Cattle Drive Casserole

Get ready to wrangle up some serious comfort food!

This hearty casserole brings together all the best flavors of the Southwest in one bubbling, cheesy masterpiece that’ll have your family asking for seconds before they’ve finished their firsts.

Picture this: a golden biscuit base topped with perfectly seasoned ground beef, zesty tomatoes and green chiles, and not one but TWO types of melted cheese creating the ultimate comfort food experience.

The secret?

That creamy mayo-sour cream layer that brings everything together like a warm hug on a plate.

Ingredients

For the base:

• Cooking spray
• 2 cups (246g) all-purpose baking mix (such as Bisquick)
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

For the beef filling:

• 2 pounds 85/15 ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 medium poblano chile or 1/2 small bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 (1-ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix, or 3 tablespoons homemade
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the creamy layer:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded pepper jack cheese, divided
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

For the topping:

• 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained (such as Rotel)

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup much easier later.
2. Par-bake the biscuit bottom: In a medium bowl, stir together the baking mix, milk, and 1 tablespoon of the oil until just combined—don’t overmix or you’ll get tough biscuits. Spread this mixture evenly in your prepared baking dish, making sure to reach all corners. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. The center should still look slightly pale—this prevents overbaking when you add the toppings. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, cook the beef: While that biscuit base bakes, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through but with some pink remaining, about 5 minutes. Don’t break it up too much yet—larger pieces will give you better texture.
4. Add the vegetables: Toss in the chopped onion and poblano chile, continuing to cook and stir occasionally while breaking the beef into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Cook until the beef is completely cooked through (no pink remaining) and the onions start to soften and become translucent, about 3 more minutes. The poblano should smell fragrant and slightly charred.
5. Season the mixture: Stir in the taco seasoning and kosher salt until everything is evenly coated and fragrant, about 30 seconds. The mixture should smell rich and spicy. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the creamy layer.
6. Make the creamy topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 1 cup of the pepper jack cheese, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese until well combined. This mixture might look a bit thick, but it’ll spread beautifully over the warm beef.
7. Assemble the casserole: Spoon the seasoned beef mixture evenly over the par-baked biscuit base, spreading it to the edges. Sprinkle the drained diced tomatoes and green chiles evenly over the beef—make sure to drain them well or your casserole will be watery. Drop spoonfuls of the mayonnaise mixture over the beef and tomatoes, then gently spread with a spatula to cover as much surface as possible.
8. Add the final cheese layer: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup each of pepper jack and cheddar cheese evenly over the top. This double cheese layer creates that irresistible golden, bubbly top.
9. Bake to perfection: Return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling vigorously around the edges and the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown in spots. If the cheese isn’t browning to your liking, switch to broil for the last 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
10. Rest before serving: Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. This resting time allows the layers to set up and makes serving much cleaner. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Smart Swaps

• Greek yogurt instead of sour cream (1:1 ratio) – adds protein and tang without changing texture
• Ground turkey for beef – use 93/7 lean and add an extra tablespoon of oil
• Cauliflower rice mixed into beef reduces carbs by about 8g per serving

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

Replace the baking mix base with 2 cups almond flour + 1/2 cup coconut flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder mixed with the milk and oil. This swap reduces carbs from 28g to 12g per serving. Use full-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and mayonnaise (1:1 ratio) to cut another 3g carbs per serving. Serve with a large side salad to increase fiber and slow glucose absorption. Total carb reduction: about 19g per serving, bringing it down to roughly 15g carbs per portion.

Pro Tips

• Drain those tomatoes well – press them in a fine-mesh strainer for 5 minutes to prevent a soggy casserole
• Don’t skip the resting time – it’s the difference between clean slices and a messy scoop
• Make ahead friendly – assemble everything except the final cheese layer, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then add cheese and bake