Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole
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This Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole is an easy and delicious comfort food! A colorful dish loaded with beef, rice, fire-roasted tomatoes, and so much more! It’s the perfect weeknight meal that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
I love Mexican food – and I also love a good casserole! A cheesy casserole you say? Even better! It’s comfort food season around here and I couldn’t pass up the idea of putting together a good ‘ole homemade casserole full of some of my favorite flavors. Does anyone else love warming up their kitchen this time of year with cooking or baking when it starts to get cold out? I certainly do!
This casserole is loaded full of spinach, corn, and one of my favorites – fire-roasted tomatoes! It’s super simple to put together and essentially all you’re going to need is a skillet to assemble it and a casserole dish to cook it! Trust me when I tell you this is real comfort food, juicy ground beef with rice and a cheesy finish and a whole lot of yumminess!
Ingredients
- Ground beef – I like to use a lean ground beef – you can also use other options of protein if you like such as ground chicken, turkey or pork!
- Spinach – End trimmed, and roughly chopped.
- Corn – Any brand of frozen corn kernels will do the trick!
- Tomatoes – I used one can of fire roasted tomatoes – you can use a different kind if you like and also roast your own tomatoes if you’d prefer!
- Rice – I used long grain rice for this recipe but you can use any rice of your choice!
- Chicken broth – You can also use beef and vegetable broth too – I like the low sodium or no salt added options.
- Taco seasoning – Any brand work fine!
- Salsa – You can use a mild or more spicy version or make your own!
- Cheese – I used a Mexican 4 cheese blend today.
- Cilantro – Chopped, for garnish – this is optional if you’re not a cilantro-person!
Can I Make My Own Roasted Tomatoes?
Yes please! I love all things homemade. If you’re looking to roast your own tomatoes for this dish, it’s actually quite simple. Here’s how:
Add the tomatoes of choice, to a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake the tomatoes in the oven for about 30 minutes or until they begin to char. Once done, chop the up a bit and add the tomatoes to the casserole as suggested! Finito!
How To Make Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole
- Preheat oven: To 375 degrees and spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- Cook the beef: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef for about 5 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning and continue to cook until the beef starts to brown and is no longer pink.
- Add vegetables: Add the spinach, corn, roasted tomatoes, salsa, and 1/2 of the shredded cheese to the skillet and stir. Finally, add the rice and broth, and stir until ingredients are well incorporated.
- Assemble casserole: Spoon the contents of the skillet into the prepared casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil.
- Cook casserole: Place the casserole dish into the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. When finished, remove the foil and top with remaining cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Garnish and serve: Once removed from the oven, garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
What Else Can I Add
The options are endless here people! From different kinds of protein to the vast variety of vegetables that exists out there in the world! Making this dish vegetarian is a no-brainer, there are so many options for filling and satisfying flavors as well as substituting chicken broth for a vegetable broth. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
| Meat | Vegetables |
| Ground Turkey | Bell Peppers |
| Chicken | Zucchini |
| Ground Veal | Broccoli |
| Sausage | Cauliflower |
| Beans | |
| Chickpeas | |
| Black olives | |
| Onions | |
| Mushrooms | |
| Eggplant | |
| Jalapeños |
How To Serve
You can serve this casserole a number of different ways. When I think of authentic Mexican cuisine, I can’t help but think of serving it with fresh tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, or perhaps even some tortilla chips or homemade naan bread. The world is your oyster – don’t let me stop you there!
Want To Make This Dish Ahead Of Time?
This Mexican beef and rice casserole is great to put together a head of time. In the fridge it will last about 3 – 4 days wrapped or sealed well with a lid or plastic wrap.
Can I Freeze This Casserole?
The answer is yes – this whole casserole can be frozen, as long as it’s tightly sealed. It can be stored for up to 6 months this way and when you’re ready to eat just pop it into the fridge to thaw overnight. Stick it in the oven the next day at 350 degrees, cook for 45 minutes, and you’re good to go!
Try More Of My Mouth Watering Casserole’s:
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
- Beef Tamale Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sausage Potato Breakfast Casserole
- Skillet Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Baked Spaghetti Casserole
- No Peek Chicken Rice Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
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Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 10 mins
Serves: 8
This Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole is an easy and delicious comfort food! A colorful dish loaded with beef, rice, fire-roasted tomatoes, and so much more! It's the perfect weeknight meal that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 bunch spinach ends trimmed and roughly chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 14 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes (1 can) can substitute with regular diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup salsa store bought
- 2 cups Mexican 4 cheese blend shredded
- 1 cup long grain rice uncooked
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven: To 375 degrees and spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- Cook the beef: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef for about 5 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning and continue to cook until the beef starts to brown and is no longer pink.
- Add vegetables: Add the spinach, corn, roasted tomatoes, salsa, and 1/2 of the shredded cheese to the skillet and stir. Finally, add the rice and broth, and stir until ingredients are well incorporated.
- Assemble casserole: Spoon the contents of the skillet into the prepared casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil.
- Cook casserole: Place the casserole dish into the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. When finished, remove the foil and top with remaining cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Garnish and serve: Once removed from the oven, garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Recipe Notes
- To freeze this, cook it completely without cheese and let it cool completely. Transfer it to an airtight container, then just reheat it in the microwave (add the cheese now) when ready to serve.
- Use any type of broth you have on hand
- You can use ground chicken, pork, or turkey for this recipe if you’d like.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 268kcal (13%)Carbohydrates: 14g (5%)Protein: 21g (42%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Cholesterol: 63mg (21%)Sodium: 469mg (20%)Potassium: 362mg (10%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 548IU (11%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 215mg (22%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Connie Smith says
I accidentally didn’t read thru the directions and cooked the rice… but! It worked out well because I just didn’t cook it in the oven as long. This dish was a winner with my family. We came up with a few ideas for what to try it with: Stuffed pepper, burritos and on iceberg salad (in the summertime) thanks Jo!
Lisamol says
Everyone in my family loved this dish and it was so easy to make that it will be on our regular rotation. Thank you! I substituted fresh red bell peppers for the corn and i used frozen spinach. I also added a can of black beans and I sautéed the peppers and 1 onion with the beef. We served with a small dollop of sour cream and some crushed tortilla chips on top for texture.
Wayne H says
Great recipe.
I added half an onion and toasted the rice just because onion is onion. Toasting the rice adds a little flavor and cuts down the starch.
sheila says
Can you add frozen spinach instead of fresh?
jo says
Yep it should be just fine.
Hope says
Should this be covered when baked?
Terri says
Yes, per step 4. In step 5, you remove the foil and add the rest of the cheese. The reply you received was incorrect and may have been meant for another recipe…..I am sure they get a lot of questions!
Nicole says
Love this all in one meal. Very tasty! Comes out perfect every time. Thank you for the recipe!
Kristi says
This has become a go-to recipe for me!! Love it as is, although I usually use a 10oz box of frozen spinach instead of fresh. Also love it with cubed or shredded, cooked chicken breast – and black beans when I have some on hand. Usually top it with some sour cream and/or minced red onion. We seriously make it nearly every other week. Mmm!!
Lorraine Alford says
Loved this Mex meal. Added kidney beans instead of spinach,
Would recommend.
Katy Falter says
Absolutely delicious! Followed recipe exactly. Picky husband loved it and went back for seconds!
Kathy H says
Husband liked very much and he is not a fan of rice like I am. Did add a tablespoon of dried minced onions because I seem to have lots. Thank you!
Kathy H says
Forgot to mention that I cooked stove-top (since I have a monster skillet), following basically the same directions, but cooked only until the rice was done-about 25 minutes. Topped with the remaining cheese, covered, off heat until melted and loved it!
Jo Cooks Team says
That sounds so good! We’re glad you love the recipe.
Debra Collins says
Great recipe and smells wonderful baking! We love mexican so I know we will love it! I added a small can of green chilies and a can of Bush’s Mexi black beans mixed with corn & peppers, along with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. ****Only 1 question…In the directions you say to add 1/2 of the cheese to the skillet mix and then 1/2 when u pour the mix into the casserole dish. Then at the end you say to put the “remaining cheese on top to brown for 5 minutes”. Where does the “remaining cheese” come from?
Thanks for sharing!!
Nicole Beaulieu says
Step 5 says half of the remaining cheese, so you’ll still be left with some to sprinkle on top. We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!