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Cattle Drive Casserole Recipe

4.4 from 79 reviews

Cattle Drive Casserole is a layered ground beef and biscuit dish with a creamy, cheesy topping that combines southwestern flavors like taco seasoning, green chiles, and salsa. It features a baked biscuit base topped with seasoned beef, a sour cream and mayonnaise mixture with cheese, and finishing with melted cheddar cheese for a hearty, flavorful comfort meal perfect for 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 Mixes

  • 1 ounce Taco Seasoning Mix
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Biscuit Layer

  • 2 ½ cups Biscuit Mix, like Bisquick
  • 1 cup Water
  • Cooking Spray, like Pam

Creamy Topping

  • ½ cup Sour Cream
  • ½ cup Mayonnaise
  • 4 ounces Diced Green Chiles, drained
  • 1 ½ cups Cheddar Cheese, Fiesta Blend, shredded (divided)
  • ½ cup Salsa, mild

Instructions

  1. Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 350℉ to prepare it for baking both the biscuit dough base and the casserole finishing phase.
  2. Cook the Ground Beef: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Break it apart with a spoon and cook until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess fat to avoid greasiness. While the meat cooks, you can prepare the biscuit dough to save time.
  3. Prepare the Biscuit Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the biscuit mix and water. Stir well, preferably using your hands for thorough blending, until a dough forms. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and press the dough evenly into the dish, spreading it out to the edges. Bake in the preheated oven for 5-8 minutes until the dough is set and lightly golden. Remove from oven but keep oven on.
  4. Cook the Vegetables: To the cooked ground beef in the skillet, add the chopped onions and red bell pepper. Stir and cook about 4 minutes until vegetables soften. Add the taco seasoning mix and stir well to combine. Remove from heat.
  5. Assemble the Layers: Evenly spread the cooked ground beef and vegetable mixture on top of the baked biscuit dough base in the casserole dish.
  6. Prepare the Sour Cream Layer: In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, drained diced green chiles, ¾ cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and garlic powder. Mix until smooth and creamy. Carefully spread this mixture over the ground beef layer in the casserole dish.
  7. Add Salsa and Cheese: Spoon small dollops of mild salsa over the sour cream mixture without spreading it out. Then sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly on top to add a cheesy crust.
  8. Bake: Place the casserole back in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is hot and bubbly with melted, golden cheese on top. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Notes

  • Make sure to drain the ground beef well to prevent a watery casserole.
  • You can use a pre-mixed taco seasoning or make your own for customized seasoning.
  • Fiesta blend cheese includes cheddar and other cheeses for great flavor, but sharp cheddar works well too.
  • If you like a spicier casserole, choose medium or hot salsa instead of mild.
  • The biscuit mix base gives a quick and easy bread layer, but you can substitute with homemade biscuit dough if preferred.

Keywords: Cattle Drive Casserole, ground beef casserole, biscuit casserole, southwestern casserole, cheesy casserole, taco seasoning recipe