I love this cheeseburger casserole – it’s an easy, comforting dish with all the classic flavors. Juicy ground beef, onions, and seasonings get topped with cheese and biscuits, then baked to golden, bubbly perfection!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I think the best cheeseburger casserole comes down to the perfect sauce-to-biscuit ratio – just like my favorite cheeseburger, I don’t want it too dry with just the right blend of flavors. This recipe hits the mark for me, especially with the cheese that melts evenly, giving each bite that perfect, smooth, cheesy goodness.
I love finding recipes like this one that are quick and easy on a busy night. Like my favorite Jiffy cornbread casserole, this one has a base layer of tomato sauce with beef and then is topped with biscuits and cheese to give it that cheeseburger flavor. I love this recipe I found in an old cookbook. Here are a few other reasons why I think you should give this one a try:
Surprisingly Easy: Despite its impressive look, it’s so simple to make. I love how it gives me all the flavors of a great burger without the extra effort, a lot like my hamburger noodle casserole.
Comfort Food: When I need comfort food, nothing beats a warm, cheesy casserole that makes me feel instantly cozy and satisfied, like this chili frito pie casserole.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground Beef: This is the star of our casserole, providing a hearty and savory base. If you want to add some extra nutrition to this dish, consider mixing in some chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, or even some grated zucchini with the ground beef.
- Onion: Chopped onion adds a nice bit of sharpness and flavor to the ground beef.
- Salt and Pepper: These two seasonings are essential for bringing out the flavors of the other ingredients. For a spicy cheeseburger casserole, add a dash of cayenne pepper or some chopped jalapenos to the ground beef mixture. You can also use pepper jack cheese for an extra kick.
- Ketchup: It adds a tangy sweetness that complements the savory flavors of the beef.
- Tomato Sauce: This will give our casserole a rich, tomatoey base.
- Provolone Cheese: Sliced provolone will melt beautifully over the top of the casserole, adding a deliciously cheesy finish. Feel free to use your favorite cheese. Cheddar, mozzarella, or even pepper jack would all be delicious on this casserole.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the base of our biscuit topping, providing structure and volume.
- Sugar: A touch of sweetness to balance the flavors in the biscuit topping.
- Salt: Enhances the other flavors in the biscuit topping.
- Butter: Adds a rich, buttery flavor and makes the biscuit topping tender.
- Cold Milk: This will bring all the ingredients together and form the dough for our biscuit topping.
How to Make Cheeseburger Casserole
Preparation
To start, preheat your oven to 425˚ F and grease your baking dish. You’ll also need to make the biscuit dough and the ground beef base for the casserole.
Step 1 – Prepare the biscuit dough
Combine the dry ingredients for the biscuits, then cut in the cold butter. Slowly add cold milk and mix until the dough is slightly sticky. Fold the dough and flatten it, then cut out the biscuits and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 2 – Prepare the ground beef base
Cook the ground beef and onion, then add salt, pepper, ketchup, and tomato sauce. Stir and simmer, then add this mixture to your greased baking dish. Cut the cheese and layer it over the beef mixture.
Step 3 – Assemble and bake the casserole
Place the refrigerated biscuits on top of the cheese layer. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Lynette’s Tip
Choose lean ground beef. This will not only increase the amount of beef in the final recipe but also give you less fat to drain, making your casserole lighter and more flavorful.
What to Serve With
For a complete meal, serve your cheeseburger casserole with a side of fresh, crispy salad. The lightness of the salad is a perfect balance to the rich, hearty casserole.
If you’re a fan of comfort food, pair this casserole with a serving of creamy mashed potatoes. The smooth, buttery potatoes complement the flavors of the casserole beautifully.
For a quick and easy lunch, simply serve the cheeseburger casserole on its own. It’s a filling and satisfying dish that is perfect for busy weekdays.
Make Ahead Instructions
Make the biscuits ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. You can also make the base sauce up to 24 hours ahead of time. Assemble when ready to bake.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any type of ground beef for this recipe, but I prefer to use 85% lean. It increases the amount of beef in the final recipe and gives you less fat to drain, making your casserole lighter and more flavorful.
Absolutely! While the recipe calls for provolone, feel free to use any cheese you like. Cheddar, mozzarella, or even a cheese blend would work well in this casserole.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: If you have leftovers, you can easily store them. Simply place the cooled casserole in an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: This casserole can be frozen, but the biscuits may not maintain their original texture once thawed and reheated.
- Reheating: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Reheat the casserole, covered with foil, for about 20 minutes or until warmed through.
More Casserole Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Cheeseburger Casserole
Equipment
- 8×8 baking dish
Ingredients
Biscuit Topping
- 2 Cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ Cup salt butter cold
- ¾ Cup milk
Base of the Casserole
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ Cup onion chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ Cup ketchup
- 8 oz can of tomato sauce
- 8 oz package of sliced cheese I recommend provolone.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F. Grease an 8×8 baking pan.
Make Biscuits
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until resembles small peas.
- Slowly add 3/4 Cup of cold milk and mix with a fork until the dough is just slightly sticky.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and fold it over 10 times on a floured surface.
- Flatten the dough using your hands until about 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits using a biscuit cutter. You should have 8 biscuits.
- Place biscuits on a plate and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Make Cheeseburger Filling
- Combine the ground beef and onion in a medium stockpot. Cook over medium heat until the ground beef is fully cooked. Drain the fat.
- To the stockpot with the ground beef, add the salt, pepper, ketchup,and tomato sauce. Stir and bring to a simmer.
Assemble and Bake the Casserole
- Add the tomato beef mixture to the greased baking dish. Cut the cheese into thin strips and layer over the top of the beef mixture.
- Place the biscuits evenly on top of the cheese layer. Bake in the preheated 425˚ F oven for 20-25 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. Biscuit internal temperature should reach 190˚F to know they are fully baked. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes and serve.
Notes
My Favorite Substitutions:
- Canned Biscuits: Although I prefer the flavor of my own recipe, you can use canned biscuits for this recipe if you would like to skip that step.
- Different Cheese: While this recipe calls for provolone, feel free to use your favorite cheese. Cheddar, mozzarella, or even pepper jack would all be delicious on this casserole.
- Add Veggies: If you want to add some extra nutrition to this dish, consider mixing in some chopped bell peppers, mushrooms, or even some grated zucchini with the ground beef.
- Spicy: For a spicy cheeseburger casserole, add a dash of cayenne pepper or some chopped jalapenos to the ground beef mixture. You can also use pepper jack cheese for an extra kick.
Could you use cornbread on top instead of biscuits?
Absolutely! I think that would be delicious.
I can’t wait to try recipes