This Rice and Bean Taco Casserole comes together quickly and is a great family weeknight dinner idea. The taco sauce brings everything together and adds a nice kick!
I’ve really been trying to develop recipes lately that are not only easy to make, but also affordable. Grocery prices are insane these days, so it’s important to have recipes like this Rice and Bean Taco Casserole in your back pocket when you don’t have much time or money to spend on dinner.
Casseroles sometimes get a bad wrap, but I can tell you that there is nothing but delicious ingredients in this Taco Casserole! We like to enjoy with a side of corn chips for a full meal.
Rice and Bean Taco Casserole Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Rice – I used white jasmine rice but you can use brown rice, quinoa or any other grain of choice. You could even use cauliflower rice!
- Beans – This recipe calls for two cans of black beans but any kind of bean will work. Pinto beans would be a great option.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes – I just used a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes. I like them because they have lots more flavor than just regular canned tomatoes. You could also add fresh tomatoes if you like.
- Corn – I used one can of sweet corn but you could use frozen corn or even fresh corn in the summer!
- Spices – I used a mixture of cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, granulated onion and salt and pepper. If you wanted, you could use part of a packet of taco seasoning.
- Taco Sauce – I use taco sauce as the binder in this recipe because I really love the flavor and I’m always looking for an excuse to eat it. You could also use enchilada sauce or salsa in place of the taco sauce if you can’t find it.
- Cheese – I used an extra sharp cheddar because I like the taste of it, but it probably wasn’t the best for melting. A mixture of cheddar and Monterey Jack would work great!
- Optional Toppings – Since canned tomatoes and corn are the only vegetables in the casserole, I like to add some fresh ones to the top. Here are some ideas: avocado, black olives, tomato, onion, green onion, cilantro, hot sauce, sour cream, guacamole. I also like to serve mine with a side of corn chips.
How To Make This Rice and Bean Taco Casserole
The recipe calls for cooked rice but if you don’t have any on hand you can start by cooking your rice.
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Add rice, beans, corn, tomatoes, spices, taco sauce and about half the shredded cheese to a large bowl. Mix everything together well and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer rice and bean mixture to a large baking dish and spread out with a spatula. Sprinkle over remaining shredded cheese and top with foil. Bake casserole for 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake until cheese is melted, about 10 more minutes or so.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before enjoying. You can add the toppings to the entire casserole pan or each person can add them to their own portion.
Casserole Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe gluten free? Yes, just make sure your taco sauce is gluten free.
- Is this recipe vegan? No, but it can easily be made vegan by using vegan cheese!
- What can be used as a substitute for rice? You can use any grain you like for this recipe! You could even use cauliflower rice.
- What can be used as a substitute for the taco sauce? If you can’t find taco sauce (I can’t always find it at every grocery store) you can instead use enchilada sauce or salsa.
- Is this casserole recipe freezer friendly? Yes, this rice and bean casserole can be frozen. You can either just prepare the filling and freeze that. When ready to use, thaw it and then place the mixture in your pan, cover with cheese and bake. You can also assemble the entire casserole and then bake from frozen.
- How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, leftovers should last for about 4 days. Re-heat in microwave, in a skillet on the stove or in the oven.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Cozy Vegetarian Casserole Recipes?
Baked Pesto Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta
5 Ingredient Baked Ziti with Spinach and Chickpeas
Print
Rice and Bean Taco Casserole
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Rice and Bean Taco Casserole is a family friendly easy vegetarian meal! It’s quick to prepare and it’s fun to customize with your own toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cooked rice (1 cup dried rice makes about 3 cups cooked rice)
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels (you can use canned, frozen or fresh)
- 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (8 oz) block cheese, shredded (cheddar or Monterey Jack work great)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste (I used about 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper)
- 2 – 2 1/2 cups taco sauce (depending on how saucy you like it)
- Optional toppings: avocado, tomato, onion, black olives, fresh cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, hot sauce, salsa, green onion.
- I like to serve mine with corn chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Add rice, beans, corn, tomatoes, spices, taco sauce and about half the shredded cheese to a large bowl. Mix everything together well and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer rice and bean mixture to a large baking dish and spread out with a spatula. Top with remaining shredded cheese and top with foil. Bake casserole for 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake until cheese is melted, about 10 more minutes or so.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before enjoying. You can add the toppings to the entire casserole pan or each person can add them to their own portion.
Notes
Lots of notes included in the post text!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegetarian
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
This goes on my regular rotation list. All three of my kids ate dinner without complaining (which is rare). My daughter actually said it was yummy! If you know 3 years olds, this is huge!
That’s amazing!! My 4 and 6 year old were not interested haha 🙂
Yay, everyone except the one who doesn’t eat foods like this liked this, and it was so easy to make In advance! I made a vegan nacho cheese sauce instead of the cheese. Thanks!
I’m so glad to hear that! That additions sounds delicious! I mixed some of my leftovers with refried beans and put it into burritos 🙂
Ooo! Now *I’m* going to try it burrito-style! Thanks Izzy!
You won’t regret it! 🙂
Sounds delish! Silly question, but what is “taco sauce?” Do you mean the red enchilada sauce?
Not a silly question! Taco sauce is like the sauce that you would get at Taco Bell (if you have ever eaten there). They are very similar, but with slightly different flavors. If you can’t find taco sauce you can use red enchilada sauce instead!
O this sounds awesome. I could prep it during lunch so it is ready to go! Thanks, will try.
Definitely!! I hope you enjoy!