đź“‹ Chow Mein Hotdish Recipe
Chow Mein Hotdish, also known as Minnesota Hotdish or Chow Mein Casserole is classic midwestern casserole comfort! This ground beef and rice casserole with creamy soup and a crunchy chow mein noodle topping, is super easy to throw together or can be made ahead and frozen!
Servings 8 people
Calories 336kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground beef * I use lean ground beef
- 1.5 cups celery, chopped (3-4 stalks celery)
- ½ cup water
- 2 whole medium onions
- 2 cups cooked rice * I used brown instant rice
- 10 ounce - can of cream of tomato soup/condensed tomato soup
- 10 ounce - can of cream of mushroom soup
- ½ -14 oz pkg dry (crispy) chow mein noodles
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
Garnish
- dry (crispy) chow mein noodles
- additional soya sauce
- green onions, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 175 degrees C and spray the inside of a large casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cook celery in ½ cup water in microwave (covered) for 4- 5 minutes until soft. Drain off remaining water.
- Brown ground beef in large skillet with chopped onion over medium-high heat.Â
- Add celery, tomato soup, mushroom soup, rice, ground beef with onion, and chow mein noodles to a large bowl.*I find it easier to do this in a separate large bowl, but you could do this right in the casserole dish if you don't want to dirty another bowl
- Pour into prepared casserole dish.
- Sprinkle on soya sauce.
- Bake (uncovered) in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Garnish:
- Garnish with additional dry chow mein noodles, and soy sauce and green onions, if desired.
Notes
Expert Recipe Tips
- The Texture Contrast: Adding half the noodles into the mixture and the other half on top is the secret! The internal noodles soften and act like pasta, while the top layer stays crispy for that perfect "Bistro" finish.
- Soy Sauce Control:Â Don't over-salt the dish during prep! Soy sauce varies in saltiness. I recommend adding the 3 tablespoons as directed, then serving extra soy sauce at the table so everyone can customize their "zing."
- The Skillet Fond:Â When browning your beef, don't drain the pan too aggressively. Those little brown bits (the fond) are packed with flavor that will season the rice as it bakes.
- Make-Ahead Magic:Â This is a fantastic meal-prep recipe. You can assemble the entire dish (minus the top layer of noodles) up to 24 hours in advance. Just pop it in the oven when you get home from work!
Nutrition
Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 899mg | Potassium: 871mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 4.7mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 4.8mg
