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Cattle Drive Casserole is the ultimate comfort food and an easy casserole recipe – with layers of ground beef seasoned with taco seasonings and green chilies, a creamy cheese layer, and then finished off with pillowy & buttery biscuits on top. Similar to a Chicken Pot Pie but with southwestern flair!
For more heart cowboy food be sure and try my Ultimate Cowboy Queso and Cowboy Stew.
Cattle Drive Casserole Recipe (With Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix Topping)
You might be wondering what is cattle drive casserole? It’s a simple layered casserole recipe with taco seasoned green chili ground beef, topped with a creamy sour cream mixture, and finished off with a layer of pillow buttery cheddar bay biscuit mix. It’s a meal that the whole family will love.
It will feed even the hungriest person (hence the name cattle drive) with it’s hearty beef and biscuit-like bites. This recipe is a play on my super popular Chicken Cobbler – but instead of chicken, this one has ground beef in it topped with a store-bought mix of cheddar bay biscuit mix – which also makes it so easy to make because there is no mixing up a homemade-from-scratch biscuit dough, just the pre-made mix and water is all you need.
Ingredients Needed
- Lean Ground Beef : I use 93/7 ground beef for this recipe.
- Small Onion : A yellow onion has a milder flavor which is why it’s preferred in this recipe, but you can also use a sweet onion or a white onion.
- Taco Seasoning Packet : Use your favorite – spicy, mild, regular, reduced-sodium, cheesy, etc.
- Diced Green Chilies : You can find cans of diced green chiles near the other Mexican foods at the grocery store. They come in mild, medium, or hot heat levels so pick your preferred spice level.
- Sour Cream
- Mayonnaise
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix : This is the ‘secret ingredient’ to that garlic cheesy biscuit topping on the casserole. So good!
- Water
- Melted Butter : This gets mixed with the seasoning packet, from the cheddar bay biscuit mix box, for a buttery and garlic topping on the biscuit of the casserole. It is optional but I highly recommend doing it. I only use half of the seasoning packet as it can get really salty if using the entire packet.
How To Make This Easy Casserole Cattle Drive Recipe
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef and finely diced onion until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
Stir in the taco seasoning and diced green chilies until combined. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
In a small mixing bowl stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese until combined.
Spread ground beef mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Evenly spread the sour cream mixture over top the ground beef layer.
In a medium bowl, add the dry cheddar bay biscuit mix and water. Stir until a soft dough forms. Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough over the sour cream layer, covering as much of the surface as possible.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top of biscuit layer.
Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked through.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. While it’s cooling, mix together the melted butter and half of the seasoning packet (from the cheddar bay biscuit mix, or use all of it) until combined, and then use a pastry brush to brush the butter over top the hot biscuit topping.
How To Store Leftovers
Any leftover casserole should be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3-4 days. You can remove individual portions into separate containers or cover the entire casserole dish with a lid or plastic wrap for storage in the fridge. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until heated through.
What Are Some Substitutions I Can Make?
- Ground Beef : Substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner option.
- Taco Seasoning Mix : Use your favorite packet of taco seasoning – such as hot & spicy, cheesy taco, reduced-sodium, mild taco seasoning, etc. You could even use a packet of ranch seasoning mix for a different flavor profile to the dish.
- Sour Cream : Greek yogurt is a healthier alternative to sour cream, but keep in mind that it will change the overall taste of the casserole because of it’s more bitter taste compared to sour cream.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese : Use any variety of shredded cheese you prefer – such as Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a bag of Mexican blend cheese.
Recipe FAQ’s
Can I Add Vegetables To This Casserole?
Yes, feel free to add some extra veggies to amp up the nutrition or to make it heartier. Try adding a can of corn that has been well drained, or a can of black beans or pinto beans is also a great addition (again, make sure the beans are drained and rinsed well). Add the corn of beans into the ground meat mixture. You can also cook and crumble the ground beef along with one green bell pepper (or red bell pepper) that has been finely diced. Or try adding a can of rotel to spice things up and add some chunky tomatoes.
Can I Make This Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can assemble the casserole in advance and refrigerate it until ready to bake. However, there are a few changes to keep in mind – prepare the casserole without the biscuit topping, cover the dish with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge Right before baking it, prepare the biscuit topping and then add it on top. Bake as directed in the recipe card. Adding the biscuit topping just before baking ensures that it remains fresh and flaky.
Do I Use The Seasoning Packet From The Biscuit Mix?
Using the seasoning packet is delicious but completely optional. You can leave the biscuit topping as is without the butter and seasoning mix – or mix melted butter and half of the packet of biscuit seasoning mix and brush that on top of the warm cooked biscuits before serving. I love the added buttery flavor! I do not recommend using the entire packet of seasoning because it is quite salty.
More Ground Beef Dinner Recipes
- Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Enchiladas
- Ground Beef Sheet Pan Quesadillas
- Lipton Onion Soup Meatloaf Recipe
- Creamy Ground Beef Flautas
- Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Ground Beef Stew
- Ground Beef Fajitas
Cattle Drive Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef (I use 93/7)
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies drained
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Biscuit Topping
- 1 package (11.36 oz) Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- half of the seasoning packet from the biscuit mix (optional, see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef and finely diced onion until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the pan.1 pound lean ground beef, 1 small yellow onion
- Stir in the taco seasoning and diced green chilies until combined. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant.1 packet taco seasoning, 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
- In a small mixing bowl stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese until combined.1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Spread ground beef mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Evenly spread the sour cream mixture over top the ground beef layer.
- In a medium bowl, add the dry cheddar bay biscuit mix and water. Stir until a soft dough forms. Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough over the sour cream layer, covering as much of the surface as possible.1 package (11.36 oz) Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix, 2/3 cup water
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top of biscuit layer.1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- While it's cooling, mix together the melted butter and half of the seasoning packet (from the cheddar bay biscuit mix, or use all of it) until combined, and then use a pastry brush to brush the butter over top the hot biscuit topping.*The seasoning packet is quite salty so I recommend just doing a sprinkling of it or only half of the packet. Depending on flavor preference, use as little or as much as you want. Or omit the seasoning packet and just do the melted butter.3 tablespoons butter, half of the seasoning packet from the biscuit mix
Notes
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