Mexican Casserole
Posted Apr 21, 2024, Updated Jul 23, 2024
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In this Mexican Casserole Recipe, zesty rice, refried beans, and seasoned ground beef are layered together, topped with cheese and baked. A delicious meal that’s easy to make from scratch, or the perfect way to enjoy taco night leftovers!
This Mexican casserole is a hearty and flavorful dinner recipe perfect for busy weeknights.
Whether you’re looking to make it from scratch or use up taco night leftovers (like cilantro lime rice and ground beef tacos) in a new way – this is a meal your entire family will enjoy.
A layer of refried beans is spread over seasoned rice and topped with a ground beef taco filling. Finished off with a hearty sprinkle of cheese, then baked, this Mexican casserole recipe is a winner in every way.
Mexican Casserole: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rice. You can use leftover cilantro lime rice, or leftover cooked white rice to make this recipe. You can also substitute brown rice, just keep in mind it takes about twice as long to cook.
- Refried beans. if desired, skip the can and make your own refried black beans.
- Ground beef. I suggest using homemade taco seasoning, however store bought is great in a pinch. Use leftover ground beef tacos or chicken tacos if desired instead of coking the meat fresh for this recipe.
- Cheddar cheese. use your favorite cheese, some suggestions include Mexican blend, cheddar, etc.
How to Make Mexican Casserole
We’ll walk through this recipe together – and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by preheating your oven and lightly greasing a 9×9”pan. Set the pan aside.
Cook the Rice
If you don’t have any leftover rice, you will need to cook it. You can do this the day before if you’d like to prepare in advance.
To cook the rice, bring 1 ½ cups water and ¼ tsp sea salt to a boil. Then add the rice, stir, cover and return to a boil.
After the water returns to a boil, turn the heat to simmer and simmer the rice until cooked through – 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, turn off the heat but let the rice sit on the warm burner for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Then add the salsa, sour cream and cilantro to the cooked rice and stir to combine.
Refried Beans
While the rice is cooking, make the refried beans layer. Combine the refried beans, water and taco seasoning in a small saucepan. Gently warm over medium heat until smooth.
Cook the Ground Beef Layer
Also while the rice is cooking, make the ground beef layer by cooking ground beef, onion and minced garlic in a non-stick fry pan or cast-iron skillet.
Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the meat begins to brown and is no longer pink in the center, stirring often, breaking up the meat as you stir.
Once the ground beef begins to brown, add taco seasoning and stir until it’s evenly distributed.
Then, add the lime juice and corn and stir to combine.
Next, cook the meat, uncovered, until the mixture is browned, stirring occasionally.
Assemble the Mexican casserole
Once all the components are ready, it’s time to assemble the Mexican rice casserole. Begin by spreading the rice mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Then, carefully spread the refried beans over the rice in the baking dish.
Next, evenly spread the taco meat over the refried beans
Top the meat with cheddar cheese.
At this point, you can either bake it right away or prepare it in advance to bake later. If baking later, cover the baking dish in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake and serve.
Bake
Once the Mexican casserole is assembled, bake it for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is bubbling (if you prepare it in advance it will take longer to bake. If all the ingredients are warm when the casserole goes in the oven, it will have a shorter baking time).
Serve
Serve the Mexican casserole warm topped with your favorite Mexican condiments like sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, homemade salsa, etc.
Store/Freeze
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or oven set to warm.
Freeze the entire casserole. You can also assemble the casserole, wrap it in plastic wrap and cover it in aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Mexican Casserole Recipe FAQS
Yes, double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13″ baking dish.
Yes, I actually created this recipe in order to use up taco leftovers! Ground beef tacos and chicken tacos can both be used with great results.
Yes! Make this sweet potato & black bean taco filling and use it in place of the ground beef.
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Mexican Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Rice layer
- ¾ cup white rice dry*
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup salsa
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
Refried beans
- 15 oz refried beans
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
Ground beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup onion finely diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- ½ cup corn
Topping
- 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×9”pan.
Cook rice:
- Bring 1 ½ cups water and ¼ tsp sea salt to a boil.
- Add rice, stir, cover and return to a boil.
- After it returns to a boil, turn the heat to simmer and simmer the rice until cooked through – 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, turn off the heat but let the rice sit on the warm burner for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Then add salsa, sour cream and cilantro and stir to combine.
Warm refried beans:
- Combine refried beans, water and taco seasoning in a small saucepan. Gently warm over medium heat until smooth.
Cook the taco meat
- Combine ground beef, onion and minced garlic in a non-stick fry pan or cast-iron skillet.
- Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the meat begins to brown and is no longer pink in the center, stirring often.*
- Once the ground beef begins to brown, add taco seasoning and stir until it’s evenly distributed.
- Add the lime juice and corn and stir to combine.
- Cook, uncovered, until the mixture is browned, stirring occasionally.
Assemble the Mexican casserole
- Spread the rice mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Carefully spread the refried beans over the rice in the baking dish.
- Evenly spread the taco meat over the refried beans
- Top with cheddar cheese.
Bake
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is bubbling (if you prepare it in advance it will take longer to bake. If all the ingredients are warm when the casserole goes in the oven, it will have a shorter baking time).
- Serve warm topped with fresh cilantro, guacamole, etc.
Video
Notes
- Rice. You can use leftover cilantro lime rice, or leftover cooked white rice to make this recipe. You can also substitute brown rice, just keep in mind it takes about twice as long to cook.
- Refried beans. if desired, skip the can and make your own refried black beans.
- Ground beef. I suggest using homemade taco seasoning, however store bought is great in a pinch. Use leftover ground beef tacos or chicken tacos if desired instead of coking the meat fresh for this recipe.
- Cheddar cheese. use your favorite cheese, some suggestions include Mexican blend, cheddar, etc. Use a block of cheese and shred it instead of purchasing pre-shredded cheese because it melts better.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe!! My husband loved it! I’ll definitely be making this again!! Thank You!!!
Thank you so much Kristine!
Super super good! I would do more meat than the recipe calls for – it’s a little disproportionate to the rice in my opinion
I am an “old” cook! (82yo.)Your recipes are so fun to think about, prepare and serve. The entire process is exciting! Your cooking columns are the complete package. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much Karole!