Hamburger Rice Hotdish Recipe
Hamburger rice hotdish is a beloved Minnesotan comfort food. I like to make mine using a skillet and 9×13 baking dish but this can also be made right in your cast iron from start to finish! Although the traditional hamburger rice hotdish recipe stands strong on its own, this recipe elevates the flavor by incorporating minced garlic and fresh green pepper, all while staying true to its traditional roots.
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Serves: 4
What You Need:
Large Skillet or Cast Iron
9 x 13 Baking Dish
Aluminum Foil
Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
2-3 Cloves of Minced Garlic (2-3 tsp)
½ Yellow Onion diced
2-3 Stalks of Celery diced
½ Green Pepper diced
1 10.5 oz Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 ⅓ Cups of Water (Or 1 Soup Can Worth of Water)
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 Cup White Rice (Uncooked)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Fresh Parsley (Or Dried)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Dice onion, celery, and green pepper into small pieces. Set aside.
- Start browning the hamburger in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the meat is almost fully cooked, add minced garlic, onions, celery, and green peppers to the skillet.
- Cook until the meat is fully cooked and the diced vegetables are mostly soft. (About 4-5 minutes)
Reduce heat to low, and add one can of cream of chicken soup.* Stir.
*Tip: Save the soup can to use for the water measurement! 1 ⅓ Cups of water = 1 soup can.
7. Mix in soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
8. Turn off heat, and add one cup of uncooked white rice.
9. Pour the water over the mixture, and stir until it’s all combined.
10. Pour all the contents of the skillet into an oven safe 9×13 baking dish. If using a cast iron, you can skip this step.
11. Cover the dish or cast iron with aluminum foil.
12. Carefully place the baking dish in the center of the middle rack in the preheated oven.
13. Bake for one hour at 350 F.
14. When it’s finished baking, set the baking dish on the counter and carefully remove the aluminum foil.
(Carefully- it’s hot!)
15. Stir the hotdish in the baking dish.
16. Top with fresh parsley, and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving!
Substitutes
Whether you don’t have all the ingredients or you simply want to mix things up, here is a list of substitutes that will still get you a delightfully cozy and tasteful hamburger rice hot dish.
Ground Beef: Any ground meat would work including venison, turkey, or pork.
Garlic: Don’t be silly, add the garlic.
Yellow Onion: Red onion can work just as well. You can also skip onions altogether if you don’t like them. (As you can see from the photos, I had to use red onions since I was out of yellow!)
Celery: Celery adds an essential flavor to this hot dish that other vegetables just don’t provide. There are vegetables you can add, but I don’t think there is a good substitute for celery for this dish.
Green Pepper: You can also use other sweet bell peppers in this dish! They will work just as well; green pepper just happens to be my favorite!
Cream of Chicken Soup: You absolutely can use any other cream of whatever soup. Traditionally, this is made with cream of mushroom. You can also use cream of celery or cream of broccoli soup!
Water: Vegetable stock, bone broth, or chicken or beef broth will work for this recipe and give the dish more flavor.
White Rice: Yes, you can use brown rice or even wild rice if you’re so inclined. However, you may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes to your baking time.
Sides
Cooked with vegetables, meat, and rice – this hamburger rice hotdish can be served as a meal on its own! However, you can add some colors and complimenting flavors by cooking a side to go along with it!
Serves Great With:
Roasted Veggie Mix
Place some chopped vegetables of your choice on a baking sheet, toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then bake in the oven at 425 Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes. I love this option, because you can add whatever veggies you like and still have it turn out amazing! Here are some great options:
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Green beans
- Asparagus
- Zucchini
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Parsnip
- Beets
- Onions
- Radishes- you name it!
Butter Fried Green Beans
I love any green vegetable that is fried and slathered in butter! Using a non-stick pan, melt a heart-felt amount of butter, add your green beans and cook until they are tender. Salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Broccoli
Another one of my favorites! Broccoli makes for a healthy and wonderful side to almost any dish! You can roast, steam, or pan fry them to pair with your hamburger rice hotdish.
Grilled Asparagus
I’m a sucker for grilled asparagus! Not only is it healthy and delicious, but I feel so regal eating pleasantly grilled asparagus. Don’t ask me why; I have no reason for thinking that! Try wrapping it in aluminum foil with butter or bacon grease, lemon zest, and good ol’ salt and pepper for an earthy, buttery, lemon- zesty side!
Squash
Squash is very unique in that you can make it a deliciously sweet side dish baked with butter and brown sugar or you can go the salty-savory route by frying it with cumin, garlic, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and seasoned salt. However you like it, squash makes for a great addition to this hotdish!
Zucchini
Zucchini is such an underrated vegetable! Make parmesan zucchini chips by cutting your zucchini into thin slices, coating them in oil, topping with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and baking them for 30 minutes with your oven at 450 degrees fahrenheit.
Brussel Sprouts
Brussel sprouts are such fun little things to eat! Pan fried, oven roasted, or steamed, they are a great way to add texture and flavor to this meal.
Leafy Salad
The contrast of a light leafy salad crunch couples well with the heavy hearty soft character of a baked hotdish. Mix lettuce, chopped kale, baby spinach, chopped nuts and dried cranberries, and drizzle with a vinaigrette to make a delicious partnering salad.
Dinner Rolls
How do you make a comforting hamburger rice hotdish even more comforting? By adding fresh hot buttered up dinner rolls! This will make for a heavy meal which is my favorite go-to after a long full winter’s day of outside work.
Baked Sweet Potato
By adding a sweet touch via sweet potatoes or squash as a side dish, this meal can really feel tastefully complete. Baked sweet potato also adds a healthy pop of color to your plate!
Again, adding a side dish is completely optional. Something I love about this hamburger rice hot dish recipe is that is can be served as a stand alone meal without any extra prep work or cooking!
Additions
Of course, I love this recipe as is, but sometimes you just gotta add a little something to keep things interesting! Here are some yummy additions to include to jazz up your hot dish:
Beans
Adding beans is a great way to boost the protein content and make this dish more hearty. You can mix in a cup of cooked beans just before placing in the oven!
Mixed Vegetables
Are you a veggie lover? Both canned and frozen veggies will work for this recipe! I would suggest mixing in one cup of frozen vegetables or ½ a 15oz can just after stirring in the soup. (Step #6)
Chow Mein Noodles
Just before serving, top with a desired amount of chow mein noodles to give it more texture, flavor, and a delightful crunch.
Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce is my favorite way to crank up the flavor of this dish; I add it quite often. I highly recommend adding a tablespoon along with your soy sauce! This will deliver a savory flavor to your hot dish!
Sage
Give your dish more flavor by sprinkling in some ground sage while you cook your meat.
Thyme
Sage and thyme are good buddies when it comes to cooking; they pair nicely together. If you sprinkle in sage, go ahead and sprinkle in some dried or ground thyme as well.
Mushrooms
I wish I liked mushrooms, but unfortunately they are not my fancy. However, if they are your fancy, then you are in luck because sliced (or diced) mushrooms work their way beautifully into this recipe! Just add them to the skillet when you add in the onions, celery, and green pepper!
Storage
Fridge
Call me a weirdo, but I love leftovers – one less meal to plan when it’s already made! This recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer Safe
This recipe is freezer safe making it a great gift meal! It can be kept in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Just be sure to let it thaw before cooking to ensure even baking.
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