EASY MEXICAN TACO CASSEROLE

 

Just in time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, this EASY MEXICAN TACO CASSEROLE makes a super fast and easy supper on a busy weeknight. It uses 2 cups of cooked Mexican Pepper Rice (recipe following) that you could prepare ahead on another day.

For this Easy Mexican Taco Casserole recipe I used a Vegan beef substitute for this casserole but you could just as well use 1 pound of lean ground grass fed beef, ground organic chicken or turkey if desired.

To make this as part of a Cinco de Mayo celebration, start with some simple “make your own tacos” that guests can assemble themselves (see picture) and make sure you add a Margarita punch to add to the festivities. You can make it virgin for the family and serve some tequila on the side for adults to “party the punch”.

EASY MEXICAN TACO CASSEROLE

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound ground vegan beef (or substitutes your choice here)

½ Spanish onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/3 cup Corn Niblets

1/3 cup Red and Green Peppers

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 package organic taco seasoning

½ cup Black Bean salsa

2 cups *Mexican Pepper Rice

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 Prepare Mexican Pepper Rice and set aside. Meanwhile, in Olive Oil, brown ground beef (see choice options above), chopped onion, peppers and garlic until onion is caramelized and beef (chicken, turkey) loses any pinkness. Add Taco Seasoning and 1/3 cup of water. Stir in corn niblets until everything is well combined and heat for another minute or 2.

Put beef mixture in a 2 cup casserole dish and stir in the Black Bean Salsa until just combined. Top with 2 cups of *Mexican Pepper Rice. Cover casserole and heat for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with additional salsa

 

Mexican Pepper Rice

 

 

This recipe makes enough for 6 people. It can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd. The way I look at it, if you are going to go to the effort to make a special side dish, you might as well to have leftovers to get create with.

 

For my daughter’s birthday dinner I doubled this recipe and had enough left over to make my Easy Mexican Taco Casserole the next day. 

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups long grain basmati rice
• 1/4 cup oil extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic , minced
• 1/4 medium Spanish onion , finely diced
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 2 chicken or vegetable bouillon packages
• 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 1 yellow pepper , diced
• 1/2 cup peas (frozen or fresh)
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 2 tbsp. chopped jalapeño chilies
• 1 fresh tomato , diced

Method

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the rice and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly golden brown all over (takes about 10 minutes).

Add tomato sauce, garlic, jalapeño chilies and diced onion to the pan. Stir. Add the chicken bouillon packets, salt, yellow pepper, peas, and water

Cook, stirring until bouillon packet is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes or until the water is completely absorbed.  Remove from heat and top fresh chopped tomato.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before fluffing lightly with a fork.

If you enjoyed this recipe and would like more casseroles like this one check out my cookbooks in the LiveWell Shop

Enjoy Cinco de Mayo .  Arriba, Arriba, bring on the Margaritas!!