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This French onion casserole bakes uncooked long-grain white rice with browned beef, condensed mushroom soup and condensed onion soup. Mozzarella goes on only after the rice softens. The covered stage cooks the grain; the uncovered stage melts the topping, so a golden surface is not the first doneness test.
The two cups of broth are the separately measured cooking liquid. Adding the soup cans’ serving water would change that balance. Whisk the condensed soups into the broth before pouring so thick pockets of mushroom soup do not leave some grains drier than others.
Ingredient amounts and preparation
- Set out: 1 pound ground beef
- Set out: 1 medium onion, diced
- Set out: 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
- Set out: 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- Set out: 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
- Set out: 1 can (10.5 ounces) French onion soup
- Set out: 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Set out: 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Set out: Salt, to taste
- Set out: Pepper, to taste; Chopped parsley (optional)
Cooking sequence and doneness
- Stage 1
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Stage 2
- Prepare a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish with room below the rim.
- Stage 3
- Heat the tablespoon of oil in a skillet and soften the diced onion.
- Stage 4
- Add the ground beef, break it apart and cook to 160°F; drain excess fat. Whisk the two undiluted soups into the two cups of broth.
- Stage 5
- Spread beef, onion and uncooked rice in the dish, then stir in the soup mixture until evenly distributed.
- Stage 6
- Cover tightly with foil and bake about 60 minutes.
- Stage 7
- Check rice in the center and near an edge; continue covered as needed until tender, adding a little hot broth only if the pan is drying.
- Stage 8
- Remove the cover, scatter the mozzarella and return to the oven about 10–15 minutes. Verify the casserole center reaches 165°F, then rest briefly before spooning out portions.
Use the one cup of uncooked long-grain white rice specified in the card. Instant rice, cooked rice and brown rice have different hydration needs. Changing the grain without changing the method can produce either a wet casserole or hard centers.
When does the cheese go on?
After the covered bake, sample rice from the middle and near an edge. Keep baking covered if either remains firm. If the pan is drying before the rice softens, add a small splash of hot broth and reseal; adding cheese early makes that check harder. A snug foil seal keeps steam in the dish while the rice hydrates. Use a deep 9-by-13-inch oven dish and leave headroom. A shallow pan or loose cover can lose liquid faster, so the one-hour mark is a first check rather than a guarantee.
How is this different from the other onion rice bake?
This version uses mushroom soup and mozzarella for a creamy sauce. The broth-and-consommé version uses a different rice quantity and liquid formula. Choose a complete recipe rather than combining the two sets of measurements.
Storage and serving later
Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below; do not wait for a large hot batch to cool completely on the counter. University of Illinois Extension’s leftover guidance gives a three-to-four-day refrigerated window and 165°F for reheating foods served hot. Keep cold salads and toppings chilled, and follow shorter product-label limits where applicable.
For another complete recipe, see French Onion Ground Beef and Long-Grain Rice Casserole or Cheesy Beef and Shells Casserole with Tomato Soup. Each has its own ingredient quantities and cooking sequence; keep those measurements separate when choosing a meal. USDA’s temperature guidance specifies 160°F for ground beef. Thermometer placement guidance explains checking the thick center rather than relying on surface color.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- Why use the soups undiluted?
The two cups of broth are the separately measured cooking liquid. Adding the soup cans’ serving water would change that balance.
- Which rice belongs here?
Use the one cup of uncooked long-grain white rice specified in the card. Instant rice, cooked rice and brown rice have different hydration needs.
- When does the cheese go on?
After the covered bake, sample rice from the middle and near an edge. Keep baking covered if either remains firm.
- What does a tight cover do?
A snug foil seal keeps steam in the dish while the rice hydrates. Use a deep 9-by-13-inch oven dish and leave headroom.
- How is this different from the other onion rice bake?
This version uses mushroom soup and mozzarella for a creamy sauce. The broth-and-consommé version uses a different rice quantity and liquid formula.