Fiesta Rice Casserole

This is simple cheesy rice-and-beans casserole is the perfect accompaniment to your next Taco Tuesday or Mexican meal night!

It calls for pre-cooked rice, so I’ll usually make one of those box-rice deals the night before, while I’m making another dish. There’s no shame in my game- in this house we’ve got a special fondness for boxed rice dishes, and hey: I am to please when it comes to family dinner!

It’s also a dish that calls for frozen corn kernels, canned black beans, and jarred salsa. If you think about it, it’s a fabulous pantry meal that you can throw together pretty easily, with the right shelf-stable ingredients on hand.

Plus, the whole thing is topped with melty, delicious shredded cheese. It pulls away in yummy tendrils when you scoop out a serving; not much better than that!

You might also like: Loaded Sheet Pan Cauliflower Nachos

Fiesta Rice Cheesy Casserole

Ruthy Kirwan

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Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Equipment

• 1 6-QT Oven-Safe Pot (Cast Iron Enamel)

Ingredients

  

• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 2 cups long grain white rice cooked
• 1 cup canned black beans cooked
• .5 cup chunky salsa
• .5 cup chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup corn kernels 2
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

 

Prep Ahead

• Cook rice. When cool to the touch, store in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
• Dice onions and mince the garlic.
• If desired, combine cooked rice, black beans, corn, salsa, chicken broth, onions, and garlic in a large resealable container. 
• Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Prepare from Prepped

• Preheat oven to 350*F.
• Combine the cooked rice, black beans, salsa, broth, garlic, and corn in a large oven-safe pot, stirring until combined. 
• Top with shredded cheese.
• Place dish in oven and bake 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
• Remove from oven and serve hot.  

Make From Fresh

• Preheat oven to 350*F.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, oven-safe pot until the oil is shimmering.
• Add the onions and cook until they are beginning to go translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cooked rice, black beans, corn, garlic, and salsa until combined.
• Top with shredded cheese.
• Place dish in oven and bake 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
• Remove from oven and serve hot.

Video

Notes

This recipe starts off with already-cooked rice, which I like to make ahead of time and then store until the day of cooking. Our favorite is regular old Rice-a-Roni or Uncle Ben’s, but you can use anything you’ve got on hand or prefer. You can use any type of salsa here, although chunky works best; use hot, medium, or mild.

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