Topped with a fresh and easy Mediterranean-inspired salad, this gyro skillet casserole recipe is an easy 20-minute weeknight dinner. The base of this casserole is made of juicy beef, high protein Banza rice, and bone broth for a protein packed dish. And while it cooks, you can quickly whip up the feta tomato and chickpea salad to top it with.
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gryo skillet casserole highlights
- Ready in 20 minutes and all in one pan.
- Packed with protein thanks to chickpea rice, ground beef, bone broth, and chickpeas.
- Way better than a standard casserole because it's topped with a refreshing and light salad situation.
I have a love-hate relationship with casseroles. They are easy and I enjoy them on occasion (like when it's cold and snowy). So when I came up with this idea and Dan said it was a delicious casserole, I was like this is a casserole? To which he replied, well it tastes like a Mediterranean version of a hot dish so yes.
Well as it turns out, a casserole is anything that is cooked in one pan and it's debated whether than means baked or any method of cooking. And this gyro-inspired dish is cooked in one pan with similar ingredients to a beef and rice casserole so I guess it is!
Anyways, I came up with this idea because of a few reasons. 1. I needed something quick to get on the table 2. It would be super great if I could cook the rice directly in the skillet and 3. I was missing Greece and watching way to many shows about moving to the Mediterranean.
I started messing around with the idea of topping a warm casserole with one of my favorite Greek-inspired salads with loads of dill and lemon just like my gyro chicken salad and sheet pan chicken gyros. The result - a gyro skillet casserole that is pure harmony!
ingredient notes & substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See recipe card for quantities.
- The salad: The salad is a super simple combination of fresh cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, red onion, lemon, dill, feta cheese, and a few spices. You can use more of less of any of the vegetables depending on what you have on hand. Bell peppers are also a great substitution for cucumbers.
- The beef casserole: For the high protein base, you will need ground beef (bison or lamb works too), bone broth, and rice. I recommend using a protein or chickpea-based rice. Orzo also works well.
- Optional: Feel free to drizzle Tzatziki over the top of this dish for a final touch.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
to make this with regular rice
Chickpea rice absorbs a lot more liquid so if you're making this with regular rice, you only need about 1.5 cups of broth. You can always add a little more at a time if you feel like it's absorbing all the liquid too fast.
how to make it
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full gyro casserole recipe!
- Saute the garlic and spices.
- Brown the beef then add in the broth and rice.
- Boil then simmer covered until the liquid is absorbed, removing the lid at the end to let any remaining liquid evaporate.
- Make the salad by combining all the ingredients.
- Top the casserole with the fresh salad and enjoy.
quick recipe video
expert tips
- If there's not enough liquid, you can add more broth little by little.
- Stir the rice frequently. Chickpea rice has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove the lid at the end to let any excess liquid cook off. Stir continuously as this is happening.
- Serve the salad individually meaning each plate gets a bit of salad instead of on the entire skillet. Storing the salad with the casserole never works out well so if you can keep them seperate - that's the best!
common questions
Yup, you can simply swap the orzo for the chickpea rice!
Add more bone broth while still cooking. The broth should be covering the rice completely until the rice is mostly softened. Then in the last 5 minutes, the last of the liquid evaporates.\ so don't be afraid to add more liquid.
how to store it
fridge
This casserole is best kept seperate from the salad. They will each keep for up to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
frozen
You can freeze the beef and rice portion of this for up to 3 months. This makes a great meal to bring to nearly postpartum moms because of this! Bring them the frozen casserole base and a jar of the salad and all they have to do is pop the casserole in the oven meal prep
reheating
You can reheat the beef base in the microwave or on the stovetop with a little more broth to rehydrate it. Then top with the cold leftover salad.
more high protein quick dinners you'll love
Recipe
20-Minute Gyro Skillet Casserole
Ingredients
the casserole
- 1.25 cup banza chickpea rice (or orzo, see notes for using white rice)
- 2.5 cups bone broth (any kind is fine)
- 1 pound ground beef (or lamb or bison)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes (can omit)
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
the salad
- 1 can chickpeas (drained)
- ½ c diced english cucumber (about ⅓rd of one)
- 1.5 tablespoon fresh dill (minced, dried is fine)
- Juice from half a lemon
- ½ cup feta
- ½ c baby tomatoes (halved, about 15 baby tomatoes)
- ½ red onion (diced)
- of salt and pepper (to taste, start with ¼ teaspoon fo each)
Before you start!
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Instructions
- Heat a pan over medium heat with a little oil. Add the 2 garlic cloves and saute until fragrant. Then add in the 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoon dried oregano and saute another 30 seconds. Add in the 1 pound ground beef and cook until browned and cooked through.
- Add the 2.5 cups bone broth and 1.25 cup banza chickpea rice to the pan and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Then drop it to a simmer or low rolling boil. Continue to cook until all the liquid is absorbed. If it seems to be drying out too fast, add more bone broth. If the rice is soft but there's too much liquid, remove the lid and let it continue to cook. the excess liquid shold evaporate pretty quickly.
- While that cooks, make the salad by combining all the ingredients in a large bowls. toss gently to combine, then taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- When the beef and rice are done, plate up each person a serving of beef and rice and then top with however much salad they want. If you're serving this at a dinner party then you can place the salad in the middle of the casserole for pretty presentation. I try to avoid this though because they are difficult to reheat together.
Video
Notes
- If there's not enough liquid, you can add more broth little by little.
- Stir the rice frequently. Chickpea rice has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove the lid at the end to let any excess liquid cook off. Stir continuously as this is happening.
- Serve the salad individually meaning each plate gets a bit of salad instead of on the entire skillet. Storing the salad with the casserole never works out well so if you can keep them seperate - that's the best!
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
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