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–+ servings
Angled view of Mexican rice casserole taken from the corner of the casserole dish.

Easy, Cheesy Mexican Rice Casserole

This easy dump recipe combines rich salsa, tender rice, and savory black beans with delicious toppings for an incredibly flavorful meatless main course.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Rest 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield:8 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • casserole dish (8x8 or 9x13)
  • Aluminum Foil

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

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.
    All ingredients for Mexican rice casserole in a 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.
    Overhead view of Mexican rice casserole in a casserole dish.
  • 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

Serving Size: 1serving | Calories: 276cal | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 1017mg | Potassium: 444mg | Total Carbs: 37g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Net Carbs: 31g | Vitamin A: 564IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik