Sweet & Sour Beef Bake will kind of remind you of your younger brother when he was a little kid. It’s loaded with juicy beef, tender rice, and fresh veggies to give you a burst of energy, just like the one he continuously seemed to have (Literally. He never had an empty tank, right?!). And the sweet and sour sauce it’s all smothered in actually describes him perfectly too. It’s sugary sweet at first, with a lingering tang… resembling his silly (and annoying at the time) mischief. Make Sweet & Sour Beef Bake and give your little brother a call… it’ll be a fun way to reminisce!
Ingredients
For the bake:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- pepper, to taste
- 3 cups long-grain rice, cooked
- 1 (7-ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
- 1 medium green pepper, sliced
For the sauce:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups cold water
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 3-quart baking dish.
Step 3 –in a large skillet over medium heat, add the beef and cook, while crumbling, until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the excess grease.
Step 4 –Stir the chili powder, the oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and the pepper into the beef.
Step 5 –Layer the rice, the beef mixture, the mushrooms, and the green peppers into the prepared baking dish.
Step 6 –In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and the cornstarch.
Step 7 –Stir the cold water, the white vinegar, the ketchup, the remaining salt, and the pepper into the cornstarch mixture until the sauce is smooth.
Step 8 –Bring the sauce to a boil and cook, while stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
Step 9 –Pour the sauce over the layered beef mixture.
Step 10 –Bake the casserole, uncovered, until it is heated through, about 30 minutes.
Step 11 –Serve.
