I’ve been seeing variations of this recipe in church cookbooks for years, but, what is John Wayne casserole? After doing a little research on John Wayne casserole, I found an interesting story. For my family, this recipe is summed up in one word—DELICIOUS!

John Wayne Casserole Recipe

I’ve seen so many variations of John Wayne casserole over the years. Some of those variations have meat and some don’t.

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

It really just depends on what your family prefers.

Since I usually have a few pounds of ground beef in the freezer begging to be utilized, I love adding it to this recipe to create an easy and hearty weeknight meal.

Honestly, this casserole recipe usually looks like a big cheesy mess. I’m not going to lie! Luckily, this cheesy mess happens to taste absolutely amazing.

I was a tad bit skeptical the first time I put this John Wayne casserole together, and I can remember my husband giving me a bit of a side-eye, wondering what I was making.

One bite put our questions to rest. Even the kids enjoy this flavorful and simple family meal. I’m so glad that I finally gave this recipe a whirl. It has gone into our regular recipe rotation and my kiddos often ask for this recipe by name.

Well, they ask for “that one casserole with the weird guy’s name.” Haha! Maybe it’s time to introduce them to the John Wayne film archive.

Actually, maybe it’s time for ME to watch some John Wayne flicks. The Quiet Man was just recommended to me by one of the ladies in my Sunday school class. Is it as good as I’ve been told?

Back to the food! I think I’ve probably mentioned it more than once before, but, I’m just such a fan of casseroles, especially during the busy school year.

If you’re looking for more easy family recipes be sure to check out my tasty Mexican tater tot casserole, these simple ground turkey stuffed peppers, and my amazing chicken spaghetti recipe.

I hope you love my variation of John Wayne casserole!

Continue to Content

John Wayne Casserole Recipe

Yield: 6-8 servings

This simple and hearty casserole recipe is a family favorite in my home!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef, browned, crumbled and drained
• 1 ( 1 ounce) packet taco seasoning
• ¾ cups water
• 1 small onion, sliced thin in about 1 inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin in about 1 inch pieces
• 2 ¼ 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 (4 ounce can ) green chiles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. 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
3. 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.
4. In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, the sour cream and half the cheese. Set aside.
5. 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.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.