rotel Archives - Family Dinners Delicious Dinners Families Love Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:50:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://familydinners.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cropped-favicon-32x32.png rotel Archives - Family Dinners 32 32 Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe https://familydinners.com/easy-john-wayne-casserole-recipe/ https://familydinners.com/easy-john-wayne-casserole-recipe/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:50:13 +0000 https://familydinners.com/?p=21026 This delicious Mexican inspired John Wayne casserole bakes in the oven and combines biscuits, taco meat and melty cheese.

The post Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe appeared first on Family Dinners.

]]> In case you have never tried John Wayne casserole, then it is about time to give this amazingly flavorful and delicious family dinner a whirl. Everyone who loves southwestern cuisine will enjoy eating this quick and easy weeknight dinner. It combines a biscuit base with layers of ground beef, creamy sour cream mixture and lots of melty cheese.

slice of john wayne casserole on a serving spatula

Ground beef and cheese casserole only takes 15 minutes to prepare and is ready to serve in under an hour. It tastes best combined with a potato side, crunchy salad and Mexican condiments such as salsa or guacamole, for example. This is undoubtedly the best version of the original John Wayne casserole recipe. And it’s the perfect dish to bring some new life into Taco Tuesdays.

What is John Wayne Casserole?

This yummy casserole full of southwestern flavors got its name from the fact that in the 1970s the famous actor John Wayne contributed a version of this easy recipe to a cookbook called “Cooking with Love from Cara and her Friends”. Cara Connery created this charity cookbook for the American Cancer Society. Since then, the recipe has been adapted multiple times but still kept John Wayne’s name. This oven baked casserole is a scrumptious combination of a biscuit base, ground beef taco meat, Rotel tomatoes, bell peppers and lots of cheese.

close up of john wayne casserole.

Why You’ll Love This

  • Notable: everything you love about Tex-Mex food in one scrumptious and easy casserole recipe that will impress the taste buds of your whole family
  • Main Ingredients: Bisquick, water, ground beef, yellow onion, red bell pepper, Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning, sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese
  • Cooking Method: oven baked
  • Cooking Time: 15 minutes prep time and 40 minutes bake time
  • Pairs well with: potatoes, salad, pico de gallo, guacamole
  • Special Equipment Needed: large skillet, kitchen spatula, 9×13-inch baking dish, large bowl, small mixing bowl
john wayne casserole in a glass baking dish, with some taken out to expose the layers

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this cheesy casserole in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this easy ground beef casserole recipe you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Biscuit and Taco Casserole Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups Bisquick
  • ⅔ cup water
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½ medium yellow onion (about 1 cup, diced)
  • 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
  • 1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (undrained)
  • ¼ cup taco seasoning
  • ½ cup sour cream (plus more for serving)
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 ½ cups shredded medium cheddar cheese (divided)

Optional Garnish

Fresh parsley or fresh cilantro, chopped fresh tomatoes, sliced black olives, sliced green onions

Variations and Substitutions

Biscuit crust: We love using Bisquick mix for convenience, however, you can try using canned biscuits or homemade biscuit dough as well.

Ground Beef: In case you prefer, substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the beef.

Taco Seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought brand or make your own taco spice. Both mild and spicy taco seasoning work great with this casserole dish. A ¼ cup taco seasoning is equal to one packet.

Cheese: Substitute medium cheddar with sharp cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, or Monterey jack cheese, for example. Additionally you can try using a Mexican cheese blend as well.

Bell Pepper: We used a red bell pepper for this hearty casserole, but you can substitute yellow or green bell peppers in a pinch. In case you like it spicy you can additionally add some green peppers, green chiles or jalapeño peppers, for example.

How To Make Gluten Free

Make this ground beef casserole recipe gluten free by using gluten free biscuit mix. Moreover, make sure your taco seasoning is also gluten free.

Ingredients for john wayne casserole in bowls including: ground beef, shredded cheese, chopped onions, rotel, taco seasoning, sour cream, mayonnaise, bell peppers and bisquick

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love this easy ground beef casserole recipe, try our Mexican Lasagna Recipe. You’ll love it because this taco casserole combines all your favorite Mexican flavors, such as taco meat, refried beans, salsa, melty cheese and sour cream.

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Casserole Dish — We love using this glass baking dish as it cooks food evenly, you can easily see the food while it cooks and it also looks good as a serving dish.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook John Wayne casserole in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For detailed instructions and nutritional information see the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Prep: Firstly grease a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Then, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

raw ground beef and chopped onions in a skillet

Step 1: Brown ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and onions have softened. Onions will be translucent.

adding the taco seasoning to browned meat and onions

Step 2: Afterwards add the taco seasoning and mix well.

adding Rotel to browned taco meat
bisquick mix and water in a mixing bowl

Step 3: Then add Rotel tomatoes with all the juices and stir to combine. Set meat mixture aside.

Step 4: Afterward mix together biscuit mix and water in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms.

biscuit dough and cheese in a mixing bowl

Step 5: Then add the cheese and form a cohesive dough. The cheese pieces will break up as you mix.

biscuit mixture pressed into casserole dish (bottom layer of john wayne casserole)

Step 6: Afterward press the biscuit layer evenly into a glass baking dish. It doesn’t need to be totally even or flat.

meat mixture spread over biscuit layer

Step 7: Then add the ground beef mixture on top of the bisquick layer. Make sure to spread it out evenly.

sour cream mixture spread over taco meat layer

Step 8: In a separate bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and 1 cup of grated cheese. Then spread the sour cream mixture over the lean ground beef layer.

sliced red bell pepper and cheese spread on top of john wayne casserole

Step 9: Afterwards top the casserole with the sliced bell peppers and the remaining cheese.

cooked john wayne casserole

Step 10: Finally bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love Mexican inspired one pan meals then you’ll love our Frito Pie with Ground Beef. This yummy, quick and easy comfort food combines perfectly seasoned beef and beans with melty cheese and crispy Frito chips.

Make Ahead

John Wayne casserole tastes best fresh out of the oven, so we do not recommend making it ahead of time. However, you can prepare the ground beef layer ahead of time and then keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before assembling and baking the casserole.

Stef says….

Yummy dinner casseroles are a family favorite in our house. Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole and Turkey Enchilada Casserole are two of our other favorite Mexican inspired weeknight dinners.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best ground beef casserole recipe.

  • Tip: Make sure to properly brown the beef and onions. This adds immense flavor to the beef mixture and keeps the meat from drying out.
  • Tip: In case the biscuit dough is too sticky, place a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap over it while pushing it onto the baking dish.
  • Tip: There are so many variations of this recipe. So feel free to personalize this casserole recipe with all your favorite add-ins.

Serving Suggestions

We love to eat this cheesy beef casserole all by itself. But sometimes you need to serve it as a complete meal. Try one of these delicious recipes:

Salad: Pair John Wayne casserole with a fresh salad. A green salad like our Italian Salad, Stef’s Taco Salad Shells or Andrea’s Greek Salad.

Sides: Traditionally, beef and biscuit casserole is served with a baked potato. You can in fact make this scrumptious side dish in the oven, convection oven, air fryer, Instant Pot, slow cooker, toaster oven, microwave or on the grill. It would taste great with Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes or Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes.

Sauces: Traditionally, John Wayne casserole is served with Mexican condiments such as guacamole, restaurant style salsa or pico de gallo, for example. It would taste great with mango habanero salsa as well.

More Tex-Mex Inspired Recipes

In case you also love Mexican cuisine as much as we do then you have to try some spicy Sausage Rotel Dip and chips or these crowd pleasing recipes:

How To Store

Refrigerate: Transfer to an airtight container, ziploc bag or wrap tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then store meat and cheese casserole leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freeze: Firstly, let leftover John Wayne casserole cool completely. Then transfer to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

How To Reheat

You can reheat leftover casserole in the microwave.

slice of john wayne casserole on a plate

Common Questions

Is it possible to add more vegetables to this original recipe?

Yes! As a matter of fact you can add some corn or your favorite kind of bean to the meat filling. We like black beans, pinto beans or kidney beans, for example. Moreover, you can add an additional chopped bell pepper to the ground beef mixture.

I love spicy food. How can I make this dish spicy without compromising the delicious flavor?

There are in fact several ways to add a spicy kick to this yummy dinner. Firstly you can use spicy taco seasoning for the meat, then you can add some chopped green chilies or jalapeno peppers to the sour cream layer and finally you can replace all or half of the cheese in this great recipe with Pepper Jack cheese.

What is a great side dish to serve with this best casserole recipe?

Even though this scrumptious casserole is already a full meal by itself, it goes extremely well with potato sides. We recommend serving baked potatoes, Hasselback potatoes or even tater tots with John Wayne casserole. All these delicious potato dishes cook up to perfection in the air fryer.

Can I make my own taco seasoning mix?

Of course! Our delicious and easy Taco Seasoning recipe only uses simple ingredients. It is a quick blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Additionally, homemade taco spice is so much better than store bought.

close up of john wayne casserole.
Print

Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe

This amazing Tex-Mex casserole combines layers of ground beef, biscuits and cheese to a delicious family meal everyone will love. It has been around for decades because it's just that good!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword cheesy ground beef casserole, easy ground beef casserole, john wayne casserole, taco casserole recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 583kcal
Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • kitchen spatula
  • mixing bowls
  • 9x13in baking dish

Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups Bisquick
  • ⅔ cup water
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½ medium yellow onion diced, about 1 cup
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 10 oz Rotel tomatoes undrained
  • ¼ cup taco seasoning or 1 package
  • ½ cup sour cream plus more for serving
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2½ cups medium cheddar cheese shredded and divided

Optional Garnish:

  • chopped fresh cilantro
  • sour cream
  • diced tomatoes
  • sliced black olives

Instructions

  • Firstly grease a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Then, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Brown ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and onions have softened.
    raw ground beef and chopped onions in a skillet
  • Add the taco seasoning to the meat mixture and stir well.
    adding the taco seasoning to browned meat and onions
  • Then add Rotel tomatoes with all the juices and stir to combine. Set meat mixture aside.
    adding Rotel to browned taco meat
  • Afterward mix together biscuit mix and water in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms.
    bisquick mix and water in a mixing bowl
  • Then add the cheese and form a cohesive dough.
    bisquick, water and cheese in a mixing bowl
  • Afterward press the biscuit layer evenly into a glass baking dish.
    biscuit mixture pressed into casserole dish
  • Then add the ground beef mixture on top of the bisquick layer. Make sure to spread it out evenly.
    beef mixture added to the top of the biscuit layer
  • In a separate bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and 1 cup of grated cheese.
    sour cream mixture in a glass bowl
  • Then spread the sour cream mixture over the lean ground beef layer.
    sour cream mixture spread over taco meat layer
  • Top the casserole with the sliced bell peppers and the remaining cheese.
    cheese spread on top of john wayne casserole
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
    cooked john wayne casserole

Notes

  • You can top each slice of John Wayne casserole with a dollop of sour cream, some diced tomatoes, black olives and chopped cilantro. 
  • Salsa, pico de gallo and guacamole are also great sides with this casserole. 

Nutrition

Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1395mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1655IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 350mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Easy John Wayne Casserole Recipe appeared first on Family Dinners.

]]> https://familydinners.com/easy-john-wayne-casserole-recipe/feed/ 1 Rotel Dip with Sausage https://familydinners.com/rotel-dip-with-sausage/ https://familydinners.com/rotel-dip-with-sausage/#respond Thu, 05 Jan 2023 11:44:00 +0000 https://familydinners.com/?p=9464 You only need 3 ingredients to make this super easy, cheesy and absolutely delicious dip. It will disappear in no time at your next party!

The post Rotel Dip with Sausage appeared first on Family Dinners.

]]>

If you are ever in need of an easy and flavorful dip for a party, keep our recipe for cheesy Rotel dip with sausage at hand. This absolute crowd pleaser only requires 3 ingredients and cooks up on the stovetop in a record 15 minutes! This creamy sausage dip is a scrumptious combination of melty Velveeta cheese, Rotel tomatoes and sausage, and can be served with your choice of tortilla chips, crusty bread or vegetables. Stovetop and crockpot rotel dip instructions included below.

hand dipping a chip in warm rotel dip

Spicy Rotel sausage dip can easily be kept warm in a crock pot and therefore wow guests throughout a party, tailgate or potluck.

WHAT IS ROTEL DIP?

Sausage Rotel dip is a super easy dip that only requires 3 ingredients. The star of the show is melted Velveeta, which is a processed cheese. It is flavored with cooked sausage and Rotel. Rotel is a mixture of petit diced tomatoes and green chilies with some added spices. Rotel tomatoes are almost salsa like and add incredible flavor to this dip.

Hand dipping a chip into the rotel dip in a frying pan.

Why You’ll Love This

  • Notable: You only need 3 ingredients to make this crowd pleasing, flavor bursting, low carb dip
  • Main Ingredients: ground pork sausage, Velveeta cheese, Ro-tel tomatoes
  • Cooking Method: Crockpot, stovetop
  • Cooking Time: 5 minutes prep time, 10 minutes cook time
  • Pairs well with: tortilla chips, pita chips, bagel chips, crackers, pretzels or fresh vegetables
  • Diets: gluten free
  • Special Equipment Needed: knife and cutting board, large skillet, cooking spatula, slow cooker (optional)
skillet full of melted rotel dip with sausage
chip being dipped into cheese dip

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this easy sausage dip recipe in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this crowd favorite queso salsa dip you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Rotel Dip with Sausage Ingredients

Variations and Substitutions

Sausage: Use hot or mild sausage for this recipe. Italian sausage is another great option. You can also substitute ground beef or ground turkey for sausage if you like less spice.

Less Spicy: You can easily dial down the heat in your dip by substituting ground beef for spicy sausage. Adding a little bit of cream cheese or sour cream to the dip is another easy way to help cooling it down for those who don’t like a spicy dip.

More of a Spicy Kick: On the other hand you can also add some more heat to your dip by adding some chopped jalapeños, chili powder or even a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Add Spices: Increase flavor by adding some onion or garlic powder to taste. Additionally, you can try adding some taco seasoning.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you loved this yummy sausage recipe, try our Air Fryer Cooked Sausages. The air fryer cooking method is one of the easiest ways to make a perfectly brown, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside sausage link.

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Crockpot — This recipe requires a slow cooker. We use a 6 qt. basic Crockpot brand slow cooker. It works wonderfully. If you’re planning to take your Crockpot to potlucks you’ll want to check out this one that has a locking lid. A slow cooker has an inner pot called the crock. Neither the crock nor the lid are oven safe on most machines. Do not put them in the oven.

Skillet — A cast iron skillet works best for this recipe, because it retains heat for a long time. It therefore keeps the dip warm and gooey till it’s all eaten up. However, any oven safe pan will work.

Instructions

This section shows how to cook spicy Rotel dip on the stovetop, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below.

PREPARE INGREDIENTS: Chop cheese and open Rotel dip before beginning.

COOK SAUSAGE: Afterwards, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. When sausage is cooked through, drain excess grease.

Browning sausage in a pan.
Cheese and Rotel added to sausage in a pan.

MELT CHEESE: Add cheese and the entire contents of a Rotel can to the pan and stir until melted.

SERVE: When cheese is melted, remove from heat and serve while warm. In case you want to keep it warm for a party, fill the dip into a small crock pot turned to low.

wooden spoon in a pan of rotel dip

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love the yummy combination of cheese and sausage then you’ll love our Sausage Breakfast Pizza. It is the perfect weekend brunch recipe. Made with pizza dough, your favorite pizza sauce, cheese, sausage, egg and with some spices to really bring the flavors together!

How To Make Rotel Dip In The Crockpot

  • Cook sausage in a skillet on the stove. Drain grease.
  • Add cooked sausage, cheese cubes and whole can of Rotel to slow cooker.
  • Cook on low, stirring occasionally. Keep dip in the crock pot while serving to keep the dip warm.

Stef says….

While this scrumptious salsa cheese dip is one of my absolute favorites for game nights or a tailgate party, I also can’t get enough of my Buffalo Chicken Dip. It is creamy, cheesy, and spicy and EVERYTHING you never knew you needed.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best sausage Rotel dip.

  • Tip: Use high quality meat. To make this sausage queso dip less greasy use sausage or ground beef with a lower fat content.
  • Tip: Cut Velveeta into small cubes. The smaller the cubes are, the faster they will melt.
  • Tip: Use all the Rotel contents. For best results, add all the tomatoes, chilis and juices from the Rotel can to your dip.
  • Keep the dip warm. Pour the dip into a crock pot or fondue pot to keep it warm while serving.

What To Serve With Rotel Dip With Sausage

All different styles of tortilla chips, pita chips, bagel chips, crackers, pretzels or fresh vegetables are great options to serve with this dip.

You can also serve this amazing dip with different types of crusty bread, such as baguette, ciabatta, bread sticks or pizza bread. 

Rotel sausage dip is also a great way to use up stale white bread. Simple cut the bread in slices and toast them in the oven until golden brown and crispy.

More Dip Recipes

If you love rotel dip with sausage you’ll enjoy our 7 layer dip or nacho cheese dip as well as these yummy dips:

How To Store

Refrigerate: We recommend eating salsa cheese dip immediately while warm. You can store cooled Rotel dip leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: We do not recommend freezing this great dip.

How To Reheat

You can reheat dip leftovers over low heat on the stovetop or in the crockpot. Make sure you stir the dip often until it is hot and the cheese completely melted again.

hand dipping a chip into rotel dip with sausage

Common Questions

Can I make original Rotel dip ahead of time?

Sure can! There are two options to make this dip ahead of time. First, you can prepare the whole dip as described and reheat it whenever you are ready to serve. Or you can brown the meat and cube the Velveeta ahead of time, and cook the dip as soon as your guests arrive. It cooks up in only 10 minutes.

Is it possible to make this dip in the slow cooker?

Yes, Rotel dip can also be cooked in the crock pot. However, you still have to brown the sausage in a skillet first. Then add the browned sausage and all the ingredients to a slow cooker on low and cook for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

When can I serve this sausage Rotel dip?

This easy dip recipe makes one of the best party dips ever. It can therefore be served on many occasions. We love making it for a big game during football season, a super bowl party, movie night or even baby showers. Moreover, it could be an easy appetizer with drinks for a dinner party. No matter on what occasion you serve this scrumptious dip, it will always be the hit of the party.

Chip dipping into Rotel dip.
Print

Rotel Dip with Sausage Recipe

You only need 3 ingredients to make this super easy, cheesy and absolutely delicious dip. Rotel dip with sausage will disappear in no time at your next party!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword rotel dip, rotel sausage dip, salsa cheese dip, sausage rotel dip, spicy rotel dip
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 304kcal
Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • cooking spatula
  • knife and cutting board

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground pork sausage
  • 16 oz Velveeta cubed
  • 10 oz Rotel

Instructions

  • Brown the ground pork sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Break the sausage up into small pieces while cooking. Cook until sausage is cooked all the way through, 165ºF.
    Browning sausage in a pan.
  • Remove excess grease from the pan.
  • Add the cubed Velveeta and Rotel to the pan. Include the Rotel juices.
    Cheese and Rotel added to sausage in a pan.
  • Over medium heat, cook until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are combined.
    finished rotel dip in a pan
  • Serve while warm.
    chip dipped into warm rotel dip

Notes

Recipe Notes:
  • Try keeping your Rotel dip warm if you’re having a party by putting it into the slow cooker on low.
  • You can substitute ground beef for sausage if you want less spice.
  • Let cool then cover and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the crockpot.
Serving Suggestions:
  • Serve with tortilla chips, fresh vegetables, over nachos or with crusty bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1263mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 342mg | Iron: 1mg

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