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French Onion Beef Rice Casserole

A cozy, cheesy, and gooey one-pan casserole combining rich French Onion soup flavors with savory ground beef and rice. Topped with a molten Gruyère cheese blanket.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, French
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Base
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 large yellow onions thinly sliced
  • 1.5 lbs 80/20 ground beef
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup dry white wine or sherry optional
For the Casserole
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1.5 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
For the Gooey Topping
  • 8-10 oz Gruyère cheese shredded from a block

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch Baking Dish
  • Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
  • Box grater

Method
 

  1. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and oil over medium-low. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes until deep, jammy brown.
  2. Turn heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until deeply browned (8-10 mins).
  3. Stir in garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 min. Sprinkle with flour and stir for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Deglaze with optional wine, scraping the pot. Let reduce. Stir in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Stir in the uncooked rice. Pour the entire mixture into a 9x13 baking dish.
  6. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 40-45 minutes, or until rice is tender.
  7. Remove foil. Blanket the entire casserole with the shredded Gruyère cheese.
  8. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes until cheese is molten and gooey.
  9. For a browned, bubbly top, broil on high for 2-3 minutes, watching constantly.
  10. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the gooey casserole to set.

Notes

Do not use pre-shredded cheese; shred a block of Gruyère for the best gooey, molten melt. Caramelizing the onions properly is the most important step for flavor.