John Wayne Casserole

Have you ever heard of John Wayne Casserole? Delicious layers of ground beef, cheese mixture, fresh vegetables and Jalapeno peppers baked on top of a biscuit crust make for an amazing weeknight dinner!

Looking for even more ground beef casseroles? Be sure to check out our collection after making this recipe!

John Wayne Casserole Recipe

Like my taco empanadas, this recipe is one of my top picks for dinner ideas that use ground beef. Casseroles are really popular, but it’s taken me up until the last ten years to really embrace them. This is one of my favorites, along with my Hamburger Casserole!

Want to try this in the slow cooker? Try our Crockpot John Wayne Casserole!

Why is it called John Wayne Casserole?

Apparently, this John Wayne Casserole recipe has some interesting origins, including information on why it’s named what it is. Regardless of its origins, it’s a tasty dinner that your family will love. The jalapeños do not make this too hot, so don’t be too concerned about that. This is one of our most popular ground beef casseroles, so give it a try and let me know what you think!

Considering John Wayne was a true cowboy, we are betting he would have approved of our Slow Cooked Cowboy Casserole! Be sure to bookmark it.

Ingredients you will need:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or you can use my homemade taco seasoning)
• 1 16-ounce can large biscuits (or homemade biscuits)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 8-ounces cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, halved and sliced
• 1 (4-ounce) can sliced Jalapeno peppers
• 13×9 baking dish (Ijust bought two of these and LOVE them!)

How to Make John Wayne Casserole

I used Pillsbury Grands biscuits. I’m sure a generic or store brand would be fine as well. I don’t think I would bother making biscuits from scratch for this since they are just going to get buried, but if you prefer to do that, here’s a recipe for homemade biscuits you can use.

Place biscuits in greased 13×9 pan in a single layer and press into the pan, joining them together, pressing the dough halfway up the sides of the pan. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake dough in preheated oven on the center rack for 12-15 minutes at 350 F; checking every few minutes after 15.

The dough should be very light brown where the edges are just starting to get color. Remove from oven and set aside, leave oven on.

In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, half of the cheddar cheese, and half of onions. Stir well and set aside.

Combine the browned ground beef with the taco seasoning and water, and cook according to packet instructions. Transfer cooked taco meat to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out pan.

Saute remaining onions and bell peppers on the taco meat pan until slightly tender.

On top of baked biscuit crust, layer ingredients in the following order: taco meat, tomato slices, bell pepper and onion mixture, Jalapeno peppers, sour cream mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until edges of dough are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

Hope you enjoy it, I know we did!

More Casseroles you might like:

A lot of people have commented below saying they love this John Wayne Casserole and it’s become a regular part of their recipe rotation. It’s one of our most affordable ground beef dinners.

Need more weeknight inspiration? Try these 30 ground beef dinners ready in 30 minutes – fast favorites for nights when you don’t have time to make this casserole.

1. A very popular ground beef or lamb recipe is Shepherd’s Pie. It’s one of those comforting recipes, and one that’s been around for a long time. There are so many different versions of Shepherds and Cottage Pie. This is my take on the classic, and it’s one the whole family loves!
2. Looking for finger foods? Try our cheesy meatball biscuit bites!
3. Beef Stroganoff Casserole is a hearty weeknight dinner the whole family will love thanks to its rich flavors and creamy sauce.
4. Not only is this 7 Layer Casserole affordable but it’s quick and easy to make in a pinch.
5. Cabbage Rolls are a true comfort dish stuffed with a variety of different flavors and textures.
6. Lasagna Roll Ups are perfect for prepping ahead of time and freezing, making weeknights a breeze!

Looking for more ground beef ideas? See our collection of 90 best ground beef recipes here.

This post was originally published here on Apr 22, 2015.