If Mexican food always sounds like a good idea in your house the way it does in ours, then this ultimate Mexican Casserole is a must for your meal plan this week! It combines pantry staples with fresh ingredients for that rich, cheesy Southwest sensation that we never seem to stop craving.
Thanks to main ingredients that are often on hand at home – brown rice, canned beans and tomatoes, and cheese – this recipe is the pinnacle of easy and healthy comfort food.
This Mexican casserole with rice is a good Mexican dish because it relies on classic Mexican flavors, but with a healthy spin.
It calls for lean ground beef, whole grain brown rice, and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Also, by using fully-flavored cheeses (hello, sharp cheddar) you can pack more flavor while using less.
This family-friendly recipe is adapted from my exceptionally popular Mexican Chicken Casserole. That recipe calls for quinoa and cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast.
For today’s Mexican casserole, I was hungry for something more old school and picked up inspiration from one of the most iconic, universally beloved Tex-Mex recipes of them all: 7 Layer Taco Dip.
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can Ranch Style beans
1 10-12 ounce bag tortilla chips, crushed
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 package taco seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup water
sour cream and salsa for serving
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet, brown meat and drain off fat. Stir in beans, tomatoes, onion, taco seasoning, soup and water. Simmer over medium-low heat until everything is well combined and heated through.
Grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Put down a layer of crushed tortilla chips, followed by a layer of the meat/bean mixture, then half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly.
Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with sour cream and salsa.