Say goodbye to bland dinners with this vibrant Mexican Ground Beef Casserole! Bursting with corn, bell peppers, and black beans, this cheesy rice casserole is a one-pot wonder that delivers big Mexican flavors straight to your table. Juicy, satisfying, and incredibly easy to make, it’s the perfect 30-minute meal to kick off a delicious week.
Alt text: Steaming Mexican ground beef casserole with rice in a pot, showcasing melted cheese and vibrant vegetables.
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Rice Casserole
Inspired by the popular Mexican Stuffed Peppers recipe, this casserole takes all the best parts – that incredible Mexican ground beef filling – and makes it even easier and more versatile. Because let’s be honest, sometimes you crave those amazing flavors without the fuss of stuffing peppers!
Think of it as the answer to those recipe questions we all have: “Can I make this with chicken?” or “Can I skip the… peppers?”. Yes! This Mexican Ground Beef Casserole is all about that mouthwatering, juicy beef and rice filling, front and center. It’s a comforting, flavorful dish that’s guaranteed to satisfy.
Alt text: A serving of cheesy Mexican ground beef and rice casserole in a white bowl, ready to eat, highlighting the rich texture and appetizing appearance.
Ingredients for Your Mexican Casserole
The beauty of this recipe lies in its flexibility. While the core ingredients of ground beef, rice, and Mexican spices are essential, you can easily customize the vegetables to your liking. Aim for around 5 to 6 cups of diced vegetables in total. Here’s what you’ll need:
Alt text: Ingredient lay flat for Mexican ground beef casserole including ground beef, rice, spices, vegetables like corn, black beans, bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomato paste, broth, cheese, and green onions.
For the Casserole:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground beef (lean mince)
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
- 2.5 cups chicken broth/stock (low sodium)
- 14oz can corn kernels, drained
- 14oz can black beans, drained
- 1 bell pepper (capsicum), diced
- 1 cup green onions/shallots, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or your favorite melting cheese)
For the Mexican Spice Mix:
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1.5 tbsp dried oregano
- 3 tsp cumin
- 3 tsp coriander
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp salt
Making Your One-Pot Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole
This recipe is all about speed and simplicity. From stovetop to table in just 30 minutes, here’s how to create this flavorful Mexican Ground Beef Casserole:
- Sauté Aromatics & Brown Beef: Heat olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté for about 1 ½ minutes until softened. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned (around 2 minutes). Drain off any excess fat.
- Spice it Up: Stir in the Mexican Spices and cook for 30 seconds, allowing the aromas to bloom.
- Add Veggies & Flavor Base: Add diced bell pepper and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and chicken broth, ensuring everything is well combined.
- Rice and Beans: Add uncooked rice, corn, and black beans to the pot. Stir well, bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Cheese Please! Remove the lid and stir in green onions and half of the shredded cheese. Smooth the top of the casserole and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Cover again and let it sit for 1 minute, allowing the residual heat to melt the cheese beautifully.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with extra green onions or a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Alt text: Step-by-step images showing how to make Mexican ground beef casserole with rice, from browning beef to adding ingredients and melting cheese.
The texture of this Mexican Rice Casserole is wonderfully creamy, almost like a risotto, but with the vibrant flavors of enchiladas. The corn and black beans add delightful pops of texture and sweetness, making each bite interesting and satisfying.
Alt text: A pot of freshly cooked Mexican beef mince and rice casserole, steaming hot and ready to be served, showcasing the delicious one-pot meal.
More Ground Beef Recipe Inspiration
If you’re a fan of easy ground beef recipes, this Mexican Casserole is just the beginning! Ground beef is incredibly versatile, quick-cooking, and a fantastic base for absorbing flavors. Beyond this casserole and classic Bolognese, explore other delicious ground beef dishes like:
- [List of Ground Beef Recipes – link to relevant category page on gaymexico.net if available, otherwise remove]
Enjoy the ease and deliciousness of ground beef with this Mexican Rice Casserole – it’s sure to become a new family favorite!
Mexican Ground Beef Casserole with Rice (Beef Mince!) – Recipe Card
Author: Nagi
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Western
Servings: 5
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground beef (lean mince)
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
- 2.5 cups chicken broth/stock (low sodium)
- 14oz can corn kernels, drained
- 14oz can black beans, drained
- 1 bell pepper (capsicum), diced
- 1 cup green onions/shallots, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- Mexican Spices:
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1.5 tbsp dried oregano
- 3 tsp cumin
- 3 tsp coriander
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned (2 minutes).
- Add Mexican Spices and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add bell pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and broth, stir to combine.
- Add rice, corn, and black beans. Stir, bring to simmer, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 15 minutes.
- Remove lid, stir in green onion and half the cheese.
- Top with remaining cheese. Cover and let sit for 1 minute to melt cheese.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
- Rice: Long grain white rice is recommended. Other white rice varieties may work, but avoid brown rice, risotto rice, or quinoa.
- Corn: Frozen corn (1 ¾ cups) can be substituted.
- Cheese: Use any melting cheese like Cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack.
- Cayenne: Adjust cayenne pepper for desired spice level.
- Leftovers: Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheat in microwave.
Nutrition Information (per serving):
- Calories: 715cal
- Carbohydrates: 73g
- Protein: 45g
- Fat: 28g
Note: Replace or remove “[List of Ground Beef Recipes – link to relevant category page on gaymexico.net if available, otherwise remove]” as needed for your website.
