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    The BEST John Wayne Casserole Recipe Ever (Prepped In 10 Minutes)

    by Brendan Cunningham 32 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This John Wayne casserole recipe is loaded with flavor. It combines taco seasoned ground beef with peppers and onions, and then all of that deliciousness is layered on top of a buttery biscuit-like crust and topped with a creamy cheesy mixture. Honestly, it might be one of the most delicious casseroles you ever make! Plus, it's super simple to make too - all you have to follow are just 3 simple steps to make it.

    John Wayne casserole freshly baked in a white casserole dish that's resting on a wood board.

    Table of Contents

    • The Best John Wayne Casserole
      • Ingredients
      • How To Make John Wayne Casserole
        • Step 1: Make The Biscuit Dough
        • Step 2: Make The Ground Beef Mixture
        • Step 3: Bake The Casserole
      • How To Store John Wayne Casserole
        • How To Reheat John Wayne Casserole
      • Wrapping It Up
    • More Casserole Recipes
    • The BEST John Wayne Casserole Recipe Ever (Prepped In 10 Minutes)
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition
      • Did you make this recipe?

    The Best John Wayne Casserole

    Ok, so first off, you might be wondering why this recipe is called John Wayne casserole. Well, the initial version of the recipe was created by John Wayne himself, and he actually shared it in a cookbook back in the '70s called "Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends".

    Now, since then there have been several takes on the casserole, and this is ours. We like to think that this is an elevated - and even more delicious - version of the cheesy casserole Wayne shared all of those years ago.

    I mean, this recipe is just jam-packed with flavor. It starts off with a buttery biscuit layer, followed by a layer of spiced taco meat and veggies, and then all of that deliciousness gets topped off with a layer of creamy, melty cheese.

    Gah, it's just so good!

    You can think of it as almost like a taco casserole, but it's so much better. And that's saying something because taco casseroles are pretty darn good. 

    What's even better is that this dish comes together in just about 30 minutes and with just a handful of simple ingredients. Plus, the process of making it is super easy. In fact, just 3 steps are all it takes to get this casserole baked to perfection and on the table for a big family dinner.

    Oh, and speaking of easy casseroles, if you want to give some more easy casserole recipes a try, you'll want to check out this cheeseburger casserole and chicken pot pie casserole next!

    Casserole in a white casserole dish with a serving removed.

    Ingredients

    As I mentioned above, the ingredient list here is pretty simple. In fact, you may even have everything you need in your pantry or fridge to make it right now.

    Anyway, here are all of the ingredients you'll need to make this John Wayne casserole recipe:

    • 2 cups Biscuit Baking Mix
    • 1 cup Water
    • 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
    • 1 Green Pepper, dcied
    • ½ Onion, diced
    • 1 pound Ground Beef
    • 2 tbsp. Taco Seasoning
    • 1 can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
    • ½ cup Sour Cream
    • ½ cup Mayonnaise
    • 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

    Pretty simple stuff, right? 

    By the way, you can use a lot of these same ingredients to make this Doritos casserole next! So, if you end up having some extras of 'em I def recommend giving that recipe a shot. 

    An assortment of ingredients including bowls of flour, sour cream, mayo, shredded cheese, salsa, raw ground beef, water, and seasoning.

    How To Make John Wayne Casserole

    Now it's time for the fun part, making the casserole!

    As I mentioned earlier, it could not be easier to make this recipe. You just have to do a little prep work and then the oven does all of the heavy lifting - or uh, cooking.

    Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get cooking.

    An assortment of ingredients including a bowl of biscuit batter, sour cream, salsa, mayo, diced green pepper, diced onion, raw ground beef, seasoning, and shredded cheese.

    Step 1: Make The Biscuit Dough

    First, you'll want to begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (180ºC). Then grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.

    Next, add the biscuit baking mix and water to a bowl and mix until they fully combine. Then, spread the biscuit batter evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

    A hand spreading out biscuit batter in a white casserole dish with a spoon. Surrounding the dish are bowls of raw ground beef, onion, pepper, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, and seasoning.

    Step 2: Make The Ground Beef Mixture

    Now that the first layer is done, it's time to work on the bulk of the filling.

    So, to make that, add some olive oil to a large skillet and put it on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Then, once the pan is hot, you can add the onions and peppers to it and cook for about 10 minutes - until they're soft.

    Now, once the peppers and onions get soft, you can add the ground beef into the pan - break it apart - and cook it until it's browned on all sides. Finally, you can add the taco seasoning to the pan with a splash of water, and stir everything to coat the beef, peppers, and onions in the seasoning. 

    A black skillet filled with ground beef, peppers, onions, and seasoning. Surrounding the skillet are bowls of shredded cheese, sour cream, mayo and salsa.

    Step 3: Bake The Casserole

    Ok, now that the filling is good to go, you can evenly spread it over the biscuit layer in the casserole dish. Then, after you've added the filling, you can top it with the diced tomatoes and green chiles.

    So, now it's time to make the most delicious component of this casserole, the cream cheese mixture. To do that, add sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheddar cheese to a mixing bowl and mix until the ingredients thoroughly combine

    Then, to finish up, top the casserole with the cream cheese mixture and bake it for 25 minutes or until it's bubbly and golden brown on top.

    Finally, let this John Wayne casserole cool for a few minutes, then slice and serve warm.

    Enjoy!

    A white casserole dish filled with casserole and topped with shredded cheese.

    How To Store John Wayne Casserole

    This recipe for John Wayne casserole makes about 6 large servings. So it really makes a great option for a big family dinner, or meal prep for the week.

    With that said, if you end up having leftovers, you can either put a lid on the casserole dish - and store it that way - or you can transfer everything to an airtight container. Stored either of these ways your leftovers will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

    Alternatively, if you want to store this John Wayne casserole for even longer, then you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

    John Wayne casserole in a white casserole dish.

    How To Reheat John Wayne Casserole

    Now, if you want to reheat this John Wayne casserole recipe, I recommend using the oven. So, to do that, you'll just want to put the casserole dish back in the oven at 350°F and heat it for about 10 minutes - or until the casserole is fully warmed through.

    Alternatively, you can reheat your casserole in the microwave in 20-second increments until the cheese has melted and it reaches your desired temperature. 

    Two hands scooping a serving of casserole out of a white casserole dish.

    Wrapping It Up

    Well, that's how to make John Wayne casserole!

    There's just something about this recipe that makes it so, so good. We're obsessed with it at our house.

    Seriously, it might be one of my/our favorite casserole recipes ever! I don't know if it's the creamy sauce on top, the flaky biscuits on the bottom, or the flavor-packed ground beef filling. Either way, there's just something extra good about this cheesy ground beef casserole recipe. 

    Anyway, as always, if you give this John Wayne casserole recipe a try, leave a comment below and tell us how it went!

    A serving of casserole on a white plate with a fork.

    More Casserole Recipes

    If you're looking for more easy to make casserole recipes - just like this John Wayne casserole - we have a ton on the blog you can try out next!

    Here are some of our most popular ones:

    • Million dollar chicken casserole
    • Cheddars broccoli cheese casserole
    • Chicken divan
    • Ground turkey casserole
    • Crack chicken casserole
    • Corn casserole

    Oh, and for even more easy recipes, don't forget to follow us on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. We post new ones on them every single day.

    Print

    The BEST John Wayne Casserole Recipe Ever (Prepped In 10 Minutes)

    John Wayne casserole in a white casserole dish.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 20 reviews

    This John Wayne casserole recipe is loaded with flavor. It combines taco seasoned ground beef with peppers and onions, and then all of that deliciousness is layered on top of a buttery biscuit-like crust and topped with a creamy cheesy mixture. Honestly, it might be one of the most delicious casseroles you ever make! Plus, it's super simple to make too - all you have to follow are just 3 simple steps to make it.

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings 1x
    • Method: Oven
    • Cuisine: Casserole

    Ingredients

    Scale

    2 cups Biscuit Baking Mix

    1 cup Water

    1 tbsp. Olive Oil

    1 Green Pepper, dcied

    ½ Onion, diced

    1 pound Ground Beef

    2 tbsp. Taco Seasoning

    1 can Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies

    ½ cup Sour Cream

    ½ cup Mayonnaise

    1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC).
    2. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray.
    3. Mix the biscuit baking mix with water and spread in the bottom of the baking dish.
    4. In a skillet, add olive oil and cook onions and peppers until soft - about 10 minutes. Add the beef and cook until browned. Add the taco seasoning and stir to combine.
    5. Spread the meat over the biscuit mix, and top with diced tomatoes.
    6. In a bowl combine sour cream, mayonnaise and cheddar cheese.
    7. Top the casserole with the cheese mixture and bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 440
    • Fat: 32
    • Carbohydrates: 13
    • Protein: 21

    Keywords: john wayne casserole, john wayne casserole recipe, how to make john wayne casserole, the best john wayne casserole, johny wayne casserole easy, john wayne casserole dish, john wayne casserole recipe with bisquick, john wayne casserole recipe with rotel, john wayne casserole recipe with cream cheese

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @ImHungryForThat — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gabe

      November 19, 2022 at 9:06 am

      Great stuff love his recipes

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Gloria

        January 31, 2023 at 10:14 pm

        my family uses Famous Dave's Cornbread in place of the bisquick biscuit. It is the most addicting casserole ever!!!

        ★★★★★

        Reply
    2. Lauren

      November 19, 2022 at 9:45 pm

      One of the best casseroles that I have.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Judy Shea

      November 21, 2022 at 6:52 am

      This was great
      Thanks for the recipe

      Reply
      • Brendan Cunningham

        November 21, 2022 at 9:06 am

        We're so happy you liked it!

        Reply
        • Nancy

          November 25, 2022 at 1:22 pm

          What size can of rotel please?

          Reply
          • Brendan Cunningham

            November 26, 2022 at 10:06 am

            A 10 oz. can

            Reply
            • Gloria

              January 31, 2023 at 10:09 pm

              For the base we use Famous Dave's Corn Bread in place of the biscuit.
              This casserole is so addicting!!!❤❤❤

              ★★★★★

            • Brendan Cunningham

              February 01, 2023 at 9:13 am

              That sounds great! We're so glad you like it!!

    4. Johnny

      November 21, 2022 at 10:24 pm

      This was hands down the best casserole I have ever made.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Elaine Keenan

      November 22, 2022 at 10:52 am

      I'm making it for my oldest son for Thanksgiving dinner I just saw the recipe so I'm going to surprise him with it we're all Big John Wayne fans and always have been and I knew that he'll love it. So Happy Thanksgiving to you and thank you for the recipe. God bless and be safe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brendan Cunningham

        November 22, 2022 at 9:50 pm

        That's great!! We hope you like the recipe and have a happy Thanksgiving!

        Reply
    6. Angelica

      November 22, 2022 at 4:53 pm

      The entire casserole was truly excellent and we are looking forward to the next time we have it.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Mellisa

      November 23, 2022 at 11:46 am

      My husband is allergic to sour cream can I not use the sour cream or substitute something for it? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Brendan Cunningham

        November 24, 2022 at 8:58 am

        Hi Mellisa! Yes, 3 oz. of softened cream cheese should work great

        Reply
    8. Maureen

      November 25, 2022 at 9:40 am

      Is the biscuit mixture bisque k? Pls reply.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brendan Cunningham

        November 26, 2022 at 10:06 am

        Yes!

        Reply
        • Michael Tobias

          November 29, 2022 at 3:46 pm

          Getting ready to make this recipe and excited about it, however, we don’t care for the Rotel tomatoes with chilies. If I use the same amount of just diced tomatoes, should I drain the juice from the can? Thanks

          Reply
          • Brendan Cunningham

            November 29, 2022 at 4:38 pm

            Hi Michael, yes that should work great!

            Reply
    9. Pam

      November 26, 2022 at 6:22 pm

      Since I'm allergic to tomatoes I made it with drained peas and it went over really good. The kids and I loved it.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Brendan Cunningham

        November 26, 2022 at 11:05 pm

        Great substitution! We're so glad everyone liked it!

        Reply
    10. Judy Ellinger

      November 26, 2022 at 11:57 pm

      The casserole was top notch. Whole family loved it and we're making it again next week.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Tammy Burns

      December 01, 2022 at 8:30 am

      My husband and kids devoured this. They thought it was the tastiest casserole they have ever tried.! I was a popular cook last night!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Max

      December 24, 2022 at 4:51 pm

      Wildly delicious I could have this for dinner every night!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    13. Pamela Dawson

      February 22, 2023 at 7:17 pm

      Thank you John Wayne for somehow making this casserole a thing. It was wonderful. My husband won't stop talking about it. Making this again for sure!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    14. Amber

      February 24, 2023 at 8:47 pm

      So happy to have come across this casserole. Delicious!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Pam Lyons

      February 25, 2023 at 2:14 pm

      I wasn't sure about this but it turned out soooo good!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    16. Shane

      March 01, 2023 at 8:09 pm

      No joke the best casserole recipe that I have ever tried.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    17. James

      March 02, 2023 at 4:48 pm

      This casserole has it all.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    18. Olivia F

      March 05, 2023 at 3:36 pm

      The layers in this casserole are a delight. Thanks for the great recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    19. Liam Farkas

      March 07, 2023 at 6:44 pm

      Tasted as good as it looks.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    20. Greg Dorsett

      March 08, 2023 at 7:52 pm

      You won't find a better casserole than this one. It wasn't too hard to make and has a flavor combination I have yet to discover in any other recipe. Truly incredible recipe right here.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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