Mexican Vegetarian Casserole
Mexican Vegetarian Casserole is healthy and delicious at the same time. It is filled with rice, black beans, loads of veggies, and cheese. There is so much healthy goodness in this casserole and can be enjoyed by everyone. It is gluten-free and can easily be made vegan too. Isn’t it amazing?
This casserole is incredibly filling, tasty, and so easy to make…Yay!!
It is packed with protein and veggies, all in one dish. I call it my comfort food for a busy weeknight dinner!
If Mexican food sounds like a good idea in your home then definitely try this incredibly easy recipe. If you have pre-cooked rice and beans, the dish will come together in under 20 minutes.
You can use so many different combinations of veggies and white or brown rice. Any mexican style cheese or combination of mozzarella and cheddar goes pretty well in this dish.
I have used Monterey Jack cheese in the recipe. I have tried the recipe with kidney beans as well and it turned out equally delicious.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Basmati rice
- Black beans
- Vegetable stock
- Kernel corn
- EdamameÂ
- Onion
- Garlic
- Jalapeño
- Tomato
- Grape tomatoes
- Red bell pepper
- Yellow bell pepper
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Chili powder
- Cayenne powder
- Cumin powder
- Salt
- Cheese
- Olive oil
Mexican Vegetarian Casserole Step By Step Recipe
For Rice
Triple wash basmati rice/long grain rice.
In a pan, add 2 cups of vegetable stock or water, and stir in the rice. Cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes.
Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender for about 12-15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, add kernel corn, edamame, and water. Let them sit for 10 minutes and remove the water. Wash the veggies and set aside.
Rinse and dry the black beans in a colander and set aside.
For Sauteing Veggies
Heat a large pan, add some oil, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add red bell peppers, yellow peppers, and jalapeños. Sauté for 2 minutes and add diced tomatoes, corn, edamame, and black beans. Mix well and add all the spices.
Remove from the heat and add cooked rice and mix it well.
Add halved grape tomatoes, cilantro, ½ tsp lime juice, and ¾ cup cheese. Mix well.
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, spread leftover cheese, and top it with some yellow bell peppers and grape tomatoes. You can add jalapeños as well if you wish.
Preheat the oven to 400 ℉/200 ℃ and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and perfectly melted.
Broil the casserole for 1-2 minutes if you wish and serve.
Tips For Making Mexican Vegetarian Casserole
- Pre-cook your rice so the dish will come together in a shorter amount of time. Any long grain or medium rice will work well in this recipe.
- If you want to use freshly cooked black beans then soak them overnight in the water, rinse, and cook them in the pressure cooker.
Variations
- You can skip a few veggies and add different combinations such as spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, and corn. You can also add zucchini, carrots, broccoli, peppers, and green peas. Pretty much add any veggies of your choice.
- Buy pre-cut veggies for making this dish in no time.
- Simply cook the rice in plain water. Skip adding the vegetable stock.
- You can buy pre-cooked frozen rice as well.
- You can add 1.5 cup of salsa in the recipe and skip the tomatoes.
- Squeeze some lime juice while serving.
- Adjust the spice level.
- Any Mexican blend cheese goes very well in this recipe. You can add a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese as well.
How To Store Mexican Vegetarian Casserole?
This dish doesn’t dry out and stays tasting awesome and fresh for a long time – a crowd pleasing dish!
Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat them in the oven before serving.
How To Serve Mexican Vegetarian Casserole?
It’s a one pot dish, you can serve it as is or with some warm tortillas, sour cream, salsa, and chips.
You can wrap the leftovers in burritos with some avocados and lettuce.
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Recipe Card
Mexican Vegetarian Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice uncooked or 4 cups cooked rice
- 15 oz Black beans canned or 1.5 cup cooked black beans
- 2 cups Vegetable stock/Water
- 1/2 cup Kernel corn frozen
- 1/2 cup Edamame frozen and shelled
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 2-3 cloves Garlic finely chopped
- 1 large Jalapeño finely chopped
- 2 large Tomatoes diced
- 1/2 pint Grape tomatoes 1 cup, halved
- 1 medium Red bell pepper diced
- 1/2 medium Yellow bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup Cilantro chopped
- 1/2 tsp Lime juice
- 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 1/4 tsp Salt or as required
- 2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
Instructions
For Rice
- Triple wash basmati rice/long grain rice.
- In a pan, add 2 cups of vegetable stock or water, and stir in the rice. Cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender for about 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, add kernel corn, edamame, and water. Let them sit for 10 minutes and remove the water. Wash the veggies and set aside.
- Rinse and dry the black beans in a colander and set aside.
For Sauteing Veggies
- Heat a large pan, add some oil, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add red bell peppers, yellow peppers, and jalapeños. Sauté for 2 minutes and add diced tomatoes, corn, edamame, and black beans. Mix well and add all the spices.
- Remove from the heat and add cooked rice and mix it well.
- Add halved grape tomatoes, cilantro, ½ tsp lime juice, and ¾ cup cheese. Mix well.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, spread leftover cheese, and top it with some yellow bell peppers and grape tomatoes. You can add jalapeños as well if you wish.
- Preheat the oven to 400 ℉/200 ℃ and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and perfectly melted.
- Broil the casserole for 1-2 minutes if you wish and serve.
Notes
- Pre-cook your rice so the dish will come together in a shorter amount of time. Any long grain or medium rice will work well in this recipe.
- If you want to use freshly cooked black beans then soak them overnight in the water, rinse, and cook them in the pressure cooker.
- You can skip a few veggies and add different combinations such as spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, and corn. You can also add zucchini, carrots, broccoli, peppers, and green peas. Pretty much add any veggies of your choice.
- Buy pre-cut veggies for making this dish in no time.
- Simply cook the rice in plain water. Skip adding the vegetable stock.
- You can buy pre-cooked frozen rice as well.
- You can add 1.5 cup of salsa in the recipe and skip the tomatoes.
- Squeeze some lime juice while serving.
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