Description
A festive, kid-approved casserole featuring bubbling cheese, colorful veggies, and ghost-shaped biscuits—perfect for Halloween parties or cozy October dinners. This one-pan meal is easy to make, customizable, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey (or plant-based crumbles for vegetarian)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen peas or green beans (optional)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce or salsa
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 (16.3 oz) can refrigerated biscuit dough
- 12 pitted black olives, sliced
- Fresh parsley or chives (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a large oven-safe skillet or 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef (or turkey/plant-based crumbles) for 5-7 minutes, breaking up with a spoon until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add diced onion and garlic; cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add chopped bell pepper and cook another 2 minutes.
- Stir in black beans, frozen peas, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Simmer mixture for about 5 minutes, until veggies are just tender and liquid is slightly reduced. Add a splash of water if too thick.
- If using a baking dish, transfer the mixture and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle cheddar and mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Open biscuit dough and separate each piece. Flatten slightly and cut wavy edges for ghost shapes. Use a straw or chopstick to poke two ‘eyes’ near the top. Arrange biscuits over cheese, spacing them out.
- Place olive slices in the center of some biscuit ghosts for ‘eyes.’ Scatter extra olives or mozzarella pearls for edible ‘eyeballs.’
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until biscuits are golden and cheese is bubbling. Tent loosely with foil if biscuits brown too quickly.
- Let casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives.
Notes
For vegetarian, use extra beans or lentils instead of meat. For gluten-free, substitute GF biscuit dough. For dairy-free, use vegan cheese and biscuits. Shape biscuits creatively for extra fun. Drain canned tomatoes to avoid a watery casserole. Prep veggies ahead and keep biscuit dough chilled until ready to bake. Biscuits may soften after refrigeration; broil briefly to crisp before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 17
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 23
Keywords: Halloween casserole, spooky dinner, one pan meal, party recipe, kid-friendly, cheesy casserole, biscuit ghosts, festive casserole, easy Halloween recipe