Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe

The tasty dish with the weird name, this John Wayne Casserole is made with meat, cheese and just the right amount of spice to make your dinner table the happiest place on this side of the Mississippi!

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What Is A John Wayne Casserole?

So, what exactly is a John Wayne Casserole? Why is it named after the famous actor? Well, it appears that years ago, he donated this recipe to a charity cookbook. But, over the past several decades, it has evolved quite a bit. While doing research for this recipe, I found so many different versions of this recipe. In fact, it appears that the original John Wayne Casserole recipe (meaning, the version that John Wayne created!) didn’t even have meat in it, only egg. But over the years, ground beef has been inserted into most of the recipes. Regardless, from what I can tell, no matter how this recipe is tweaked, it seems to be a huge hit at dinner tables everywhere.

But, really, what’s not to love? Taco meat, peppers, onions, chilis and tons of cheese all piled on a layer of biscuits? Yes please! This is literally what comfort food is all about, and we are proud to have it here at Bubba Pie! So, without wasting any more time, let’s head to the wild west and whip up our version of this John Wayne Casserole.

John Wayne Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 2 cups bisquick
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 can, 10 oz, diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 can, 4 oz, diced chilies
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 packet, 1 oz, taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add bisquick and water. Mix well. Spread into prepared pan. Set aside.
3. Brown beef in a large skillet until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning and water and heat for an additional 3-5 minutes. Spread on top of bisquick layer. Add diced tomatoes on top.
4. Heat green pepper and onion in a skillet until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on top of beef. Add green chilies spooning evenly on top.
5. In a separate bowl, add sour cream, mayonnaise and 1 cup of cheese. Mix well. Spoon on top of peppers.
6. Top with remaining cheese
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Let set for 5 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.

A Recipe Made To Be Tweaked

One way to tweak this recipe to your tastes is the level of spice involved. For this version, we used breen chilies to add a little heat. And, while technically green chilis and jalapenos are the same thing, I think putting from fresh sliced jalapenos into this recipe would be delicious. You could also mix in some taco cheese or pepper jack cheese to add even more kick!

Let’s be honest, this recipe wouldn’t be considered a light and lean dish. So, if you are looking to pump the breaks on the calories, you could certainly make some adjustments there as well. Try subbing the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken. You could also use low fat or light mayonnaise, cheese or sour cream.

A Great Recipe For  A Crowd

Try this recipe at your next dinner party or if you have friends over to watch the big game. It does a great job feeding a larger number of people. Or, if you have it for a weeknight family dinner, you will certainly have leftovers. And this is one of those dishes that will taste just as good, if not better, reheated the next day!

I hope you enjoy this John Wayne Casserole recipe. Let me know what you think in the comments!

5 from 2 votes

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John Wayne Casserole

The tasty dish with the weird name, this John Wayne Casserole is made with meat, cheese and just the right amount of spice to make your dinner table the happiest place on this side of the Mississippi!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cheeseburger tater tot casserole, john wayne casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 428 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups bisquick
• 1 cup water
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet 1 oz, taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 green pepper diced
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 can 10 oz, diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 can 4 oz, diced chilies
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add bisquick and water. Mix well. Spread into prepared pan. Set aside.
3. Brown beef in a large skillet until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning and water and heat for an additional 3-5 minutes. Spread on top of bisquick layer. Add diced tomatoes on top.
4. Heat green pepper and onion in a skillet until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on top of beef. Add green chilies spooning evenly on top.
5. In a separate bowl, add sour cream, mayonnaise and 1 cup of cheese. Mix well. Spoon on top of peppers.
6. Top with remaining cheese
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Let set for 5 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.

Recipe Notes

One way to tweak this recipe to your tastes is the level of spice involved. For this version, we used breen chilies to add a little heat. And, while technically green chilis and jalapenos are the same thing, I think putting from fresh sliced jalapenos into this recipe would be delicious. You could also mix in some taco cheese or pepper jack cheese to add even more kick!

Let’s be honest, this recipe wouldn’t be considered a light and lean dish. So, if you are looking to pump the breaks on the calories, you could certainly make some adjustments there as well. Try subbing the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken. You could also use low fat or light mayonnaise, cheese or sour cream.

Nutrition Facts

John Wayne Casserole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 428

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.