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Taco Rice Casserole

a pan of taco rice casserole.
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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
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (see note)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Optional topping ideas: more shredded cheese, chopped lettuce, diced tomato, chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F degrees.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Remove the foil, stir the mixture, and bake the casserole uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
  5. 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.
  6. Drizzle the cheese sauce over the top of the casserole and bake it for five minutes. Let the casserole stand for five minutes before serving it with the toppings.

Notes

Cheese: For the best creamy cheese sauce, shred a block of cheddar cheese. I’ve tried this recipe with bagged shredded cheese, and the sauce ends up with a less creamy texture – it’s more stretchy than creamy. It still tastes good, but I think it’s much better with cheese you shred yourself.

The most important thing for this casserole is to cook it long enough for the rice to cook. Make sure the filling is simmering when you transfer it to the baking dish (step 3). When you remove the foil (step 4), stir the rice mixture well. Before you add the cheese sauce, taste the rice. The rice should be tender at this point – if it isn’t, continue to bake it until it is, and then add the cheese sauce.

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Or, you can freeze the leftovers for up to a month.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/taco-rice-casserole/