This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
If you’re looking for a hearty dinner that practically makes itself, this French onion ground beef and rice casserole is it. French onion soup, ground beef, and rice all bake together in one dish with just 10 minutes of prep. The oven does the work, and you get a meal the whole family will love.
I started making this back around 2009, when my kids were in middle school, and my stick of butter rice was already a regular at our table. One night I just decided to brown some ground beef and turn it into a full meal. No grand plan, just a mom trying to stretch a side dish into dinner. It was a hit from the first time I made it, and honestly, it never left our rotation.
I finally shared it here in 2022, and I’ll be honest, I had no idea it would take off the way it did. When this recipe started going viral on TikTok in 2025, I just smiled. We had been making it for fifteen years by then. I can’t take credit for stick of butter rice; that one comes from a cookbook.
But this version? I never saw anyone doing it this way until the internet caught up.
Why you’ll love this French Onion Hamburger & Rice Recipe!
This hamburger and rice casserole has been a family favorite for years, and it’s easy to see why.
❥ One dish, almost no cleanup. Everything goes into a single 9×13 baking dish. Brown the beef, combine everything, bake. That’s it.
❥ Hands-off cooking. Ten minutes of prep and the oven takes over for a full hour. You can help with homework, set the table, or just sit down for a few minutes.
❥ Easy to make it your own. Stir in mushrooms, melt cheese over the top, or add crispy onions for crunch. It takes beautifully to a few extra touches.
❥ Budget friendly and filling. It stretches a pound of ground beef into a hearty dinner that feeds the whole family.
French Onion Casserole Ingredients
- Lean ground beef: I almost always keep this in the freezer. It’s flavorful, affordable, and feeds a crowd. I use lean because this recipe already has a good amount of butter, and you don’t want extra grease competing with that.
- Garlic salt: This is my go-to for seasoning ground beef. It’s simple, and it works. If you’re watching sodium, you can cut back or skip it, since the soups already have plenty of salt.
- Beef consommé: This is what gives the rice that deep, rich, beefy flavor. It’s more concentrated than regular broth, so don’t swap it out if you can avoid it. Look for it in the soup aisle, usually near the broths.
- French onion soup: This does all the onion work for you. No chopping, no caramelizing. The soup brings that slow-cooked onion flavor straight out of the can.
- Water: Just a small amount to give the rice enough liquid to cook through fully.
- Long-grain white rice: Use regular long-grain white rice here, not instant or minute rice. Instant rice cooks too quickly. The uncooked rice goes straight into the dish and absorbs all that flavor as it bakes.
- Butter: Cut into slices and laid across the top before baking. It melts down through the casserole as it cooks, adding richness and helping the top get that lightly golden finish. Don’t skip it and don’t reduce it too much.
How to Make French Onion Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
✱ Below shows step-by-step photos and instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1 | Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 425°F and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Make sure you get into the corners so the rice doesn’t stick.
Step 2 | Browning the Ground Beef
In a large skillet (I like to use my cast-iron here or a nice, heavy non-stick pan), add the ground beef and garlic salt to season. Cook and crumble the ground beef until browned and cooked through, and be sure to drain off the fat.
Step 3 | Combine Everything
Add the uncooked rice and browned beef to your prepared baking dish. Pour in the beef consomme, French onion soup, and water. Stir everything together until combined.
Step 4 | Add the Butter
Cut the butter into slices and lay them evenly across the top of the casserole. This is what gives the top that golden finish and adds richness throughout the whole dish as it melts down.
Step 5 | Cover and Bake
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Tightly covered is the key here. A loose seal lets steam escape, and the rice won’t cook evenly.
Step 6 | Uncover and Finish
Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. This is what browns the top and finishes the rice.
If you’re adding cheese, pull the dish out with about 10 minutes left, add your cheese and crispy onions or jalapeños, and return it to the oven uncovered until melted and golden.
Step 7 | Fluff and Serve
Once the hour is up, your rice should be tender and the top lightly golden.
Fluff with a fork and serve straight from the dish.
Variations & Substitutions
- Ground turkey or chicken: Either works in place of beef. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan when browning since poultry is leaner and can stick.
- Mushrooms: A great addition if you love them. Stir a drained can of sliced mushrooms in with everything, or sauté fresh mushrooms with your ground beef. If you add fresh mushrooms, increase the water to 1 cup to account for the extra moisture they absorb.
- Cheesy topping: With about 10 minutes left in the uncovered bake, pull the dish out and add sliced or shredded cheese across the top. Mozzarella and provolone are our favorites. Return to the oven until melted and bubbly.
- Crispy topping: Fried onions or fried jalapeños on top take this casserole to another level. Add them on top of the cheese or directly on the casserole during the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Lower carb: Some readers have had success swapping the rice for riced cauliflower and reducing the water by half, since cauliflower releases moisture as it cooks rather than absorbing it. I haven’t tested this myself, so results may vary.
Gluten-Free French Onion & Hamburger Rice Casserole
Campbell’s French onion soup is not gluten-free, and beef consomme can be hard to find in a certified GF version. My daughter makes this for my granddaughter using 2 cans of Progresso French onion soup (18.5 oz each), plus 5 oz of GF-certified beef broth to make up the liquid difference. She loves it.
You can also use an equal amount of liquid and my gluten-free onion soup mix stirred in to create your own French onion soup.
If you’re adding a crispy topping, look for a certified GF fried onion brand. Sprouts carries one, and Golden, Mae Ploy, and Simple Truth Organic are options worth checking. Always read labels carefully if you are cooking for someone with celiac disease.
Shortcuts & Time Savers
One-Pot Method: Want to cut down on the dishes? Try a cast-iron Dutch oven or large 12-inch cast-iron skillet to brown the ground beef, then add the rest of the ingredients as listed above.
Pro Tips
- Wrap the foil tightly. This is the step that makes or breaks the rice. A loose seal lets steam escape, and you’ll end up with rice that’s unevenly cooked or crunchy in spots. Press the foil firmly around the edges of the dish before it goes in the oven.
- Drain the beef before adding it to the dish. I drain mine in a colander or on paper towels. With lean ground beef, you may not have much grease, but with the amount of butter in this recipe, you don’t want extra fat making things greasy.
- Don’t use instant or minute rice. Regular long-grain white rice is what makes this work. It cooks at the right pace to absorb all that liquid and flavor during the full hour of baking. Instant rice will overcook and turn mushy.
- Use beef consomme, not just broth. Broth will work in a pinch, but consomme is more concentrated and gives the rice that deep, savory flavor that makes this casserole taste like it cooked all day. It’s worth finding.
- Let the top do its thing. Once the foil comes off, resist the urge to stir. The uncovered bake is what creates that lightly golden top. Let it go the full 30 minutes.
- Fluff before serving. Once it comes out of the oven, give it a good fluff with a fork before scooping. It brings everything together and keeps the rice from clumping.
Serving Suggestions
This casserole is a complete meal on its own, so it really just needs a simple side to round things out. Green beans are my first choice. Crock Pot Green Beans can cook low and slow while the casserole bakes, and Southern Style Green Beans are always a hit too. A side salad or corn on the cob also work perfectly, and if you want to put both on the table, my Instant Pot Corn on the Cob or Grilled Corn on the Cob are both easy options depending on the season.
If you want something to scoop up the extra goodness from the dish, a pan of skillet cornbread, cornbread muffins, or a basket of homemade dinner rolls is all you need. This is the kind of dinner that doesn’t need much else to feel like a full meal.
Storing French Onion Soup Casserole
Storage: Once cooled, cover the hamburger onion soup casserole with foil or plastic wrap or transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. This casserole reheats well. For individual servings, microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
Make Ahead: You can brown the beef ahead of time, drain it, and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble. When you are ready to bake, just combine everything in the dish and go.
Freezing: Bake the casserole covered for the first 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool completely. Cover tightly and freeze. The night before you want to serve it, thaw in the refrigerator. Remove the covering and bake uncovered for the remaining 30 minutes. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to finish it offServing Suggestions
FAQ
The amounts listed in this recipe are written for long-grain white rice, which is what I use and recommend. I have not tested it with brown rice myself, but readers have reported success by adding extra liquid and increasing the covered bake time. If you try it, keep a close eye on it and adjust as needed.
Yes, with a few specific swaps. Campbell’s French onion soup is not gluten-free, and certified GF beef consommé can be hard to find. My daughter makes this for my granddaughter using 2 cans of Progresso French onion soup (18.5 oz each), plus 5 oz of GF-certified beef broth to make up the liquid difference. She loves it. If you are adding a crispy topping, look for a certified GF brand. Always read all labels carefully if you are cooking for someone with celiac disease.
Mozzarella and provolone are our favorites. Both melt beautifully and complement the savory French onion flavor without overpowering it. Gouda and cheddar also work well if that’s what you have on hand.
Beef consommé is a concentrated, clarified beef broth with a deeper, richer flavor than regular broth. It is what gives this casserole that savory depth that makes it taste like it was cooked all day. Beef broth, stock, or bone broth will work, but the flavor may be lighter.
Easy Casserole Recipes for Busy Weeknight Meals
- Ground Beef and Sausage Rice Casserole
- Baked Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
- Ground Beef Doritos Casserole
- Chicken and Dumplings Casserole
- Mimi’s Ground Beef Potato Chip Casserole
More from Soulfully Made
Hungry for more easy, home-cooked, delicious recipes?
Sign up for my free recipe club to get family-friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing daily meal-time inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
French Onion Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
Click Stars To Rate
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef - lean
- ½ to 1 tsp garlic salt - or to taste
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans beef consume
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans french onion soup
- ¾ cup water
- 2 cups long grain white rice - uncooked (not minute rice)
- ¾ cup butter - 1 ½ stick, cut into slices
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, add ground beef and garlic salt to season. Cook and crumble ground beef until browned and cooked through.
- In a prepared baking dish add rice and ground beef. Pour in soup, broth, and water and stir until combined.
- Cut butter into slices and place on top of the mixture.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for 30 minutes more. * see the notes section for a cheesy and crispy topping version.
- Once done fluff with a fork and serve.
Notes
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Soulfully Made.
Easy to put together and very very tasty!
Thank you, Annette!
This has been my husband’s most requested recipe to date. Make it always as printed. Thanks
Thank you so much Crystal! I love that this is a favorite recipe on your menu!
I made this before with mushrooms and only two cans of soup. Adding more soup and hamburger was delicious. Thank you for the recipe
Adding the ground beef makes it a complete meal doesn’t it. I am so glad you loved it like this. Thank you.
Hi. Is it possible to add celery, mushrooms, green pepper? If so. How would I adjust the rest of ingredients?
Hi, Barb. You can absolutely use add those add ins. I personally would saute them with my ground beef. I think you will be fine unless you add a lot of volume. I would check when you remove the foil and add in 1/2 cup of broth if you feel it needs it.
Delicious. I added carrots and broccoli to make it a more rounded meal for work lunches. Definitely make this again.
Thank you so much! Adding is more veggies is great for this dish!
My family of six enjoyed this. It had very little hands on prep, which was nice after a day of work. We enjoyed it with some sweet peas on the side.
Thank you, Danya! I agree it’s a super simple meal to put together! Relax while it cooks and enjoy!
This is a great tasting meal. Easy to make and easy to add their recommendations to without any trouble.
Excellent!
Thank you, Tabbitha! I really appreciate that!
The recipe was delicious. I think that the ground beef got a little too well done after it was all said and done. I will definitely not over cook it in the skillet next time. Also I will be halving the recipe. My husband said the French onion was too overwhelming for him though. I want to double the amount of beef, cut the rice in half, and maybe substitute the French onion soup with something else. Any suggestions?