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One-Skillet Mexican Rice Casserole

Mexican rice casserole that bakes up saucy, smoky, and tender in one skillet with ground beef, black beans, and corn. This weeknight skillet rice is cooked with long-grain white rice and finished under a broiler with a golden, melted cheese blanket.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
aromatics and rice base
  • 1 onion medium, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice uncooked
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
cheese and serving toppings
  • 1.5 cup Mexican cheese blend shredded
  • 0.25 cilantro for serving
  • 0.25 jalapeños for serving
  • 0.25 sour cream for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef with the diced onion, draining any excess fat, until no longer pink. Cook 30 seconds after adding the minced garlic, stirring constantly.
Simmer the rice casserole
  1. Stir in the uncooked long-grain white rice, Rotel tomatoes, black beans, frozen corn, beef broth, tomato sauce, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the mixture looks saucy.
Broil and serve
  1. Preheat the broiler. Top the hot rice with the shredded Mexican cheese blend and broil for 3–4 minutes until golden and bubbly.
  2. Let the casserole rest briefly, then serve topped with cilantro, jalapeños, and sour cream.

Notes

Pro tip: drain the beef well before adding the rice so the casserole stays saucy rather than greasy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat in a skillet or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the rice and beans can soften too much. For a lighter version, use lean ground beef (or ground turkey) and opt for a reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend.