This delicious beef, biscuit, and creamy, cheesy casserole owes its origins to “The Duke.”
John Wayne was known for a lot of things. You just wouldn’t think a casserole would be one of them. Starring in more than 170 films over a career that spanned 50 years, “The Duke” captured America’s heart playing iconic characters in classic Westerns, elevating the cowboy to hero status. But it turns out that this man, who became so famous for his strong, stoic, rugged portrayals and his legendary love of a good steak, knew his way around a casserole, too.
The John Wayne casserole has a really fascinating history. Back in the 1970s, ten-year-old Cara Connery wanted to write a cookbook to raise money for the American Cancer Society. She contacted 1,400 celebrities and asked if they would like to contribute their favorite recipes. For such a good cause, many of them did, including John Wayne, who sent in a recipe for an egg and cheese casserole. With the help of her mother, Cara self-published Cooking with Love from Cara and her Friends in 1979, sadly the same year John Wayne passed away from cancer. Over the years, what’s come to be known as the John Wayne casserole has seen some modifications. The version our recipe most closely resembles hails from, of all places, the University of Mississippi Medical Center cafeteria; they called it “The Duke” and it was incredibly popular.
One bite and you’ll see why. This simple-to-assemble layered casserole of biscuit, taco-seasoned ground beef, fresh tomatoes, onions sautéed with bell peppers, and jalapeños encased in a creamy, tangy, cheddar-cheesy sauce is bursting with delicious flavor. We hope John Wayne would be proud of this Tex-Mex take on his namesake dish.
Variations On The John Wayne Casserole
Not that this casserole isn’t perfectly delicious just as it is, but here are some ways you might want to change it up. For non-beef eaters, you can use ground chicken or ground turkey. For added spice, use shredded pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar. While we love the canned jalapeños in this recipe, slices of fresh ones bring a nice bite. And for even more of a crunchy bite and some lovely sweetness, try a layer of Fried Corn on top of the onions and peppers. Finally, a squeeze or two of lime juice in the sour cream, mayo, and cheese mixture adds brightness and some tang.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Cooled John Wayne casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Can I Prep This Ahead?
You can follow the recipe through step 6, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, and it will last in the fridge for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, resume the instructions at step 7 (you can bake the casserole from frozen but may need to cover the top with foil if the cheese browns before the entire casserole is baked through).
Serving Suggestions
If you’ve been following along here for a while, you know I love a themed meal, so you probably know what’s coming: a cowboy-themed dinner in honor of John Wayne! Start out with Cowboy Caviar and some tortilla chips served with a version of The Original Cowboy, a cocktail with whiskey, lemon juice, soda water, and simple syrup: we use this Cranberry Simple Syrup to give the drink a nice, tart taste. For dinner, serve John Wayne casserole along with either Slow-Cooker Baked Beans or Pinto Beans, as well as Roasted Potatoes with Ranchero Sauce, and Dutch Oven Bread (this is very close to how “Cookie,” the cowboy chef, would have made bread on the chuck wagon!) with Garlic Butter. And for dessert? Why, Salted Peanut Butter Pretzel Cowboy Cookies, of course!
John Wayne Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces refrigerated large biscuits
- 2 pounds ground beef browned and drained
- 1 ounce taco seasoning mix
- Water as needed per seasoning instructions
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded (divided)
- 1 small onion sliced
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper sliced
- 1/2 medium green bell pepper sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced
- 4 ounces canned sliced jalapeño peppers
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the biscuits in the dish in a single layer. Press them together so that they cover the bottom and reach about halfway up the sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges start turning light brown. Remove from the oven, but keep the oven on.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain off excess fat. Stir in the taco seasoning with the required water and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, and half of the cheddar cheese. Set aside.
- Using the same skillet, sauté the sliced onions and bell peppers until they are just tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Spread the cooked ground beef over the baked biscuit base. Layer tomato slices evenly on top, then add the sautéed vegetables and canned jalapeño peppers. Drizzle the cream mixture evenly over the layers and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Bake the assembled casserole uncovered in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the cheese is melted and the biscuit edges are lightly browned.
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