John Wayne Casserole
John Wayne casserole is as big and flavorful as the name suggests. Hearty ground beef, seasoned with Southwest flavors, lots of cheese, on top of a fluffy biscuit layer. Approved for kids and cowboys alike!
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 keeps everything in check. 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.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy here.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef – Substitute ground turkey or ground pork sausage if you prefer.
- Cheddar cheese – Pepper Jack can add some heat if you want something more than regular cheddar. Also grate your own cheese for better melting.
- Roma tomatoes – Substitute drained diced tomatoes if you don’t have or want to use fresh.
- 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 store.
- Peppers – 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! Use your favorite just don’t use Miracle Whip as it’s a dressing and not plain mayonnaise.
Follow us on Pinterest so you can easily save your favorite casserole recipes to your dinner planning board. And save a few of our other recipes while you are there!
How To Make John Wayne Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray. 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.
- 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.
- Add in the sliced pepper and onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until they get tender. Remove from the heat.
- In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, and ½ cup cheese.
- Spoon the ground beef mixture over the biscuit mix. Spread the mayo mixture over the top and then sprinkle with the diced tomatoes and jalapenos.
- 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.
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! If you prefer your biscuits in the morning, try this biscuits & gravy casserole.
Storage & Reheating
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, in 1 minutes intervals until warmed through. You can also reheat in the oven at 325F until ready.
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!
How To Freeze
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.
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 dish makes for easy clean up later.
- You can substitute any type of ground meat like chicken, pork, or ground turkey instead of beef.
- Substitute 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 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!
John Wayne Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef lean
- 1 medium sweet onion sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 ounce taco seasoning 1 packet
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayo
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes
- 4 ounces sliced jalapeno 1 small can
- 1 can 12 ounce can refrigerated biscuits (10 count)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
- Open biscuits and spread in a single layer in bottom of pan. Pinch together to form a single layer.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain.
- Add the beef back to the pan, add water and taco seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Add in the sliced bell pepper and onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until they get tender.
- Remove from the heat. Spoon the mixture over the biscuit mix.
- Layer with sliced tomatoes and jalapeno peppers.
- In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, and ½ cup cheese.
- Spread over the meat mixture.
- Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the edges are bubbly.
- Remove from the oven. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
BestCasseroleRecipes.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This is amazing!
Now this is a filling and delicious meal! My 17 year old son walked away from the table raving about this dish!
Thanks! So glad he liked it!
Love this John Wayne Casserole, the whole family enjoyed it!
Delicious
Amazing recipe and so easy!