Beefy French Onion Baked Rice Casserole

Prepare

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and lightly grease a 9x13” baking dish.

Start the rice

1. In the prepared baking dish, combine French onion soup and condensed beef broth. Take the empty condensed beef broth can and fill it with the reduced sodium beef broth, and pour it into the baking dish. Stir in rice.
2. Lay slices of butter on top of the rice/soup mixture.

First bake

1. Cover with foil, and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Cook onion/beef/mushroom mixture

1. While rice is baking, heat a large skillet over MED heat. Once hot, add a drizzle of olive oil, and add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Remove to a plate.
2. Increase heat to MED HIGH, then add ground beef, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cook, crumbling the beef as it cooks, for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain, then return skillet to the stovetop.
3. Add sliced mushrooms and dried thyme, cooking until mushrooms are golden brown. Add cooked beef and onion back to the skillet combining with the mushrooms, then stir in the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce (if using).

Combine with the partially baked rice

1. After the rice has baked for 30 minutes, remove dish from the oven, but leave the oven on. Uncover and stir in the beef and mushroom mixture.

Second bake

1. Return baking dish (uncovered this time) to the oven and bake another 25 minutes.

Add topping

1. Remove dish from oven, but leave the oven on. Top dish with mozzarella cheese and fried onions (if using).

Final bake

1. Return to the oven and bake another 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted and fried onions are golden brown.