Comforting Cattle Drive Casserole
A hearty casserole combining seasoned beef, a creamy Tex-Mex filling, and a biscuit-style topping, perfect for weeknight dinners or potlucks.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey / plant-based meat)
- 1 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (omit or use mashed avocado)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or dairy-free cheese)
Vegetables and seasoning
- 1 red bell pepper diced (green bell pepper works)
- 1 yellow onion diced (shallots can be substituted)
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix (or homemade taco seasoning)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or 1–2 cloves fresh garlic, minced)
- 1 4 oz can diced green chiles (or finely chopped jalapeños)
- 1/2 cup salsa (mild or medium to taste)
Biscuit topping
- 1 cup biscuit mix (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1/2 cup water
For greasing
- to taste cooking spray to grease the baking dish
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a 9×9-inch (or similar) baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef. Break it up and cook 5–7 minutes until it begins to brown.
- Add the diced onion and red bell pepper. Sauté 4–5 minutes until softened and the beef is fully browned. Drain any excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and garlic powder (or fresh garlic). Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the sour cream, mayonnaise, diced green chiles, and salsa until evenly combined.
- Spread the beef mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
- In a small bowl, combine the biscuit mix and 1/2 cup water until just combined; the dough will be slightly sticky.
- Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough over the beef mixture, leaving small gaps so the steam can escape and the beef mixture peeks through.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly over the biscuit topping.
Baking
- Bake 20–25 minutes, or until biscuit topping is golden and cheese is melted and bubbly. If biscuits brown faster, loosely tent with foil.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving — this helps the filling set for cleaner slices.
Notes
For a lighter version, use reduced-fat dairy and lean ground turkey. Leftovers are perfect for lunches.