10 minutes of active cook time on your part, with simple pantry staple ingredients, and this amazing casserole full of Mexican flavors happens. And did you hear one skillet? Yup music to my ears, for easy clean up later. Moreover, this Mexican casserole is extremely versatile and customizable. It can take different forms with whatever things you add, depending on whatever your heart fancies that day. Get ready for a new Taco Tuesday with this Taco Casserole, aka One Skillet Mexican Casserole… Yes, you can call it Taco Casserole or Mexican Rice Casserole or Taco Tuesday Casserole… 🙂 However you address it, it’s cheesy and gooey, jam packed with all the Mexican staples like corn, salsa, black beans and plenty of their earthy spices. We often make our Taco Skillet for our get togethers, but this time decided to make a complete meal out of our favorite dish. Just throw in some rice and you have a one pot meal ready in no time. The secret is to use your own homemade taco seasoning. It’s super easy, and most of the ingredients is already in your pantry. Mix in a bowl and it’s ready to throw in a pot. No more of that artificial tasting, loaded with salt, store bought taco seasoning. Trust me, homemade is way to good taste. Saying that, the rest is easy..

Ingredients for Mexican Casserole

Ground meat – We used ground beef, but you can use any of your available ground meats. Ground chicken, ground turkey or even ground pork will work great here. Garlic – Always fresh. Bell peppers – We use all different colors. Corn – Today we used frozen corn, but you can use fresh or canned. Salsa – Any of your favorite varieties. Black beans – Drained and rinsed. Uncooked rice Taco seasoning – See recipe card for exact amounts for how to make easy homemade taco seasoning. Cheese Beef broth Oil

How to make One Skillet Mexican Casserole

Since you want this to be a one pot meal, use any skillet that you can bake directly in the oven. We love our big cast iron skillet for one pot recipes like this, that start on stove top and end up baking in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add in ground beef and cook, breaking it with a spatula till brown. Add in garlic and diced bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes. (You can use diced onions along with bell peppers, but for my onion phobic husband, we avoid it when we can). Stir in taco seasoning and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in corn, salsa, uncooked rice, black beans, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, and beef broth. Combine well. Top it with the rest of the cheese and bake it covered for 25-30 minutes, or till rice is cooked. While it’s cooking, check out our collection of favorite Mexican Recipes! Uncover and cook till cheese is melty all over. That’s it… cooking can’t get easier than that. Simply dig in with some tortilla chips if handy, or it’s so comforting and fulfilling on its own.

Variations

  1. As mentioned earlier, use different ground meats. Ground chicken or turkey would make this a healthier Mexican dinner option.
  2. Make it with leftover rotisserie chicken instead of ground beef.
  3. Don’t have salsa? No problem, just use a can of diced tomatoes or Rotel.
  4. Instead of rice, layer it with tortillas to convert it into Mexican style lasagna.
  5. Try other beans like pinto beans or red kidney beans instead of black beans.
  6. Make a veggie version. Skip the meat and load it up with other veggies like diced carrots, green beans, zucchini, mushrooms and bell peppers. There is absolutely so much to do with this simple Mexican casserole concept. Your imagination and whatever is available in your kitchen is the key here.

Can you make it on stovetop?

Absolutely. Once the casserole is assembled, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Leftovers and Storage

This casserole freezes and refrigerates well. Make a huge batch and it’s a great idea for meal prep. Simply store it in airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheat in the microwave when ready to eat. You can freeze this in an airtight container for a couple of months for easy future ready made meals. When craving for Mexican flavors, try this easy one pot meal for your whole family. I am sure they will dig in with happy smiles. How can they not, when there is something that cheesy for dinner… Cook it for dinner tonight, and get ready for rave reviews!

Mexican Casserole, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other easy casserole meals!Chicken Pot Pie CasseroleTikTok Baked SpaghettiLancashire HotpotGround Turkey Baked PastaShrimp de JongheSausage Potato CasseroleJohnny Marzetti

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