurt.
• Rotel: You can substitute the Rotel with jarred salsa or petite diced tomatoes.

Common questions

More ground beef recipes

• Ground beef alfredo
• Three bean chili with ground beef
• Ground beef taco dip
• Cowboy baked beans