Skillet Mexican Brown Rice Casserole

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Skillet Mexican Brown Rice Casserole that's packed with rice, beans, corn, veggies, taco seasoning, and cheese. Easy to make and incredibly satisfying.

407 CAL 71g CARBS 8g FAT 18g PROTEIN
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This easy Mexican Skillet meal with brown rice, bell peppers, black beans, corn, and spices is easy to throw together, filling, and a satisfying one-pan meal. Serve it as a main dish, a hearty side dish, or even as a filling for tacos or burritos. 

One dish meals are just the best. Since I can be a disaster in the kitchen when it comes to using way more dishes than necessary, scaling back to making everything in one dish is a welcome reprieve from the mountain of dishes I normally stare at when I am finished cooking. Knowing that, when I started thinking about this recipe as a new meatless option, I couldn't wait to try it.

Hearty brown rice, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, corn, and some Mexican spices come together for a delicious and satisfying dish. Looking for a version with meat, try this Tex Mex Turkey Skillet recipe.

One important note about the recipe, make sure to pay attention to what kind of rice you are using and adjust accordingly. I used uncooked, raw brown rice from the bulk bins which takes about 4 cups of broth per 1 cup of rice and cooks for 30-40 minutes.

If you use a quick rice, you will need less broth and it will cook more quickly. Some other rice may take longer. Just adjust based on the cooking instructions included with the rice package.

Mexican brown rice skillet with black beans, vegetables, corn, and taco seasoning in a skillet being eaten with a fork.

Recipe Ideas and Tips

This recipe should serve as a blueprint to make all kins of Mexican casserole-style dishes. 

  • Instead of rice, make this with another whole grain like quinoa, farro, or barley. Just adjust the amount of liquid and cooking time to match that grain. 
  • If you are in a rush, you can make this with store bought taco seasoning instead of making your own.
  • For more spice, use salsa or diced tomatoes with green chilies in place of the fire roasted tomatoes. You could also use green salsa to switch up the flavor even more.
  • Exchange the black beans for pinto beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, or a mix. 
  • If you need to speed up the cooking process, consider using quick-cooking rice and frozen presliced peppers and onions.
  • If you want to add some extra protein to this dish, consider starting the dish with some ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef. You could also fold in some cooked chicken. 
  • For a vegan option, leave off the cheese or use a vegan cheese. 

What to Serve with Mexican Rice Casserole

While this is a complete meal on its own, you may want to add something on the side. 

  • Serve this with a green salad with Mexican flavors by using a cilantro salad dressing or a spicy vinaigrette.
  • Add some guacamole on the side for healthy fats and a cooling element. 
  • This can easily be turned into tacos or burritos with some corn or flour tortillas. You could also serve it in lettuce wraps.
  • Turn this into a salad by piling it on top of a bed of crunchy Romaine lettuce. 

Can I add protein?

This Mexican skillet dish works great with added protein. You can either add a protein at the start by browning some ground meat with the peppers and onions. You could also add some cooked rotisserie chicken, leftover cooked steak, or cooked shrimp. If you want to add vegetarian protein, consider adding some vegetarian crumbles, soyrizo, or tempeh.

Can I make this with white rice?

This works with white rice, brown rice, or quinoa. You just have to adjust the cooking time and amount of liquid to match the rice or grain you are cooking. You can always add a touch more liquid while it cooks if the liquid is being absorbed too quickly.

How to make this with instant or quick cooking rice?

This will also work with instant rice to speed up preparation and cooking time. You will need about half as much liquid if you make it with instant or quick cooking rice. 

Mexican rice casserole with beans, tomatoes, veggies, and melted cheese with taco seasoning and peppers.

More Mexican Skillet Meals

The Recipe
Mexican brown rice casserole with black beans, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, and spices.

Skillet Mexican Brown Rice Casserole

407 CAL 71g CARBS 8g FAT 18g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 45 Min
TOTAL TIME: 50 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 14 oz. canned fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

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Instructions

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1

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add in the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the peppers, jalapeno, corn, cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Let cook for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2

Stir in the tomato paste and brown rice. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, black beans, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and stir. Cover and turn heat down to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes until rice is fully cooked.

3

Open the cover and sprinkle cheese on top. Cover for 1-2 minutes until cheese melts. Top with cilantro.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 407
Calories from Fat 68
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g
12%
Saturated Fat 2g
11%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 7mg
2%
Sodium 1939mg
84%
Total Carbohydrate 71g
23%
Dietary Fiber 10g
43%
Sugars 10g
Protein 18g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

Notes

For a quicker meal, use quick cooking brown rice and reduce the amount of vegetable broth by half or according to package directions. Also since there are many different types of rice available, consider adjusting the amount of liquid and cooking time to match the instructions included with the rice.
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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
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