This Ground Beef and Rice Instant Pot Casserole takes only 10 minutes from start to finish! Perfect for busy weeknight dinners! Check out the video tutorial for step-by-step instructions!

A photo of a scoop of cheesy ground beef and rice casserole being removed from an orange casts iron skillet with a wooden spoon.

Easy Instant Pot Casserole Recipe

Growing up, my mom called this “busy day casserole” because it was quick and easy to put together and throw in the oven to be ready at dinner time. With the Instant Pot, you can make this not only on a busy day, but on an ultra crazy insane day, which it seems like we are having more and more of here. Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice Casserole for the win!!!!

Our original hamburger and rice casserole gets hundreds of pins every month. We just knew we had to create a recipe for the Instant Pot to make it an even quick and easier weeknight meal for your family.

Just like the original recipe, we have created two versions for this Instant Pot recipe. One is the super quick version, and one is the from scratch version. We like to make everything from scratch as often as possible, but sometimes life is crazy and you just need to open a can and pour it in to get dinner on the table.

I’ve mentioned several times that I was a picky eater growing up — sorry, Mom! Now my pickiness has come full circle and I have picky eaters of my own. Bless them! They love this Instant Pot casserole just like I did growing up. The flavors are kid-friendly and loved by everyone. It is the cure to picky eater syndrome, and it even is getting vegetables in their bodies! Woop woop! I only wish I could find 10 more recipes they all will eat! A girl can dream!

A photo of a serving of cheesy ground beef Instant Pot casserole on a purple plate with a fork and spoon sitting on the side of the plate.

What’s Needed for Instant Pot Ground Beef and Rice Casserole?

As I mentioned above, we created two versions of this Instant Pot hamburger casserole recipe — one version uses some ingredient shortcuts, and one version is totally from scratch. For the quick and easy version, you’ll need:

  • Ground Beef
  • Onion
  • Garlic Salt
  • Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Long Grain White Rice
  • Water
  • Carrots
  • Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese

If making the from scratch version of this Instant Pot casserole recipe with ground beef, you’ll need to swap out the canned cream of mushroom soup for the following:

  • Unsalted Butter
  • Garlic
  • Mushrooms
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Chicken Broth
  • Heavy Cream
  • Salt and Pepper

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card down below so keep scrolling for all the details.

A photo cheesy ground beef and rice Instant Pot casserole in an orange cast iron skillet topped with melted cheesy and chopped fresh parsley.A photo cheesy ground beef and rice Instant Pot casserole in an orange cast iron skillet topped with melted cheesy and chopped fresh parsley.

How to Make the Quick Version of This Instant Pot Casserole

I love using the Instant Pot to feed my family quick dinners, and the fact that we can now have this family favorite recipe in less than 30 minutes has me so giddy! Here are the basic steps:

  1. Start by turning your Instant Pot to “more” on the Sauté mode.
  2. Sauté the ground beef until it is mostly cooked through and then add the onion and garlic salt. Cook that for a few minutes and then drain any excess grease.
  3. Then add the cream of mushroom soup, water and carrots and stir everything together well.
  4. Add the rice to the top and push it down slightly so it is just submerged under the liquid.
  5. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to “Seal.”
  6. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and pressure cook for 6 minutes and then allow a quick release by turning the valve to open it. Give everything a good stir.
  7. You can add the cheese to the top then or we really like to place everything into an oven safe pan and then top with cheese and stick it unto the oven on broil to melt the cheese.

Read More: Be sure to check out our Instant Pot Cheat Sheet for all the info you need on cooking with your Instant Pot! 

How to Make This Instant Pot Casserole From Scratch

For the from scratch version, we are going to make our own cream of mushroom soup.

  1. We start with the same steps of sautéing the ground beef and onions and removing it and draining the excess grease.
  2. Then, it is time to make the cream of mushroom soup. With the Instant Pot still on sauté, add the butter, onion, garlic and mushrooms and sauté it until everything is tender.
  3. Whisk everything with the flour for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the cream, chicken broth, and seasonings and whisk until it all comes together and thickens.
  5. Then you can add the rest of the ingredients except the rice (water, garlic salt, carrots, previously cooked ground beef and onions) and stir everything thoroughly.
  6. Add the rice on top and push it down slightly so it is submerged in the liquid.
  7. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to “Seal” and set it to high pressure for 6 minutes and then quick release when it has finished cooking.
  8. From there you can follow the instructions given in the quick version for melting the cheese.

Both versions of this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

A photo of a scoop of cheesy ground beef and rice casserole being removed from an orange casts iron skillet with a wooden spoon.A photo of a scoop of cheesy ground beef and rice casserole being removed from an orange casts iron skillet with a wooden spoon.

Watch This Recipe Be Made…