An Instant Pot version of Barbara Walters Western Casserole. A delicious, easy weeknight meal with rice, ground beef, tomatoes and green peppers.
Barbara Walters’ Western Casserole
I came across this recipe for Barbara Walters’ Western Casserole on the internet. From the picture it looks like quite an old recipe. Maybe from the 80s? I knew that it had the potential to be a great Instant Pot recipe. I ended up changing some of the ratios of the ingredients and put my own little touches on the recipe. It was a delicious and very easy weeknight meal. I think you’ll like it too! (It kind of reminded me of spanish rice.)
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Lean ground beef–or ground turkey
- Onion
- Seasoned salt–or garlic salt
- Beef or chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon
- Converted rice–or white rice. I like using converted rice because of the texture.
- Chili powder
- Pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- Diced tomatoes–or crushed or stewed tomatoes
- Green bell pepper–or another color of bell pepper
- Sliced olives–optional. I didn’t use because no one in my family likes olives.
- Tomato sauce
- Cheddar cheese–or another type of cheese you enjoy.
Steps
Brown: Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. How I drain grease: Tilt the Instant Pot to one side while holding the ground meat against the other side with a wooden spoon. This should make most of the grease pool on the tilted side. Lower the Instant Pot down, the meat should stay to its side and the grease on the other. Place a couple paper towels into the grease and use the spoon to sop up the grease. Discard the paper towels. Stir in the seasoned salt.
Deglaze: Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
Add ingredients: Sprinkle in the rice, chili powder, pepper, Worcestershire, tomatoes, peppers and olives. Don’t stir (this will prevent the burn error message).
Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
Finishing touches: Stir in tomato sauce and cheddar. Scoop onto plates or bowls and serve.
Notes/Tips
- We served this rice dish with a green salad and our favorite Italian salad dressing (Olive Garden brand).
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- This recipe can be gluten free if you use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
- This recipe can be dairy free if you forego sprinkling the cheese on it.
- What is converted/parboiled rice? Don’t confuse converted rice (or sometimes it is called parboiled rice) with pre-cooked or minute rice. Parboiled rice has been processed in its husk by soaking, steaming, and drying. As a result, all the nutrients from the husk are absorbed into the grain before it’s removed. The starch content alters in the process, making cooked parboiled rice less sticky than regular white rice. The rice kernels aren’t clumpy and glued together instead they are more separated. I found a bag of parboiled rice at Walmart next to the normal long grain white rice. Sometimes I buy it at Winco in the bulk section. I have also found it in the orange box (Ben’s brand) next to other rices.
- You can make this with plain long grain white rice if you prefer. Use the same cooking times and broth to rice ratio.
- Recipe adapted from 30seconds.com.
More Instant Pot Recipes with Rice
Instant Pot Pollo Loco Mexican Chicken
Yellow spanish-style rice with tender bites of chicken, carrots and white queso.
Instant Pot Fiesta Beef Casserole
Ground beef, brown rice, beans and Rotel make up this easy and delicious weeknight meal. Don’t forget your favorite toppings to bring it to the next level!
Instant Pot Chinese Beef Casserole
A classic Midwestern hot dish with ground beef, rice, creamy soup, and celery that is topped with Chow Mein noodles. Grandma used to make it in the oven and now you can make it in half the time in your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Deconstructed Casserole
Deconstructed stuffed peppers have rice, ground beef, cheese, peppers and more. You’re going to love how easy it is to enjoy “stuffed peppers” without all the work.
Instant Pot Melissa’s Casserole
An easy chicken, rice, broccoli and cheese casserole that’s made in one pot, the Instant Pot.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Barbara Walters Western Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A delicious, easy weeknight meal with rice, ground beef, tomatoes and green peppers.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 2 1/4 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups converted rice (or white rice)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
- Optional: 1 small can of sliced olives, drained
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown: Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the seasoned salt.
- Deglaze: Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Add ingredients: Sprinkle in the rice, chili powder, pepper, Worcestershire, tomatoes, peppers and olives. Don’t stir.
- Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 10 minutes and then move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Finishing touches: Stir in tomato sauce and cheddar. Scoop onto plates or bowls and serve.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Made it again, and it’s great, with plenty of leftovers for two of us. A red pepper instead of green since I can’t eat green, Better Than Bouillon as usual, and didn’t add cheese, plenty tasty without.
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Thank you Beth for the 5 stars!
Another winner! Quick & EZ & so yummy. Only thing I added was 1/4 t. cayenne. Thanks AGAIN!!!
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Good call on the cayenne!
This looks great! Questions: 1) I prefer not cheesing everything, and the original recipe didn’t have any cheese. Do you think yours will work without it, or would something else need to be added? And 2) she used brown rice which is a little healthier – any changes if using that? If it wouldn’t work well I’d use white. Fun that you found this old recipe!
You can definitely leave out the cheese. You can use brown rice 1 cup rice to 1.25 cups liquid ratio for 22 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release. I would not add in the green peppers from the beginning because they will get overcooked with the long cooking time.
Thanks so much, Karen! On our dinner list for this week but will go with Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice at least the first time!
Just made it – only change is red peppers since green peppers don’t like me. It was a hit! My husband said it reminded him of stuffed peppers.
I’m a little confused about trying it with brown rice next time. So the recipe is 1.5 cups rice to 2.25 cups broth (Better Than Booullion).
So brown rice takes much less water? You’d suggested 1 cup rice to 1.25 cups liquid. If it’s 1.5 cups brown rice (like the white), it would be almost 2 cups (1.98)? Thanks!
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Yeah, brown rice takes less water. So I would use 1.5 cups brown rice and 1.875 cups of water (or about 1 3/4 cups).
I am trying to cut carbs. Can you use Cauliflower instead of rice?
I would not use the pressure cooker if using cauliflower rice. I would make it as a skillet meal. Brown the beef and onions. Stir in the cauliflower rice, chili powder, pepper, Worcestershire, tomatoes, peppers, olives and tomato sauce. Simmer with just a little bit of broth (maybe 1/4 cup) for about 15 minutes. Then stir in the cheese and serve.
Hi…can I substitute another kind of rice?
you can use long grain white rice with the same cooking time and amount!