Easy, Cheesy Mexican Rice Casserole

This easy salsa rice casserole is so easy and full of flavor! Dump all the ingredients in a baking dish, pop it in the oven, and that’s it. With beans and corn, it’s perfect for a meatless main course or quick side dish for a Mexican meal.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

• There’s a ton of delicious flavor here! Rich salsa, tender rice, savory black beans, zesty cheese, and your favorite taco seasoning baked into one delicious vegetarian dish.
• Mexican rice casserole is a one-dish dish! Just dump all the ingredients in the casserole dish, stir well, and pop it in the oven. No dirtying multiple bowls or utensils, and even better – no cleaning multiple bowls or utensils.
• This is a slow-bake recipe, which gives you time to do other things. No running back to the oven to stir every few minutes or anything like that. This dish takes care of itself! To make things even more convenient, feel free to do the prep work earlier in the day and then just put the casserole in the oven about an hour before you’re ready to eat.

Try These Mexican-Inspired Dishes, Too!

Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Recipe

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Honey Chipotle Salmon BBQ Nachos

Crispy Cheesy Refried Bean Tacos

Chef’s Tips

• The rice really controls the baking here, so use it as your guide. After 50 minutes in the oven, uncover the dish and taste the rice. If it’s tender, you’re ready to move on to the next step. If it’s still firm or crunchy and undercooked, put the foil back on and put the dish back in the oven for 10 or 15 minutes. After that, test it again and move forward if it’s tender.
• Don’t worry if the Mexican rice casserole is a little loose or liquidy after you remove the foil, before you add the cheese. It’ll firm up as it rests after baking and be the perfect consistency.
• Feel free to add any of your favorite toppings not mentioned here. A squeeze of lime, a sprinkle of diced onion or jalapeño, or a drizzle of queso would all be delish. You can also serve the casserole with tortilla chips or even slices of bell pepper to act as chips.

More Incredible Casserole Recipes

• Breakfast Taco Casserole
• Cheesy Italian Sausage & Bell Pepper Casserole (Low Carb, Keto)
• Asparagus Casserole
• Cheesy King Ranch Casserole
• Cheesy Spinach Casserole
• Mexican Chicken Casserole
• Keto Breakfast Casserole

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5 from 1 vote

Easy, Cheesy Mexican Rice Casserole

Prep:15 minutes

Cook:1 hour

Rest:10 minutes

Total:1 hour 25 minutes

This easy dump recipe combines rich salsa, tender rice, and savory black beans with delicious toppings for an incredibly flavorful meatless main course.

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8 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• ▢ 1 15-ounce can black beans drained, rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• ▢ 1 16-ounce jar salsa any flavor
• ▢ 2 cups broth chicken or vegetable
• ▢ 2 tablespoons taco seasoning store-bought or make your own
• ▢ 2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese divided
• ▢ 3 green onions sliced, white and green parts divided

Garnishes (Optional but Recommended)

• ▢ fresh cilantro chopped
• ▢ avocados sliced or diced
• ▢ sour cream

Equipment

• Oven
• casserole dish (8×8 or 9×13)
• Aluminum Foil

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Add uncooked rice, drained and rinsed black beans, frozen corn, salsa, broth, taco seasoning, 1 cup shredded cheese, and white parts of green onions to casserole dish.
  
• Stir well until all ingredients are fully combined, then tightly cover casserole dish with aluminum foil. Place covered dish in preheated oven and bake, covered, for 50 minutes.
  
• After 50 minutes, remove dish from oven and uncover. Taste rice to gauge texture. If rice is tender, leave dish uncovered, sprinkle remaining cheese on top, and return to oven to bake another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

  Alternately, if rice still has some bite (i.e. is firm or crunchy) then replace foil cover and return to oven to bake another 10 to 15 minutes. Test rice again; once tender, add remaining cheese to top and return to oven for 10 minutes.
• Once cheese is melted, remove dish from oven. Let stand 10 minutes, then garnish with green parts of green onions, cilantro, avocado, and/or sour cream. Serve warm.

Notes

• If the casserole is a little loose or liquidy after removing the foil, that’s fine. It’ll firm up as it rests for 10 minutes in step 4.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 276kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 1017mg, Potassium: 444mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 564IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 232mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 31g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

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