John Wayne Casserole
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Updated: 07/22/25
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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This John Wayne Casserole is a hearty, flavor-packed dish loaded with seasoned ground beef, creamy cheese, and biscuit crust. With layers of savory and slightly spicy goodness, it’s a comforting and easy dinner the whole family will love. Perfect for busy weeknights or potlucks, this cheesy casserole is sure to be a hit!
Just when you thought taco beef and melted cheese couldn’t get any better, we introduced them to creamy sauce and flaky canned biscuits. The Rotel adds the perfect amount of spice to this hearty casserole dish.
why you’ll love this recipe
- Using store bought, canned biscuits helps to make this casserole a breeze to put together.
- This meal uses minimal dishes, so clean up is super quick and easy.
- This is a great casserole for the kids to help with! A can of flaky biscuits is so much fun to open and prepare.
ingredients for john wayne casserole
- Canned biscuits – This is the secret ingredient! Refrigerated, canned biscuits are the easiest casserole crust out there!
- Olive oil – You can use any light tasting oil like canola or vegetable instead.
- Green bell pepper – Seeded and diced, the mild bitterness of a green pepper goes perfectly in this dish.
- Onion – You can’t have a casserole without a diced onion!
- Ground beef – An 80/20 beef is perfect for this casserole.
- Taco seasoning – One package of your favorite seasoning is perfect or you can try homemade with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, paprika, ground cumin, salt and ground black pepper.
- Rotel diced tomatoes – These tomatoes have diced green chilies in them so you get a little bit of heat in your casserole.
- Sour cream – Definitely go for full fat to get the creamiest sauce.
- Mayonnaise – This helps hold the sauce together and adds great flavor.
- Shredded cheese – Shred your own cheese for the best meltability!
how to make john wayne casserole
- Lay the biscuits in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and press them down to spread them out so they are all touching.
- Cook diced peppers and onions in a skillet with oil until soft. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and drain off any excess grease. Add the taco seasoning and Rotel and stir to combine.
- Spread the meat mixture over the flattened biscuit dough.
- In a bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise and shredded cheddar cheese and stir until combined.
- Top the casserole with the cheese mixture and spread out evenly.
- Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated through and top is bubbly.
pro tips
- If you are meal prepping this to put it into the freezer for another time, prepare it in an aluminum foil pan.
- Sprinkle with some fresh parsley when you pull it out of the oven to add a little color to your casserole for serving.
can i make a john wayne casserole ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this yummy meal ahead of time. You can bake it a day in advance, keep it covered in the fridge and reheat it in the oven when you want to serve it.
You can also cover it and leave it in the fridge unbaked for a day until you are ready to bake it. Let it come to room temperature first so it bakes evenly.
Because the beef is cooked through before adding it to the dish, you can also freeze it before baking the casserole. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Storage & Reheating
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Freezer: If you would like to freeze leftovers, wrap with plastic wrap before closing the lid on a freezer safe, airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months.
Reheat leftover John Wayne casserole in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warm throughout.
If you are only warming one or two servings, you can also reheat in the microwave.
Taco seasoned beef and gooey cheese sauce are the best combo in this hearty casserole. John Wayne was really on to something with this!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
John Wayne Casserole Recipe
This John Wayne Casserole is a hearty, cheesy dish with seasoned ground beef, a biscuit crust, and layers of creamy, savory goodness—perfect for an easy family dinner!
Video
Ingredients
- 16 ounces can refrigerated large biscuits (1 can)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 green pepper seeded and diced
- ½ cup diced onions
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ounce taco seasoning (1 package)
- 10 ounces Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (1 can)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Lay the biscuits in the bottom of the baking dish and press them down to spread them out so they are all touching.
- In a skillet, add olive oil and cook onions and peppers until soft – about 10 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off any excess grease. Add the taco seasoning and Rotel and stir to combine.
- Spread the meat mixture over the biscuits.
- In a bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise and cheddar cheese and stir until combined.
- Top the casserole with the cheese mixture and spread out evenly.
- Place in preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated through bubbly.
Tips
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Freezer: If you would like to freeze leftovers, wrap with plastic wrap before closing the lid on a freezer safe, airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months.
Reheat leftover John Wayne casserole in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warm throughout.
If you are only warming one or two servings, you can also reheat in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 727kcal (36%), Carbohydrates: 45g (15%), Protein: 24g (48%), Fat: 50g (77%), Saturated Fat: 14g (88%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 90mg (30%), Sodium: 1397mg (61%), Potassium: 578mg (17%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 7g (8%), Vitamin A: 894IU (18%), Vitamin C: 24mg (29%), Calcium: 222mg (22%), Iron: 5mg (28%)
how to serve john wayne casserole
This John Wayne casserole recipe has got it all – protein, veggies, creamy sauce and flaky biscuits. But it is always nice to have a few extra items for folks to enjoy at meal time.
Super simple Glazed Carrots add a little color to the table at mealtime and are always a hit. Pan Fried Asparagus and Creamed Corn are also really nice choices to accompany this casserole. Yes, I know you can just open a can of creamed corn, but doesn’t everything just taste that much better when it is homemade?
Finish the meal off with a wonderful, bright Fruit Salad and everyone will be satisfied.
more great casseroles
- Biscuits and Gravy Casserole is a hearty, comforting dish that combines flaky canned biscuits with eggs, cheese and sausage gravy for a satisfying breakfast or brunch.
- A perfect twist on the classic handheld, the Sloppy Joe Casserole is baked to perfection with seasoned ground beef, a rich sauce, and a simple Bisquick topping.
- Taco Casserole is a Mexican-inspired dish that the whole family will love with seasoned ground beef, egg noodles, corn, peppers and gooey cheese.
- Elevate pasta night with a Ground Beef Casserole. Perfectly seasoned beef with marinara, penne and topped with mozzarella, this is comfot food at it’s finest.
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