This Tex Mex casserole is cheesy, tomatoey, and filling. It brings all the Tex-Mex flavors in one delicious casserole. It’s high-protein and gluten-free.

My family and I love Tex-Mex. When we don’t feel like going out, this delicious casserole brings the delicious flavors of a restaurant to our home.

Imagine each bite filled with a delicious creamy, spicy, and tangy flavor. 

What I love about this recipe is that while it may take less than an hour to make, most of the work is done in the oven. It requires very little chopping!

 I only need to sautée certain ingredients, assemble them, and wuolah!

So, next time you have a dinner party or want to impress your friends with some Tex-Mex flavor, try this recipe out.

Ingredients and Substitutes

1 lb lean ground beef – You can also use ground chicken or turkey. And, for those who want to have a vegetarian meal, you can replace it with tofu.

1/2 cup onion (diced) – While I encourage using fresh onion to add some freshness to the meal, you can also use onion flakes if you don’t feel like dicing.

2 cloves garlic (minced) – Just like the onions, you can also use garlic flakes.

1 tbsp tomato paste – If you don’t have tomato paste, you can mix tomato sauce with tomato puree or use canned tomatoes.

3/4 cup chopped tomatoes – I used canned ones, but you can make your own.

1/2 cup salsa – Try the spicy option if you would like to have an extra kick in your Tex-Mex casserole.

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed) – If you’re not as lazy as me (haha!), try using freshly cooked black beans. They have much more flavor in them.

1 cup basmati rice (cooked) – You can also use quinoa, brown rice, or even black rice.

2 cups cheddar cheese (grated) – You can also use Pepper jack, mozzarella, or Colby jack.

1/4 cup green bell pepper (diced) – Try adding red bell peppers and yellow peppers for more variety and flavor.

Salt and black pepper

How to Make Tex Mex Casserole

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare a baking. Grab a skillet and place it on medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef.

Step 2. Cook the ground beef until its brown. Make sure you break it apart while you are cooking.

This should take roughly 5-7 minutes. Once it’s cooked, add some salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the pan of all of the fats that are accumulating while cooking the beef.

Step 3. Grab a plate and place some paper towels. Transfer the beef onto it and let the paper absorb some of the moisture and fat. 

Add the diced onion to the same pan and cook until it is translucent or slightly golden brown. This should take 3-5 minutes.

Step 4. Add the garlic cloves and press them. Cooked them for a minute.

Step 5. Add in the ground beef back into the pan and sautée it with the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes. Then, add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and salsa to the skillet.

Step 6. Mix everything thoroughly until everything is well blended.

Step 7. Now it’s time to add the black beans. Make sure you drain and rinse them before doing so. Also, add in the cooked basmati rice.

Step 8. Mix all the ingredients well.

Step 9. Transfer the cooked beef with the other ingredients onto the baking dish. Make sure everything is leveled out.

Step 10. Grab the cheddar cheese and sprinkle it on top of the ground beef. Cover everything and then top up with the green peppers.

Step 11. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake it for 25 minutes. Once it’s cooked, broil it for 2-3 minutes to get that delicious golden color in the cheese. And crispen the top-up.

How to Store and Reheat

I always encourage to have this dish straight out of the oven (just make sure you let it cool down a couple of minutes before serving).

But, for those who want to save their leftovers (which I encourage), you can do so by placing them in an airtight container in the fridge.

They will last up to 3-4 days.

You can also place it in a freezer-friendly container and save it up for later. Just make sure you store it in individual portions if you are not going to eat all the leftovers at once.

You can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months! Which is always handy.

Once you are ready to eat it, let it defrost and then place it in the microwave.  Reheat it for 1-2 minutes. Even better, use the oven!

What to Serve with This Casserole

I love having this Tex-Mex casserole on its own. But, you can also serve it with other delicious sides.

Here are a few of them:

• Green salad
• Roasted vegetables
• Avocado salad
• Grilled chicken breast (for an extra protein boost)
• Pico de gallo
• Sour cream