You know those dinners that just work? The ones you make when you’re tired, maybe a little hangry, and don’t want to deal with a pile of dishes after? This One Pot Mexican Rice Casserole is exactly that. It’s simple, cozy, and full of flavor—basically a Tex-Mex hug in a bowl. I’ve been making some version of this for years. Ground beef, rice, beans, corn, salsa… all the usual suspects. It all cooks in the same big pan, and by the time the cheese melts on top, the house smells amazing and everyone’s wandering into the kitchen asking what’s for dinner.
You can make it your own, too. Swap the beef for ground turkey or even skip the meat and toss in more beans and veggies. I’ve thrown in chopped zucchini, bell peppers, even leftover rotisserie chicken when I needed to use it up. It always turns out.
If you’ve got a night coming up where you just need dinner to be easy and good and done in one pot—this is the one to try.

Why I Keep Making This One-Pot Mexican Rice Casserole

I threw this together one night when we were all starving and I didn’t feel like doing dishes. It’s become one of those meals I rely on when I need something fast and filling that doesn’t feel like fast food.

Only One Pan to Clean – Everything cooks in the same skillet, so once it’s done, there’s hardly anything to wash. That alone makes it a keeper.
Seriously Flavorful – You’ve got seasoned beef, rice, spices, and cheese all working together. It’s one of those “everyone at the table stays quiet” kind of meals.
Quick and Easy – Takes around 30 minutes, start to finish. No fancy steps. Just simple, solid food that gets the job done.
Make It How You Like It – Sometimes I toss in corn or bell peppers if they’re in the fridge. A little hot sauce or sour cream on top doesn’t hurt either. It’s easy to adjust to what you’ve got or how spicy you like it.

Key Ingredients:

Every one of the ingredients here adds to both the flavor and the texture of this comforting casserole. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Ground Beef: For the ground beef, go with lean (80–90%) to eliminate a lot of the grease. You can use ground turkey or chicken if you’d rather.

Taco Seasoning: I used a taco seasoning packet, which has all the spices you’d key in your query, but you can also make your own, with chili powder, cumin, paprika and oregano.

Long Grain White Rice: Long grain white rice fluffs up well and absorbs the flavors well. For brown rice, use longer cooking times and add more liquid as necessary.

Beef Broth: Adds to the savory flavor, but chicken or vegetable broth is fine in a pinch.

Corn: Sweetens and adds texture to the dish. Frozen, or drained canned, corn.

Tomato Sauce and Salsa: These add a saucy base and a little bit of spice. Use a salsa suitable for your spice level — mild, medium, hot.

Cheese: Cheddar or a Mexican blend cheese melts nicely and puts a nice touch on it. Monterey Jack or pepper jack would also work well — the latter if you want extra heat.

Full ingredient quantities and method available in the recipe card below

Instructions:

Cook the Beef

Brown the Meat: In a big skillet, heat up 1 pound ground beef over medium-high heat and brown.

Taste: A mix of salt and pepper.

Drain: Drain the excess grease from the skillet once the browning process is complete.

Season and Mix

Rewarm: Return the skillet to the stove.

Season the beef: Add garlic powder (1 teaspoon) and taco seasoning (1 pack) to the beef. Mix well season and coat the beef with the mix.

Add Ingredients

Mix in other components: To the pan, combine 1 cup of uncooked rice, 1 1/2 cups of beef broth, 1 cup of corn (frozen or canned and drained), 1 can (8 ounces) of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of salsa.

Combine: Just stir it all in.

Simmer

Bring to a Boil: Increase the heat a bit and bring the mixture to a boil.

Make It Boil: Check the seasonings, then turn the heat on high until the broth comes to a boil. Lower the heat to low and cover the skillet with a lid; let the rice cook for about 18-20min or until the rice is fully cooked and tender. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.

Add Cheese

Sprinkle Cheese: After preparing the rice, sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican be blended) on top of the casserole.

Melt the Cheese: Cover again and let it melt, about 2-3 minutes.

Serve

Serve hot: When the cheese has melted (it will also be hot, of course), the casserole is done. Serve it hot from the skillet and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

This casserole is both wonderful and hearty enough on its own, but here are some sides and toppings that will push it toward over-the-top:

Tortilla chips: Make your casserole crunchier or help shovel it in with tortilla chips on the side.

Guacamole: A dollop of guacamole adds creaminess and a cool counterpoint to the warm casserole.

Mexican Street Corn: As a side dish, Mexican street corn (or elote) would be a great match.

Salad: A crunchy side salad of lettuce, tomatoes and avocado cuts through the richness of the casserole.

Toppings: You can get creative with sour cream, chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, chopped jalapeños or sliced black olives.

Storage and Reheating Tips:

Leftovers never have tasted so good as found in this Mexican Rice Cabbage Casserole!

Fridge: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to eat within 3 days.

Freezing: This casserole freezes well. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat.

To reheat: In a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water if you need it. Or microwave individual servings on medium power until hot throughout.

Variations to Try:

Make this casserole a few different ways to make it your own:

Spicy Kick: If you like things a little spicier, add diced jalapeños or a splash of hot sauce.

Vegetarian Version: Substitute the ground beef with black beans, and use vegetable broth for a hearty vegetarian option.

Add Bell Peppers: Diced bell peppers will give your dish some color, flavor, just sauté along with the onions.

Chicken: Substitute precooked, shredded chicken for ground beef and beef broth for chicken broth for a lighter version.

Taco Bake: Add crushed tortilla chips to the top of the assembled casserole, before the layer of cheese, for extra crunch.

Creamy Up: Add a smear of sour cream or cream cheese before other shredded cheese to make it creamier.

Conclusion:

This One-Pot Mexican Rice Casserole is a great make-ahead, easy-to-make, hearty dish perfect for busy weeknights. With its punchy flavors, minimal ingredients and easy cleanup, it’s bound to make regular appearances on your dinner rotation. These seasoned beef, tender rice, and melty cheese are perfect comfort food!

Happy cooking — and may every bite be delicious!