I’ve been seeing versions of John Wayne Casserole in church cookbooks for years, and I finally gave it a try. I’ll be honest, my husband gave me a little side-eye the first time I put it together. One bite settled it, though, and it became a family favorite. My kiddos even ask for it by name. Well, they ask for “that one casserole with the weird guy’s name.” Close enough!
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This John Wayne Casserole starts with a soft Bisquick biscuit crust. On top goes taco-seasoned ground beef with onion and red bell pepper, then sliced Roma tomatoes and green chiles. A creamy layer of sour cream, mayonnaise and sharp cheddar covers it all, and more cheese goes on top before it bakes. It's hearty, cheesy and full of Tex-Mex flavor, and one pan feeds a hungry family.
What You'll Learn
- Get my step-by-step guide to John Wayne Casserole, from the biscuit crust to the cheesy top.
- Try my easy swaps, including gluten-free Bisquick and a low-carb version without the crust.
- Learn how to make it ahead for a busy night or a church potluck.
- Find out how to store and freeze leftovers so nothing goes to waste.
Why My Family Loves It
I almost always have a few pounds of ground beef in the freezer, so this hearty casserole made with simple ingredients is one of my go-to dinners on busy weeknights. Here's why it keeps coming back to our table:
- Big Tex-Mex flavor: If your family likes a taco casserole, they'll love this one. The taco-seasoned beef and green chiles give it just enough kick.
- Feeds a crowd: One 9x13 pan goes a long way, so it's one of my favorite potluck casseroles. It's perfect for a church supper or a family get-together.
- Easy layers: Plus, there's nothing fancy here. You press in the crust, layer everything and bake.
It usually looks like a big cheesy mess coming out of the oven. Luckily, that cheesy mess tastes amazing!
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what goes into this beef and biscuit casserole. You'll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.
- Ground beef: Brown it and drain it well so the crust doesn't get greasy.
- Taco seasoning and water: One packet simmered with water makes a quick sauce for the beef.
- Onion and red bell pepper: Slice them thin so they soften quickly in the skillet.
- Bisquick biscuit mix and water: Together, these make the soft biscuit crust on the bottom.
- Mayonnaise and sour cream: Stir these together with half of the cheese, then spread it on as the creamy layer.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Half goes in the creamy layer, and the rest goes on top.
- Roma tomatoes: Slice them thin. Also, Romas are firmer than most fresh tomatoes, so they hold their shape in the layers.
- Green chiles: One small can adds mild heat and lots of flavor.
How to Make John Wayne Casserole
Step one: Heat the oven to 325°F and lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step two: Brown the ground beef in a large skillet until it's cooked through. Then drain it and put it back in the skillet. Add the water and taco seasoning and bring it to a boil. Stir in the onion and red bell pepper, turn down the heat, and simmer until the onions and bell peppers start to soften.
Step three: In a small bowl, stir the Bisquick mix and water together to make a soft biscuit dough. Press it into the bottom of the baking dish and about ½ inch up the sides. The dough is a little sticky, so I press it out through a piece of parchment paper and use a spatula for the sides.
Step four: In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and half of the cheddar cheese.
Step five: Spread the browned ground beef mixture over the biscuit layer. Next, layer the tomato slices on top, followed by the green chiles. Spread the sour cream mixture over everything and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
Step six: Finally, bake in the preheated oven until the edges are lightly browned and the cheese is melted.
Substitutions and Variations
- Ground turkey or chicken: Swap in ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter dinner.
- More or less heat: Use pepper jack cheese or Monterey Jack instead of cheddar, or add a few chopped jalapeño peppers. To keep the spice level kid-friendly, use a mild taco seasoning.
- Gluten-free: Use Bisquick Gluten Free for the crust and follow the biscuit directions on that box, since it uses different add-ins than regular Bisquick. Also check that your taco seasoning is gluten-free.
- Low-carb or keto: Skip the biscuit crust and layer everything right in the greased dish. Use a sugar-free taco seasoning. It turns into more of a keto taco casserole, but it's still cheesy and filling.
- No Bisquick? A homemade baking mix made with flour, baking powder, salt and shortening can stand in for the crust.
My Best Tips
- Drain the beef well: Draining the excess fat keeps the biscuit crust from getting soggy.
- Use parchment for the dough: The dough is sticky. Pressing it through parchment paper keeps it off your fingers.
- Let it rest: Give it a few minutes out of the oven before cutting, so the layers hold together.
- Make it ahead: Cook the beef mixture and stir together the creamy layer up to a day ahead, and keep them in the fridge. Then press in the crust, layer and bake when you're ready. That's why it's one of my favorite make ahead casseroles.
What to Serve with It
Since this layered taco casserole is rich, I like something fresh on the side. For example, a crisp side salad, my Cowboy Caviar, or a bowl of tortilla chips and salsa all go great with it. For a bigger family dinner, add my Best Sweet Coleslaw.
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerator: Let the leftover casserole cool, then cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or move leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Wrap individual pieces or the whole pan tightly and freeze for 2 to 3 months for the best quality. The biscuit crust gets a little softer after thawing, but it still tastes great.
Reheating: Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven, or microwave single servings, until hot all the way through (165°F).
John Wayne Casserole FAQs
Why is it called John Wayne Casserole?
The name goes back to actor John Wayne himself. He shared a cheese casserole recipe for a 1979 cookbook of recipes from famous people, put together by a girl named Cara Connery to raise money for the American Cancer Society, and you can read the interesting story behind it. However, his original recipe had no meat or crust. The beef and biscuit version most of us know today came along later and took the name with it.
Can you make John Wayne Casserole ahead of time?
Yes. First, make the beef mixture and the creamy layer up to a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. Then assemble it right before baking so the crust doesn't get soggy.
Can you freeze John Wayne Casserole?
Yes, the baked casserole freezes well. Wrap it tightly and see the storage tips above for how long it keeps and how to reheat it.
Next time you need an easy dinner that feeds a crowd, give this John Wayne Casserole a try. And maybe pick up The Quiet Man while you're at it. One of the ladies in my Sunday school class recommended it to me years ago, and it's a great movie.
More Easy Casseroles
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
- Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Dorito Casserole
- Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
- Ham and Noodle Casserole
John Wayne Casserole Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef browned, crumbled and drained
- 1 packet taco seasoning 1 ounce
- ¾ cup water
- 1 small onion sliced thin in about 1 inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper sliced thin in about 1 inch pieces
- 2¼ cups bisquick mix
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided
- 2 roma tomatoes sliced thin
- 1 can green chiles 4 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a 12-inch skillet brown the ground beef until thoroughly cooked, then drain and return to the skillet. Add ¾ cup water, the taco seasoning packet and bring to a boil. Add the onion and the peppers. Turn down the heat and simmer for three to five minutes, or until the onions and peppers begin to soften. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the biscuit mix and ⅔ cup water to make a soft dough. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides about ½ inch in the prepared baking dish. The dough was a little sticky so I used parchment paper to press it out on the bottom, and I used a spatula to bring it up the sides.
- In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, the sour cream and half the cheese. Set aside.
- Spread the ground beef mixture evenly over the biscuit layer. Evenly layer the sliced tomatoes over ground beef mixture. Evenly layer the green chilies over the tomatoes. Evenly spread the sour cream mixture over the green chilies. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
Nutrition
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The Quiet Man is my all time favorite John Wayne movie. In 2018 on a trip that included Ireland I was able to go where it was filmed. I have a picture sitting of me on the “John Wayne” bridge. Looking forward to making this casserole.
This casserole was excellent! Did not have green chiles but added a layer of bacon. Very tasty. Thanks for the great recipe
I made this tonight for dinner. My family loved it but we all agreed that it was missing something. Next time I may use corn bread instead of the biscuit mix and I think adding corn and fire roasted tomatoes may give it a kick. It’s fun to experiment with a recipe.
This is a delicious recipe. i made it tonight for dinner and it was delicious. i used canned tomatoes and added sliced button mushrooms.
I just made this delicious casserole today. My husband and son loved it! I will make it many more times in the future. my changes: i used ground turkey and while it was browning i added 8 oz sliced button mushrooms, the red bell pepper, diced onions. after the veggies were tender i added a packet of mild taco seasoning then i added 1 each 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained. i didn’t add the water because the tomatoes provided enough liquid. I baked the biscuit crust 10 minutes by itself then i poured the skillet contents in it. then i followed the topping directions as in recipe and baked the casserole for 25 minutes. then i added the remaining cheese and put it back in the oven 5 min to melt the cheese. it was really delicious. thank you for the recipe and inspiration.
Donavan’s reef, Harti, Mc Clintock, the sons of Katie Elder, he has a lot of “must see” movies.
Years ago I belonged to a recipe chain letter. This one came from Marcia Sirringhra?
2 cans chopped green chiles, 1lb montery jack cheese, 1 lb. cheddar cheese, 4 egg yolks and whites, 2/3 cup evaporated milk, 1T flour,1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, 2 tomatoes (garnish). Grate cheese into buttered glass casserole with chopped green chiles mixed in. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks (set aside). Mix together flour, salt, pepper and egg yolks with evaporated milk. Fold the egg mixture into egg whites. Pour over cheese and press in. Bake at 325 degrees for 30mins. Place tomato slices over top and bake for 30 mins. longer. YUM!!!!!