Description
A crowd-pleaser if there ever was one, this Taco Rice Casserole will be loved by everyone! This freezer-friendly baked rice dish is made with ground beef, beans, peppers, and salsa and it’s so delicious. It’s optionally dairy-free and customizable based on what toppings you add to it after it’s cooked.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup long grain white rice, rinsed well and drained
- 1 cup red salsa
- 1 1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Avocado, for garnish
- Diced tomatoes, for garnish
- Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Step: Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.
- Step: Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onion, pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Step: Add ground beef, and continue cooking until no pink remains, about 5 minutes.
- Step: Add in the black beans, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, white rice, salsa and chicken broth and stir together until it is completely combined.
- Step: Cover the skillet and cook in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, until the rice is no longer hard, and nearly cooked through. Remove from the oven and let the casserole sit, covered for 5 minutes. If using cheese, preheat the broiler. Then, top with cheese, and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until melted.
- Step: Once ready to serve, top with optional garnishes.
Notes
To freeze: bake fully without cheese, cool, and freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes until the center reaches 165ºF.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 491 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1500 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
Keywords: Taco Rice Casserole, ground beef, baked rice, freezer meal, dinner