Cattle Drive Casserole

My cattle drive casserole is topped with melty cheeses and a creamy sauce over a smoky meat and bean taco-spiced mixture all over a Cheddar Bay biscuit bottom.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Ground Beef Casserole Recipes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 1004kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

butter or cooking spray
1 (11.36-ounce) package Red Lobster Cheddar-Bay Biscuit mix
3/4 cup tap water
2 pounds 80/20 ground beef round
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup poblano chile, 1/4 inch chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, 1/4 inch chopped
1 (15.25-ounce) can corn, drained
1 (1-ounce) envelop taco seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups pepper Jack cheese shredded + divided
2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese shredded + divided
1 (15-ounce) can ranch beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Arrange an oven shelf to the middle position of the oven. Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Butter a 9X13 inch baking dish, or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together Cheddar-Bay Biscuit mix (1 package), seasoning packet, and water (3/4 cup). Spread it in the buttered baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes; set aside.
In a 12-inch skillet, brown the beef (2 pounds) in 2 batches until cooked through. Transfer the first batch to a plate and continue with the second batch. Transfer the second batch to a plate; set aside. Leave dripping in skillet.
Add onion (1/2 cup), poblano pepper (1/2 cup), and red bell pepper (1/2 medium) to skillet with dripping and sauté until vegetables are just soft, 5-6 minutes.
Stir in drained canned corn (1 can), taco seasoning (1 envelope), and salt (1 teaspoon) then stir until evenly combined. Add the browned beef and evenly combine.
Stir in the drained ranch beans (1 can), drained tomatoes (1 can), and green chiles (1 can) and combine evenly.
In another medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise (3/4 cup), sour cream (3/4 cup), and smoked paprika (1/2 teaspoon). Fold in 1 cup of the pepper Jack and 1 cup of Cheddar.
Arrange beef and vegetable mixture over baked biscuit base.
Spoon the mayonnaise mixture over beef, bean, and vegetables then use an offset spatula to gently spread to cover.
Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, until the top starts to brown in spots, and the casserole is bubbling around the edges about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Layering: When making the meat mixture, you may layer the tomatoes and beans on top or go ahead and mix everything together – your choice.
Lighten Up: For a healthier alternative, use ground turkey instead of beef. There is so much flavor in the meat mixture, no one will even notice the switch.
Add More! Add more veggies such as green and red peppers or add and/or substitute jalapeños for the poblanos if you like spicier (just remember the seeds and ribs contain almost all of the heat in the peppers, so add or remove, per your tolerance for spicy heat!).
Switch It UP: Use a box of Jiffy Corn Bread or use Bisquick for a different base if you like. Just follow the box instructions and pat at the bottom of the baking dish and bake.

Nutrition