John Wayne Casserole

John Wayne Casserole fills some pretty big britches when it comes to casserole recipes. Hearty ground beef, seasoned with Southwest flavors, lots of cheese, on top of a fluffy biscuit layer.

John Wayne Casserole Recipe

For starters, John Wayne casserole is definitely comfort food. One that you are definitely going to want when you are hungry!

A biscuit layer on the bottom forms the foundation. The dough on the bottom bakes and absorbs the sauce from the ground beef, sour cream mixture, cheese, chilis, and tomatoes.

So the biscuits actually creates a great crust that also makes serving easier.

Then you have savory ground beef seasoned like tacos. Finally, cheese, tomatoes, and chilis get layered on top. So, pretty much each layer is a comfort food classic.

If your cowboy loves this recipe, try my cowboy cornbread casserole.

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Ingredients Needed

• Ground beef – Substitute ground turkey if desired.
• Cheddar cheese – Pepper Jack can add some heat.
• Roma tomatoes – Substitute drained diced tomatoes
• Biscuit dough – Canned refrigerated works best but you can use frozen and thaw before pressing into pan.
• Taco seasoning – Homemade is best or use 1 packet from the market.
• Onions – Vidalia or any sweet onion works well.
• Chilis – I like pickled jalapenos for this but fresh will work too.
• Sour cream – Substitute Greek yogurt if needed.
• Mayonnaise – Duke’s is my favorite brand!
• Water

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How to Make John Wayne Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
2. Open biscuits and spread in a single layer in bottom of pan. Pinch together to form a single layer. Bake for ten minutes, then remove and set aside.

3. Next, get the ground meat ready. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add back to pan, add water and taco seasoning. Stir to combine.
4. Add in the sliced pepper and onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until they get tender. Remove from the heat. Spoon the ground beef mixture over the biscuit mix. Layer with the sliced tomatoes and jalapenos.

5. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, and ½ cup cheese. Spread over the meat mixture.
6. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the edges are bubbly. Remove from the oven. Serve warm.

For the full recipe and detailed cooking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

Can I make it ahead of time?

You can make this casserole ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days before going in the oven.

Just make sure to cover it tightly with foil or wrap. Even better if your casserole dish has a lid.

Can I freeze it?

Freezing John Wayne casserole is not a problem. The tomatoes lose a bit of texture, but they still work in the sauce. You can always add some fresh sliced tomatoes on top when you reheat if necessary too.

• In a microwave, heat on medium high for about 5 minutes. Turn at least one half turn about halfway through.
• To heat from frozen in a sauce pan, use medium heat and cover. Uncover after about 5 minutes then continue heating until it is warm throughout.
• With an oven, set at 325 f. and heat the casserole until it is hot enough to serve.

Why is it called John Wayne casserole?

Ok, so how did this recipe earn its spurs as John Wayne casserole? Well, the original recipe was actually submitted by John Wayne himself to a cookbook that was created to raise money for cancer research.

All sorts of celebs contributed recipes, including the Duke himself.

Tips for the Best Casserole

• A light coat of non-stick spray to the bottom of your casserole pan is useful.
• You can substitute any type of ground meat like chicken, pork, or ground turkey instead of beef.
• Sub chopped green chilies for the jalapeno peppers.
• Make a vegetarian version with veggie chorizo, no need to add the taco seasoning since it is already seasoned.
• If you use a larger casserole pan, then you can reduce the cooking time by about ten minutes since the ingredients are less deeply layered.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!

Serving Suggestions

This John Wayne casserole recipe is filling, so lighter sides are better, like salads or even some side dishes. I love this Fiesta salad or this ramen noodle salad to go with it.

Craving even more casseroles?

This easy hamburger potato casserole and this crockpot taco potato casserole are right up your alley! I f you prefer your biscuits in the morning, try this biscuits & gravy casserole.

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