Chow Mein Beefy Rice Casserole

With a crunchy chow mein noodle topping, creamy homemade sauce and crisp water chestnuts nestled inside, this savory, Chow Mein Beefy Rice Casserole is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters!

This delicious one dish meal was a little daring for me to make, since no one in the family other than me had ever had Asian cuisine before.

Luckily, Chow Mein Beefy Rice Casserole was an instant hit here. And you know what everyone liked about it the best? All the new things they'd never had before (credit: casserole magic)!

They liked the crunchy topping from the chow mein noodles, and the creaminess from the celery soup when mixed with the seasoned ground beef, rice, soy sauce, mixed vegetables and crisp water chestnuts.

This meal was gobbled up quickly, just like when I make Cracked Hamburger Hash, and I have to say there was even a little arguing over who was getting the last bite.

Jump to:

• 👪Why you'll love it
• 🥘Ingredients
• 🔪Instructions
• 🥣Substitutions
• 🍽Equipment
• 🍶Storage
• 💭Top Tip
• 🥄Related
• 🍴Pairing
• 📋Recipe
• 💬 Comments

👪Why you'll love it

Picky eater approved- Perhaps your family has had some (or all) of the ingredients in this ground beef chow mein casserole before, but maybe not everyone's a fan of eating vegetables. Or rice. Or beef. But if you toss in a can of condensed soup and put something crunchy and fun on top, they'll be intrigued. That was the winning factor here! Easy, make ahead meal option- You can assemble Chow Mein Beefy Rice Casserole (minus the chow mein noodles) several hours ahead of baking it, which can be a huge timesaver on a busy weeknight! Customizable recipe- Feel free to add other vegetables of your choice. I sometimes add in mushrooms, canned baby corn cobs and broccoli.

🥘Ingredients

For a complete list with measurements, see the printable recipe card below

• ground beef- 85% or above recommended
• onions- adds flavor (not pictured)
• cooked rice- I use white long grain rice, but any version will work here--just be sure to cook it before adding
• celery- gives a little extra flavor and texture
• garlic powder- can substitute 1 clove of garlic, minced
• cream of celery soup- I like to use Campbell's 98% fat free; as a variation, you could also use cream of mushroom soup
• frozen mixed vegetables, thawed- I like the color variety of standard mixed veggies for this
• water chestnuts- provide a nice crunch
• soy sauce- adds a sweetness to the sauce
• salt & pepper- enhances flavors
• extra wide chow mein noodles- provides a wonderful crunch on top and is added during the last 5 minutes of baking

🔪Instructions

For more detailed instructions, see the printable recipe card below

1. In a large saucepan, cook ground beef with onions and garlic powder over medium heat until beef is browned; drain excess grease. Then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the celery, soup, thawed vegetables and water chestnuts; mix.
3. Next, add the soy sauce, salt, pepper and cooked rice; stir to combine.
4. Transfer to a greased 13x9 glass baking dish or a 3 quart casserole.
5. Cover and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
6. Remove cover and top with chow mein noodles.
7. Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes and enjoy!

Hint: It's helpful to have some extra chow mein noodles on hand, especially if you have leftovers. The noodles don't keep well in the fridge, so you'll want to replace them with "fresh" ones when serving this again.

🥣Substitutions

This tasty casserole can be made with lean ground turkey instead of ground beef.

Instead of standard frozen mixed vegetables and canned water chestnuts, you may choose to buy a frozen Asian vegetable medley, such as Bird's Eye's. If choosing this option, I would recommend 2 bags.

🍽Equipment

• chef’s knife
• cutting board
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• medium saucepan with lid (for rice)
• large saucepan with lid (for beef)
• meat chopper (optional, but handy)
• large mixing bowl
• mixing/stirring spoon
• 13×9 glass baking dish (lightly greased) or 3 quart casserole dish

🍶Storage

Remove chow mein noodles on top before storing any leftovers (they will get soggy).

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within five days.

Once cooled, you may also freeze leftovers in freezer-safe packaging for up to 3 months.

Reheating instructions:

• Place in a covered casserole dish. Bake in 325° oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
• If cooking frozen leftovers, thaw overnight in fridge and then follow the above.

🥄Related

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

🍴Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Chow Mein Beefy Rice Casserole:

Back to top ↑

📋Recipe