Beef Rice Cheese Bake (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Main Ingredients

01 - 1 pound ground beef (85% lean)
02 - 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
03 - Salt and pepper to taste
04 - 3 tbsp butter, split up
05 - 3/4 cup chopped onions
06 - 1 tbsp minced garlic
07 - 2 1/2 cups beef stock
08 - 1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice (not instant)
09 - 8 ounces cleaned and sliced button mushrooms
10 - 10.5 ounces canned cream of mushroom soup
11 - 1/2 cup any kind of milk
12 - 1/2 cup sour cream
13 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, save some for topping

# Instructions:

01 - Set your oven to 350°F. If you'd rather not cook rice in the pot, pre-cook 3 3/4 cups rice separately and skip the broth step.
02 - Heat up a large pot and cook the ground beef over medium heat. Toss in the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper as it cooks. Once browned, drain off the fat, move the meat to a plate, and cover it up.
03 - Use the same pot to melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir in the chopped onions and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Then add the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
04 - Pour in the beef broth, the rest of the butter, and uncooked rice. Stir it all together. Let it boil, lower the heat, and cover the pot. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
05 - Drop the mushroom slices into the pot and put the lid back on. Keep cooking for another 5-10 minutes. Check the rice packaging for more exact cook times. Don't stir the rice during this step.
06 - Once the rice is done, turn off the burner but leave the lid on for another 10 minutes. This will help loosen up any rice stuck at the bottom.
07 - Add the beef back into the pot. Then, mix in the cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, and half the shredded cheese. Stir until combined.
08 - Spread the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the cheese.
09 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. It’s ready to enjoy!

# Notes:

01 - You can assemble this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for 2 days.
02 - Swap out mushrooms for frozen peas, carrots, or even corn if you’d like.
03 - Freezes perfectly, so don't worry about leftovers.
04 - Canned cream of chicken soup works as a substitute for the mushroom version.

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