Description
Hearty taco rice casserole with black beans, ground beef, and rice topped with a creamy cheese sauce and all the toppings. Serve it with tortilla chips for a twist on taco night – it’s comforting, filling, and the leftovers are even better the next day.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Casserole
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (20-oz) can enchilada sauce
- 1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 (14-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
For the Cheese Sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (see note)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Toppings
- 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
- 1 tomato, diced
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F degrees.
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook it until it’s no longer pink. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat the beef evenly in the spices.
- Add the enchilada sauce, canned tomatoes, rice and beans. Stir and bring the mixture to a simmer. Carefully transfer the beef and rice to a 9×13” baking dish. Cover it with foil and bake the casserole for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, stir the mixture, and bake the casserole uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
- While the casserole finishes baking, make the cheese sauce. Combine the cheese, cream, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Warm it over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese is melted and you have a creamy sauce.
- Drizzle the cheese sauce over the top of the casserole and sprinkle a 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the top. Bake the casserole for five minute or so longer or until the cheese is melted. Let the casserole stand for five minutes before adding the rest of the toppings.
- Spread the chopped lettuce down the center of the casserole. Sprinkle the chopped tomatoes and cilantro over the top.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 542
- Sugar: 11.2g
- Sodium: 1820.8mg
- Fat: 22.6g
- Saturated Fat: 9.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.9g
- Carbohydrates: 55.3g
- Fiber: 10.3g
- Protein: 27.3g
- Cholesterol: 75.7mg
Keywords: taco casserole, Mexican rice casserole, taco rice casserole
