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Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe

Today’s Best Recipe is John Wayne Casserole.

This casserole is a tribute to my grandfather’s favorite actor, The Duke.

I remember Sundays with him, watching Westerns followed by boxing.

My children don’t have a clue who he was, and yet this week, they can’t stop saying his name!

Last week, an elementary school friend posted a picture of her family’s dinner: John Wayne Casserole.

It turns out it’s delicious.

It’s not so much a casserole as a macho cheese fest over biscuits, meats, tomatoes, and a mixture of onions and bell peppers.

My kiddos devoured it and wanted to know if they could have it again tomorrow!

You may also want to check out my Pinterest Casserole board for more great recipes like this cheesy John Wayne Casserole!

John Wayne Casserole is not so much a casserole as a macho cheese fest over biscuits, meats, tomatoes and a mixture of onions and bell peppers.

 

What is John Wayne Casserole?

Let’s just cut to the chase.

John Wayne Casserole is delicious layers of ground beef, ooey, gooey cheese, fresh veggies, and jalapeno peppers for a kick, all baked on top of a crust made from flakey biscuits.

Or, we’ll just call it dinner.

Or the ultimate comfort food.

My kids think it’s a biscuit casserole…and technically, they are right since there’s a delicious biscuit layer that turned golden brown.

Today there are numerous varieties of this casserole.

The Original John Wayne Casserole Recipe was a crustless egg and cheese casserole.

Rumor is that the famous actor known as The Duke directly contributed the recipe to a 1979 cookbook, “Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends,” with recipes collected and compiled by Cara Connery.

I believe this is the Mississippi version, as a crust has been added, and the eggs have been dropped.

Connery was a 10-year-old California girl who decided to put together a celebrity recipe book to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Several of her relatives had battled cancer, and she wanted to raise money for research.  

Her Mom helped her send letters to various celebrities, asking for their favorite recipes.

This cheese, chile, and tomato bake is what she got from John Wayne.

Do a Google search, and you’ll discover so many variations of this casserole.

The largest variant is that some have meat, and some do not.

I like to add ground beef to my casserole, but you could certainly add ground turkey or skip the meat completely.

So here it is, the John Wayne (Macho Cheese Fest) Casserole Recipe version my family loves!

This EASY John Wayne Casserole Recipe is delicious layers of ground beef, cheese, fresh veggies, and jalapeno peppers, all baked on a crust of flaky biscuits.

Easy John Wayne Casserole

Recipe Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

2 pkg taco seasoning mix (I used mild)

2/3 cup water

2 cups sour cream

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup chopped onion (about one medium onion)

1 pkg Pillsbury Flaky Biscuits

4 fresh tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup diced jalapeño peppers 

1 (4 ounce can) chopped green chiles

How to Make John Wayne Casserole:

Brown Ground Beef:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef for about 5 minutes.

Drain the Fat. Add the packet of taco seasoning to the meat and stir in the cup of water.

Simmer meat over medium-low heat, occasionally stirring until water is reduced, about 7 minutes.

Prepare the casserole:

Open the refrigerator biscuits and create a biscuit base by pressing them into the bottom of the casserole dish (they should be flat and resemble more of a crust than a biscuit when you are done).

Layer the casserole in the following order, biscuits, meat mixture, tomato slices, chopped onion, green peppers, diced jalapeno, and green chilies.

In a small separate bowl, combine the sour cream, 1.5 cups cheese, and the mayonnaise.

Mix until well combined. Spread sour cream mixture over top of layers.

Top with remaining cheese.

Bake:

Place casserole on the center rack of the heated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until the crust and soft dough edges are a golden, light brown.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Jazz It Up:

Add 1 cup of ham to the mixture before baking.

I encourage you to give this John Wayne Casserole Recipe a try.

It’s a cheesy casserole filled with flavor and texture.

It’s an easy casserole, quick, and delicious meal.

If you made our recipe be sure to tag us on Instagram so we can see your dinner delight #todaysbestrecipe

John Wayne Casserole is not so much a casserole as a macho cheese fest over biscuits, meats, tomatoes and a mixture of onions and bell peppers.

Casserole with biscuits, onions, meat and bell peppers

easy john wayne casserole

John Wayne Casserole is not so much a casserole as a macho cheese fest over biscuits, meats, tomatoes and a mixture of onions and bell peppers.

John Wayne Casserole Recipe

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

This EASY John Wayne Casserole Recipe is delicious layers of ground beef, ooey, gooey cheese, fresh veggies and jalapeno peppers for a kick, all baked on top of a crust made from flakey biscuits. Or, we'll just call it dinner.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 2 pkg taco seasoning mix (I used mild)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 pkg Pillsbury Flaky Biscuits
  • 4 fresh tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced jalapeño peppers

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Meat: Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, about 5 minutes. Drain the Fat. Add the taco seasoning to the meat and stir in the water. Simmer meat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until water is reduced, about 7 minutes.
  2. Prepare the casserole: Open the refrigerator biscuits and press them into the bottom of the casserole dish (they should be flat and resemble more of a crust than biscuit when you are done). Layer the casserole in this order, biscuits, ground beef, sliced tomatoes, chopped onion, green peppers, and diced jalapeno. In a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, 1.5 cups cheese, and the mayonnaise. Mix until well combined. Spread sour cream mixture over top of layers. Top with remaining cheese.
  3. Bake: Place casserole on center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until the crust is a golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  4. Jazz It Up: Add 1 cup of ham to the mixture before baking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 839Total Fat: 67gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 189mgSodium: 724mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 44g

Nutritional Information may not be accurate

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

If you are on Weight Watchers, this John Wayne casserole recipe has 17 Weight Watcher points per 1/8th of the recipe.

MORE CASSEROLES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

Many of you have written to express how much your whole family loves this John Wayne Casserole, and it’s become a regular part of your weeknight meal recipe rotation.

Our blog features more casseroles you’ll like as well.

Try some of these and let me know!

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe To make this recipe, you have minimal prep and let it cook your chicken all day in your crockpot.

EASY White Trash Casserole Recipe a complete meal. It is layered with crunchy tater tots, smothered with cheese, and filled with delicious flavors.

Coca-Cola BBQ Chicken Casserole Recipe This will make your kitchen smell amazing and your mouth water. It requires no barbecue sauce as combining Coca-Cola and Worcestershire sauce with the seasonings creates a flavorful sauce.

IF YOU LOVE THIS EASY RECIPE, TRY OUR EASY CHICKEN and BISCUIT DUMPLINGS!  WITH JUST A FEW SIMPLE INGREDIENTS, YOU’LL HAVE A DELICIOUS DINNER READY IN NO TIME!

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