One Pot Mexican Rice Casserole

For an easy vegetarian dinner try this one pot Mexican rice casserole. Full of flavor from a mixture of veggies, beans, rice, spice and cheese. This hearty meatless meal is made in one pan and perfect for a busy weeknight meal.

You might also like this slow cooker chicken tortilla soup.

My son went to college this year and he’s interested in vegetarian food. Well I’m never one to turn down a cooking challenge and I just happen to love veggies. So I’m trying to make some vegetarian dishes he will like and can cook himself. And here is the first recipe – one pot Mexican rice casserole.

My family loves mexican food so I knew they would like this dish. I loved this recipe not only for all the flavor but because it only took one pot. You can cook the rice along with everything else! Plus it’s very forgiving so you can use whatever veggies you want and or have on hand.

And while we didn’t have any leftovers of this Mexican rice casserole I’m pretty sure it will freeze well for quick lunches. So if you are looking for an easy and tasty meatless meal give this one a try. It’s sure to be a family favorite.

Recipe ingredients I used and substitutions.

Below you can see the simple ingredient I used which were black beans, rice, canned tomatoes with chiles, cheese, garlic, pepper, olive oil, corn and onions. The spice mix was made of salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin and paprika.

I also use water to cook the rice but you can use beef broth or chicken broth if you want instead. Or try vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.

Black Beans and Corn
My family like black beans for Mexican dinners but you could easily use any canned beans you want like kidney beans, pinto beans or even chick peas. And I used frozen corn but you could use leftover corn on the cob or canned corn if you want.

Canned Diced Tomatoes
I like these canned tomatoes because they dice them pretty small and they have green chiles added to it for a little heat. You can use regular canned diced tomatoes and then add some canned green chiles or add some hot pepper flakes.

Onions, Garlic and Peppers
I like a combination of green and sweet bell peppers in this kind of dish but if you have to pick one I would go with all sweet bell peppers. You can also add a bit of jalapeno or poblano peppers if you have them. I love the green pepper flavor they have. I just used a regular green bell pepper though.

I also used fresh garlic and yellow onion. You can use a red onion for the color but try to use fresh garlic if you can.

Cheeses
I used a combination of sharp cheddar cheese and shredded Monterey Jack cheeses. I bought a new cheese grater and LOVE how easy it is to use. In my opinon fresh grated cheese tastes better than the bagged shredded cheeses because of the additives they have in them. But you can use regular shredded cheeses including, Colby, Mexican blend, pepper jack, etc.

White Rice
I used white but you could use brown rice if you wish. I don’t cook too much with it but I believe it takes 40-45 minutes. You could also try quinoa instead of the rice or other grains.

How to make one pot Mexican rice casserole.

Step 1: Get out a large skillet or pot and heat to medium heat. Add the olive oil and when it’s hot add the diced onion and peppers. Let cook for a minuter or two until they start to soften.

Step 2: Add in the crushed garlic, rice and spices. Mix well so the rice is coated with the seasoning.

Step 3: Add in the canned tomatoes, beans, corn and water. Note if you have frozen corn heat it in the microwave for a few minutes first. Mix everything together.

Step 4: Bring everything to a boil, cover and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 25 minutes until rice is cooked through and the liquid is gone.

Step 5: When the rice is cooked through, sprinkle the cheddar or Mexican blend cheese over top and place the lid back on for a few minutes to make it into a melty cheese on top. You can also place the skillet in the oven and use the broiler to melt the cheese if you want.

And that is all there is to it. If you want you can garnish with fresh cilantro leaves or even parsley. Chopped green onions would also be nice for the color and flavor as garnishes.

Serve immediately. You can top with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, avocado slices, sliced black olives, fresh jalapenos, pickles jalapenos, hot sauce, etc. But to me it was good just as it is.

You can serve this tasty casserole with a green salad or for a fun dinner eat it with tortilla chips. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Please scroll down to view the printable recipe card.

If you want to add meat to this one pot dish.

You can easily add lean ground beef or ground turkey to this dish. You want a lean ground beef so there isn’t excess grease. Just add the ground beef with the onions, peppers and spices. Brown it most of the way before you add the rice, tomatoes, water, etc. Just follow the recipe but add the ground meat at the beginning with the onions and peppers.

You can serve this tasty casserole with a green salad for a complete meal. Or for a fun dinner eat it with tortilla chips.

Lastly you can add cooked chicken at the end before you add the cheese. If you have leftover chicken or chopped rotisserie chicken that would work too. Let it warm up with the casserole after the rice and before the cheese.

More easy and tasty Mexican recipes to try.

My family LOVES Mexican flavors and I have quite a few recipes on this blog. Below are of my favorites that I think you might like.

• Mexican meatloaf or bean salad
• street corn salad and air fryer street corn on the cob
• slow cooker chicken salsa verde
• taco burgers
• chicken poblano casserole

This one pot Mexican rice casserole was really tasty and my family loved it. I love one pot meals on busy nights. It’s a good recipe for meal prep too!

I really wanted to make vegetarian quesadillas with the leftovers but we didn’t have any! You could also make burritos with the leftovers. Maybe I’ll get a chance next time and let you know. Enjoy!