Mexican Rice Casserole With Ground Beef
photo by Lavender Lynn
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 20
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 cups white rice, prepared per instructions
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef (I used 96/4)
- 1⁄2 yellow sweet onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1⁄2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- sea salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 3 -4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)
- 1 -2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 -4 tomatoes, sliced thickly
- sour cream (topping)
- salsa (topping)
- guacamole (topping)
directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice per instructions. While the rice is cooking heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the ground beef, making sure to break it up into crumbles. Cook the beef for 3-4 minutes then add the diced onion and all of the seasonings. Stir until well combined and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the beef is cooked through and the onion is tender. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for an additional 60 seconds. Add the cooked rice, drained and rinsed black beans, tomato sauce and a bit of cilantro (reserving some for garnishing) to the beef and onion mixture. Mix the ingredients thoroughly, taste and re-season if needed.
- Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray and pour the rice mixture into the dish, spreading it evenly. Place the tomato slices on top of the rice mixture then top with cheddar cheese.
- Spray a piece of tin foil with cooking spray (so the cheese won't stick) and cover the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Top with a dollop of sour cream and the remaining chopped cilantro. Enjoy.
Questions & Replies
Got a question?
Share it with the community!
Reviews
-
I made this recipe last night for my family of 6...It was wonderful!!! The only changes I made was omitting the cilantro and I didn't top it with tomatoes. I don't really like the taste of cilantro and I didn't have any tomatoes. I used one bag of "Boil in Bag" rice which was the perfect serving for the recipe and I used a mexican blend cheese. I served it with garlic toast and a green salad. There was no leftovers at all. I will definitely make this casserole again and again. Thank you for a great recipe.
see 5 more reviews
Tweaks
-
We enjoyed this casserole very much. The fat is relatively low and it has lots of fiber for such a tasty, filling and comforting meal. I didn't have black beans and had to use the white beans I had in the pantry. I also used some fresh Roma tomatoes with a little water, crushed, instead of the tomato sauce. I subbed brown rice for white rice. The only thing I would do differently next time is to double the spices to kick up the flavor more - there's a lot of rice and beans in this recipe to be flavored. (Also, living in Texas, we're used to bold flavors!) We did serve it with salsa, but chose not to garnish with the higher calorie sour cream and guacamole. If serving company, I would add them. Made for PAC Fall 2009.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/527607/cookswithcattitude.jpg
I am a middle aged foodie who has had the luxury of living all over the world except asia. Lived in or grew up in Nigeria, Kenya, Chicago, Russia,and haiti. born in New Zealand, brother born in Austria and many more.
I have chronic medication resistant depression after 10 years on anti depressants that worked well but would stop working after a year or two, so now do my best at home living on disabilty. Not a bad thing, many have far worse health issues but i have been able to concentrate on food/cooking.
My main passions are my cats. I live in the woods and somehow many starving strays or "dumps" have found the message babies who passed on left in the woods saying "suck lives at xxxx road. Most arrive sick and/or starving. Right now i have 2 that arrived with feline herpes and their attendant 2ndry bacterial infections but are doing beautifully. One old man who was going to be euthanized bc a lady who found him as a stray was moving and didnt want him...well he was a biter and rather grumpy who was in ICU for 3 days with a deadly gut infection which was fixed but he left with a diagnosis of diabetes. 3 months on insulin and finally diet controlled and he caught the herpes virus, respiratory symptom version and turned into a cuddler. Butterscotch must think "why didnt i figure out this cuddle stuff was great before i got sick!" Doing wonderfully even though he has bouts. he and the other kids are my babies. Sadly Butterscotch died of Lymphatic cancer in winter of 2008. A year before Big Boy arrived in my life, starving and weak. Full of affection he jumped into my arms and stayed, turns out he has FIV (cat hiv) so he needs to be watched closely. I love him dearly
<img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/Adopted1smp.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"> <img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/smPACp.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket">
<img src="http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/carolinamoon21/Stockingswapcopy.jpg">
<img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/participantbannerzwt5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
<img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/cookbookswap.jpg">
<img src="http://www.caymandesigns.com/foodothers/fallswap.jpg">