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I have this deep and unyielding love for comfort food. I’m sure most of you feel the same way.
To me, comfort food is creamy and soft, flavorful, but not spicy or overpowering. It’s generally simple to make and it always, always makes me smile. Oh, and did I mention that it should be full of calories?
This Sour Cream Rice Bake is pure comfort food. It’s ridiculously easy to make, with just six ingredients. It takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. The flavor is somewhat mellow and the rice is super creamy.
What I’m saying is, this dish is almost as good as laying on the couch in your comfy pants (or no pants, if you want), wrapped in a big, warm blanket, with Bravo or Lifetime on the television for 8 hours straight.
I love this stuff.
Sour Cream Rice Bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 3 cups water or beef broth
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the rice and water to a medium sauce pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover the pan. Cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water is absorbed. Allow to sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
- While the rice is cooking, brown the ground beef in a skillet until cooked through. Remove from the heat, drain the grease, and add the tomato sauce to the pan.
- Add the rice to a large mixing bowl and dump in the sour cream and cottage cheese. Stir to combine. Salt and pepper, to taste.
- In a 2 quart baking dish place half of the rice on the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the meat and tomato sauce mixture. Sprinkle on half of the cheese. Repeat the layers.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Nutrition Information:
adapted from The Pioneer Woman (her version uses egg noodles and it’s fabulous that way, too)
Isabel Solis says
Could you tell me how many people, those this feed?
Karly says
I think this would easily feed 4-6.
Gwen says
This recipe looks absolutely amazing. i LOVE every ingredient listed. unfortunately, i do have some questions on subs. My little one is breastfed and allergic to whey.so that means no soft dairy products for him or me. so even though i could eat my weifht in sour cream and cottage cheese, could i replace it with something so that i can actually try this recipe? maybe cream of mushroom or cteam of chicken? i know that will change the flavor quite a bit but after a year of dealinf with rhe food allergies i’m used to that.,
Karly says
Hi Gwen! You could certainly try swapping in a cream soup, but I haven’t tried it myself.
Laura says
I was just assembling this meal and the whole time I kept telling myself, this feels just like the pioneer womans recipe but with rice. 🙂 It came together really quick. Waiting for it to come out of the oven now!
Karly says
Yep, just about the same thing. I really like it both ways – hope you did too!
Megan says
Made this and added zucchini and mushrooms! Great recipe!
Karly says
Great additions!
christine nichols says
i dont have cottage cheese can i use something else
Karly says
I would just add a bit more cream cheese to make up for it. 🙂 Ricotta would also work.
kelli says
We make this recipe a lot and all of us love it. When you say a bit more cream cheese, that is a new addition, cream cheese, right? There is no cream cheese in the original recipe, right? And, one quick question, what does the cottage cheese add to the recipe? I find that I have chunks of it in bits, and I don’t love that. But, I do love the flavor. I was just wondering if it was a texture thing, or a taste addition.
Karly says
Whoops, should have said to add a bit of cream cheese, not cottage cheese.
I like the cottage cheese both for the taste and the texture. If you don’t like the texture, try swapping in ricotta. 🙂
Kelli says
Thanks! My family loves your recipes!!
linda says
Hi, i know this might be a silly question but what does a canned tomato sauce mean? Can i use blended fresh tomatoes instead? Thanks
Karly says
Here’s an article to help with making your own sauce: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-basic-tomato-sauce-with-fresh-tomatoes-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193622
Aaron says
This looks just like the sour cream noodle bake recipe I have. However the noodle bakes uses egg noodles, which with me unable to have wheat, this is an amazing alternative. Celiac sucks but this is a welcome alternative. We will be having this tomorrow! Thank you!
sharon says
Sounds Great & also Gluten Free!
Teena McElroy says
I made this for dinner tonight. It is so delicious and just what I needed.
Karly says
@Teena McElroy,
So glad to hear that!
Liz says
All nice recipes. Thanks so much and have a Happy Monday!
Crystal says
Would this be good to make multiples of to freeze? Thinking of creating three or four for some upcoming families having babies.
Karly says
@Crystal,
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would freeze great!
Debra says
Great recipe!. My granddaughter always ask me to make this for her, she loves it.
Liz says
This looks and Sounds delicious. Thanks so much.
julia says
Could I make this with ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese?
Karly says
Sure thing! I think that would work great!
Cindy says
I made this for lunch today & my husband & I loved it!
I halved the recipe & added spices to the meat mixture & parsley & 1 egg to the cottage cheese mixture.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. It’s a keeper!