Description
Cattle Drive Casserole is a hearty, layered dish perfect for family dinners or potlucks. Featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable base seasoned with taco spices, a biscuit crust baked to golden perfection, and creamy layers of sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheese, this casserole combines comforting flavors with easy preparation. Topped with salsa and melted cheese, it’s a satisfying bake that’s warm and inviting.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded, chopped
- 1 Yellow Onion, chopped
- 1 ounce Taco Seasoning Mix
- 2 ½ cups Biscuit Mix (like Bisquick)
- 1 cup Water
- Cooking Spray (such as Pam)
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 4 ounces Diced Green Chiles, drained
- 1 ½ cups Cheddar Cheese, Fiesta Blend, shredded, divided
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ cup Salsa, mild
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350℉ to get it ready for baking the biscuit crust and finishing the casserole.
- Cook the Ground Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground beef and use a spoon to break it apart as it cooks. Stir occasionally until the beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat to keep the casserole from being greasy. While the beef cooks, you can prepare the biscuit dough.
- Prepare the Biscuit Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the biscuit mix and water. Stir together until the dough is well mixed; you may find using your hands helps blend thoroughly. Spray a 9 x 13″ casserole dish with cooking spray, then press the biscuit dough evenly to the edges of the dish to form a crust. Place it in the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes until the dough is set and has a light golden color. Remove and set aside, keeping the oven on.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add the chopped onion and red bell pepper to the cooked ground beef in the skillet. Stir and cook for about 4 minutes until the vegetables soften. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning mix and combine thoroughly. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Assemble the Layers: Evenly spread the cooked ground beef and vegetable mixture over the baked biscuit crust in the casserole dish.
- Prepare the Sour Cream Layer: In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, drained diced green chiles, ¾ cup of shredded cheese, and garlic powder until smooth. Carefully spread this creamy mixture evenly over the ground beef layer.
- Add Salsa and Cheese: Spoon small dollops of mild salsa on top of the sour cream layer without spreading it out. Finally, sprinkle the remaining ¾ cup of shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Return the casserole to the oven uncovered. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the casserole is hot throughout and the cheese on top is melted and bubbly. Remove and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- You can use a pre-made taco seasoning packet or make your own with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- For a spicier version, use medium or hot salsa instead of mild.
- If you prefer a lower fat option, use reduced-fat sour cream and mayonnaise or substitute with Greek yogurt.
- Make sure to drain excess fat from the cooked beef to avoid a greasy casserole.
- The biscuit crust can be made from scratch with your favorite biscuit dough recipe if you don’t have a biscuit mix.
- Allow the casserole to cool for about 10 minutes after baking to help it set and make it easier to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of casserole)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
