Description
Cattle Drive Casserole is a hearty, layered dish combining seasoned ground beef, sautéed vegetables, and a savory sour cream topping on a golden biscuit crust. This easy-to-make oven-baked casserole blends Tex-Mex flavors with creamy cheese and a mild salsa kick, perfect for comforting family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1.5 pounds Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 Yellow Onion, chopped
Seasonings and Sauces
- 1 ounce Taco Seasoning Mix
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ cup Salsa, mild
Biscuit Layer
- 2 ½ cups Biscuit Mix (such as Bisquick)
- 1 cup Water
- Cooking Spray (e.g., Pam)
Sour Cream Layer
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 4 ounces Diced Green Chiles, drained
- 1 ½ cups Cheddar Cheese, Fiesta Blend, shredded, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350℉ (175℃) to prepare for baking the biscuit crust and casserole.
- Cook the Ground Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground beef and use a spoon to break it apart. Cook until it is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain any excess fat from the skillet. While cooking the meat, you can prepare the biscuit dough.
- Prepare the Biscuit Dough: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the biscuit mix and water. Stir the mixture well, ideally using your hands for thorough blending. Spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Press the biscuit dough evenly into the dish, spreading it to the edges. Bake the dough in the preheated oven for 5-8 minutes until it is set and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and keep oven on.
- Cook the Vegetables: To the skillet with the cooked beef, add the chopped onions and red bell pepper. Stir and cook for about 4 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning mix and stir well to coat all ingredients. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Assemble the Layers: Evenly spread the cooked ground beef and vegetable mixture over the baked biscuit crust in the casserole dish.
- Prepare the Sour Cream Layer: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, drained diced green chiles, ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, and garlic powder. Stir until the mixture is smooth and blended. Carefully spread this sour cream mixture evenly over the ground beef layer.
- Add Salsa and Cheese: Spoon small dollops of mild salsa on top of the sour cream layer without spreading it out. Then sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Bake: Return the casserole to the oven and bake it uncovered for 30 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly throughout. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- For a spicier version, use medium or hot salsa and consider adding jalapeños.
- Drain excess fat from ground beef to reduce greasiness and calories.
- You can substitute biscuit mix with homemade biscuit dough if preferred.
- Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes after baking to firm up for easier slicing.
- Leftovers store well refrigerated for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
