Mexican Ground Beef Casserole

Mexican Ground Beef Casserole has quickly become one of our family favorites and I can guarantee it will be yours too. An easy dinner recipe using browned ground beef, beans, rice and spices for a one dish meal that is out of this world!

 

I find that Mexican food is the ultimate comfort food. Warm flavors with lots of cheese. Make that into a casserole dish and you’ve got pure magic.

My readers always seem to be looking for new ways to use ground beef beyond meatballs, tacos and meatloaf. It is a hearty protein and easy on the wallet. Mexican ground beef recipes, to be specific.

Why You’ll Love This Mexican Ground Beef Casserole

Warm ground beef perfectly seasoned and mixed with your favorite taco ingredients- what’s not to love!

• Dinner is ready in a flash – When you’re looking for a meal that’s easy to whip up with simple ingredients, this tasty Mexican ground beef casserole is it.
• Great for picky eaters – This ultimate Mexican casserole is loved by both kids and adults, making it a winner with the whole family every time.
• So many topping ideas – You can easily modify this recipe to fit your family’s needs- especially if you have a picky eater.
• No need to turn on the oven – This casserole with it’s many layers of deliciousness cooks right on the stove- no oven or baking dish required!

Ingredients

All of these simple ingredients can be found at your local grocery store.

• Ground beef – I like to use a lean ground beef for this easy mexican casserole recipe. A 90/10 mix is a safe bet.
• Vegetable oil – We just need a little bit of oil to prevent the meat from sticking to the pan. Especially because the fat content in the meat is so low.
• Taco seasoning – Feel free to buy the store bought packet. But you can also make your own homemade taco seasoning.
• Kosher salt – Different salts measure differently, so be sure to keep that in mind if using something other than Kosher salt.
• White onion – If you have a picky eater, you can leave this out. But it adds great flavor to the meat mixture.
• Chicken stock – I always prefer to use low sodium, but that is optional. You can also use chicken broth if that’s what you have on hand.
• Jasmine rice – Plain white rice can also work well here, just use a long grain rice variety.
• Black beans – If using from a can, make sure they are rinsed and drained.
• Fire roasted diced tomatoes – You can easily find these in a can. They add a little bit of a kick to the casserole.
• Green chiles – Green chiles add a nice overall flavor and some color.
• Hot sauce – I like to add a little heat. Use your favorite brand, or omit if you don’t want the added spice.
• Frozen corn – I like using sweet corn, but feel free to use canned or fresh if that’s what you have on hand.
• Colby jack cheese – shredding your own cheese is much preferred. Pre-shredded cheese has an additive that prevents it from melting well.

I garnished with avocado, sour cream and scallions for a colorful one dish meal. Hubby and I ate Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole for the next 3 meals and ended up making another double batch the next week to take for lunches!

How to Make Mexican Ground Beef Casserole

You are going to love how easy it is to make one of my favorite Mexican recipes.

1. Cook beef. In a skillet or cast iron pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add ground beef, breaking up pieces as it cooks. Cook until there is no pink and it is nicely browned.
2. Add seasonings and onion. Add taco seasoning, kosher salt and diced white onion, continue to cook for an additional couple minutes. 
3. Remaining ingredients. Add chicken stock, jasmine rice, drained and rinsed black beans, diced tomatoes with juice, green chiles and hot sauce, toss to combine. 
4. Cover and cook. Cover and allow to bake. Stir half way through to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. 
5. Add corn. When nearly done, add frozen corn, cook for an additional couple minutes. 
6. Add cheese. Toss with colby jack cheese. 
7. Add toppings. Serve with optional garnishes including sour cream, scallions, avocado and cilantro.

What to Serve with Mexican Ground Beef Casserole

This is one of our favorite dinners to make on busy weeknights. It’s a great recipe because you can customize it or serve it however you’d like to.

We usually eat this casserole as is, but you can serve it with tortilla chips for serving, or even add it to flour tortillas to make them into tacos.

Because the casserole already has both rice and beans, we don’t normally serve it with extra. But you could throw in a side of refried beans.

Favorite Toppings

Maybe the best part about this casserole is how easily you can customize it with toppings! Just about any of your favorite taco toppings would taste great on this casserole. Here are some of our favorites:

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make this Mexican ground beef casserole your own.

• Meat – Swap out the ground beef for something like ground chicken or ground turkey instead.
• Vegetables – You can throw in as many vegetables as you’d like. Bell pepper, rotel tomatoes, and black olives would all taste great in this easy casserole.
• Cheese – We like colby jack, but you could swap it out for cheddar cheese, pepper jack, monterey jack, cotija, mexican blend cheese or even a queso sauce.
• Turn into tacos – Add the ground beef mixture to corn tortillas or flour tortillas to make tacos instead of a taco casserole.
• Rice– We found white rice to work the best, but you can also use brown rice (different texture) or a Mexican rice box mix. If it comes with a seasoning packet, omit the additional salt.

Storage and Freezing

This casserole is easily stored and frozen.

How to Store Mexican Ground Beef Casserole

Just like your other favorite Mexican leftover, you can store this leftover Mexican ground beef casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for up to 3-4 days.

Can I Freeze Mexican Ground Beef Casserole

This casserole also freezes well in the freezer. Check out my tips for freezing a casserole.

More Easy Dinner Recipes

Easy dinner ideas is the name of the game at our house. Here are a few more favorites, including casserole recipes.

Before you get started, make sure you know how to properly season your cast iron and how to clean your cast iron!