Tex Mex Casserole
This easy Tex Mex Casserole is a crowd pleasing recipe that is in high rotation in my kitchen. A cheesy, baked dish with ground beef and beans. A filling meal that is packed with protein. Gluten free!
TEX MEX CASSEROLE
My most popular dinner recipes are ones like this tex mex casserole with beef and beans.
I can see why!
It has a bunch of protein to keep you full and can also be customized by adding your personal favourite toppings. I’m partial to fresh sliced avocado and maybe a cheeky dollop of sour cream. 😉
The BEST thing is that you can choose.
I mentioned how protein-packed this tex mex casserole with ground beef is. How do 33 grams of protein sound? Pretty darn satisfying, that’s how they sound.
There is a nice amount of fiber too!
Bonus.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THIS DISH:
This is a pretty simple pantry dinner as most of the items on the ingredient list are regulars in my cupboard. I try to choose organic products as much as possible.
- lean ground beef
- onion
- garlic
- brown rice
- beans
- crushed tomatoes
- salsa
- cheese
- green bell peppers
Substitutions:
- white rice instead of brown works too
- enchilada sauce instead of crushed tomatoes for a spicier bake
- jalapeno peppers instead of bell peppers – again for you spice lovers
Now that is out of the way let’s get down to business!
HOW TO MAKE TEX MEX CASSEROLE – Step by Step
Brown the beef in a large skillet.
While the beef is cooking, prepare your rice. I use this stovetop method for quick and easy brown rice or I use my Instant Pot Brown Rice which simple hands-off cooking.
TIP! Whenever I make cook grains like rice or quinoa I always prepare extra. I’ll store it in the fridge to have it prepped and ready to throw into a dish when I am in a rush. Such a time saver!
Once the beef has fully cooked, transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Discard most of the fat from the pan, leaving a bit behind to cook your onions in. Add the onions, cook them until soft and then toss in your minced garlic. Stir that until fragrant then add the beef back into the pan.
Add the crushed tomatoes and salsa and stir then add the rice and beans and stir it all again to combine it.
Start the oven preheating and grease a casserole dish. Make sure to use a deep one! I like my trusty 9×9 ceramic dish. It seems to be a perfect size for dinner casseroles.
Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
Now for my favourite part – the CHEESE! It’s no secret I am a big fan of cheese. It is the crowning glory and just makes everything better, am I right? Three cheers for my cheese lovers out there. 🙂
I use marble because it melts really well and browns nicely.
So if your mouth isn’t already watering, here is a shot of this delicious dish fresh out of the oven.
It features that cheesy crust we all crave.
I’m a fan of the flavour of green peppers but feel free to add jalapenos instead if you prefer some heat or maybe even red peppers if you like a little bit of sweetness.
This serves six very healthy portions so it will feed the whole family. The leftovers reheat very well so this is also a great recipe for meal prep.
Let me know what you think of this recipe.
Enjoy!
MORE GLUTEN FREE DINNER RECIPES:
Roasted Butternut Squash and Lentil Chili
Coconut Curry Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Chicken Enchilada and Butternut Squash Bake
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Bake
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Tex Mex Casserole with Ground Beef and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry brown rice
- 1 can black beans
- 3/4 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 2 cups grated cheese ( I use marble )
- 1/4 cup diced green pepper
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Warm a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the beef by browning it and breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks.
- While the beef is cooking, prepare your rice using the package instructions or my method linked in the post.
- Once the beef is completely cooked and no pink remains, use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain most of the fat from the pan and return it to the heat. Add the diced onions to the pan and cook them, stirring frequently until they soften, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir for 60 seconds more. Add the cooked beef back into the pan and stir.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes and salsa into the beef mixture and stir well. Next, add in the can of beans and cooked brown rice. Stir well again to combine.
- Turn the oven on to 350 and spray a 9×9 oven-safe casserole dish. Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
- Top the beef mixture with the shredded cheese and sprinkle the diced green pepper over the cheese.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.
- Serve warm with sides of avocado, guacamole, and/or sour cream.
- Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
…oh, I switched out ground beef for shredded meat from a rotisserie chicken.
Love it! That makes it sooooo easy too.
Fantastic, and craveable! I’m inspired to make variations with Italian flavors and Greek flavors. But I’ll always come back to this great Tex-Mex version.
Those are great ideas! Thanks for the positive feedback, Lynne. Much appreciated!
do i have to use brown rice can i use white thanks
White rice is fine! Just follow the directions the same. Enjoy 🙂
how much cooked brown rice do you add? 1 cup cooked rice??
Hey Val! The recipe calls for 1 cup of dry rice which is approximately 2.5 cups of cooked rice.
I didn’t have any beef so I cut up some chicken breasts instead and it turned out great! Also added a bag of frozen corn and topped with tortilla strips…yum!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing with us. 🙂
I made this for my husband and I tonight and we both really enjoyed it, and I will definitely make this again. I served it with a side of refried beans and a small fruit salad. The only thing different that I did was to add some leftover yellow sweet corn that I had in the refrigerator. It was a really good add. For leftovers, my husband suggested that I make a tortilla bowl (like the ones you can purchase in the grocery store, only flour not corn) and serve the casserole in the tortilla bowl with the refried beans underneath the casserole. Sounds like a plan to me. The casserole makes a lot and it’s just the two of us, so some will go into the freezer for later, as I would never throw something this good away.
Amazing Pam! Love those suggestions. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂 I’m stealing that tortilla bowl idea.
I want to try your Tex-Mex casserole but I’m vegetarian. What can I sub for ground beef? Thanks.
You could add more beans or try walnut crumbles! Check out this recipe where I make walnut meat sauce – you could just sub in taco seasonings instead.
Made this recipe tonight and my family, loved it I didn’t add the beans just the rice and everything else and the husband raved and ate 2 big helpings. Thanks
I love this! Thanks Dale, I am glad you and the fam enjoyed 🙂
This was such an easy, yummy dish! I added a can of Rotal and sautéed red bell pepper in the meat mixture instead of topping it off with green peppers. I served it with a huge dollop of sourcream and sliced avocado to be scooped onto Tortilla chips. Our kids are grown so the no one was bothered by the chunks of tomatoes and onions from the Rotal. Very tasty and filling!
I love the idea of the rotel! Yum. And those toppings sound fantastic. Thanks Amanda! 🙂
Am I missing something or were the amounts of the ingredients not given?
I’ve scrolled thorught the whole page…and it’s long…twice and found nothing.
So not only not going to be able to make this dish, but have wasted my time. *sigh*
Hi Jay! The full recipe is listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card. There is a handy button at the top that says “Jump to Recipe” if you wanted to skip reading through the post. Hope that helps. Have a great day. 🙂
So good! So easy too and obviously such a kid pleaser. Thanks for this, a new favourite!
Gotta love those kid pleasers. 🙂 Thanks, Sabrina!
The perfect comfort food right here. We are all about one pot/pan/dish meals these days because life is busy with two littles. Thanks for sharing.
This perfect for a family of four! 🙂 Thanks Kristen.
I love how comforting, easy and healthy this is. The family will totally love it and I can’t wait to make it asap!
It’s a family fave for sure. Thanks Terri!
What a great weeknight dinner. My kids love stuff like this!
So does the man of the house here and he’s like a kid! I know if he likes it, families will approve too. 🙂
What a great recipe for a weeknight family dinner! Filling, delicious and no complaints from the kids😉
One pot delight! Made it for dinner last night and it was a real hit with the kids, in particular, they want it every dinner now ;-). He he, definitely a winner! Will definitely make it again soon. Thank you for sharing!
Did I ever tell you how much I love your kids? lol Thanks Ramona! 🙂
I love how everything is contained in this one dish. And I’m with you…bring on the cheese! I can’t wait to make this!
My motto is ‘just throw some cheese on it’! lol Thanks Lisa. 🙂
Made this for my husband last night as he is on a high protein diet plan and he absolutely loved this recipe 🙂
Perfect comfort food for the winter
Thanks for sharing!!
Three cheers for comfort food! Thanks Kay. 🙂
It sounds awesome. I’m wondering if I put it together the night before and put it in the refrigerator. How long would you cook it and at what temperature?
You can definitely assemble the night before. Just take the dish out while you heat the oven to 350 and follow along with the recipe. Maybe add five more minutes to the cook time so it should be good at 25-30 minutes.
Hi
I’ve made the twice for my 99 yr old parents as it is tasty and old peoples’ taste buds diminish. But, I find the dish dry. I’ve been draining the can of black beans but the recipe does not say to do this. Help please. New recipes are always welcome in my house.
Hey Karen! You are a sweetheart to cook for your parents. 🙂 Yes, it is correct to drain the beans – I’ll have to edit the recipe to state that. Thanks for pointing it out! If you find it dry you could always add more salsa or even a can of rotel which is super tasty. Are you serving any sides with it? Some sour cream or guacamole would also be lovely and help out if it is dry. Let me know if that is helpful!
This Tex Mex Casserole is hands-down my favorite kind of food, especially this time of the year. AND, it’s actually a dish my whole family will eat without anyone complaining! Adding this to net week’s meal plan.
Same!! I love that this dish is family approved. 🙂 Thanks, Lauren!