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Taco Rice-A-Roni Casserole
Yield: 8 people
Taco Rice-A-Roni Casserole - the ULTIMATE Mexican casserole! Everyone cleaned their plate and went back for seconds!! Spanish Rice-A-Roni, diced tomatoes, ground beef, taco seasoning, salsa, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and shredded cheese. Great flavor and so easy to make! Top with your favorite taco toppings. Can make ahead and refrigerate or freeze for a quick meal later!
Ingredients:
Rice
- 1 (6.8-oz) box Spanish rice Rice-A-Roni
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 cups water
- 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
Taco Meat
- 1¼ lb ground beef
- 1 (1-oz) packet taco seasoning
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup salsa
Casserole
- 1 (10.5-oz) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 (8-oz) container sour cream
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- To prepare rice, melt butter in a skillet. Add rice mixture. Sauté over medium-high heat until golden brown.
- Slowly stir in water, seasoning packet, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
- While the rice is cooking, brown ground beef in another skillet. Drain. Add taco seasoning, water, and salsa. Simmer for 5 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked rice, taco meat, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and black beans.
- Spread mixture into prepared pan. Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
Notes:
- You can substitute ground turkey for ground beef.
- I used a box of Spanish Rice-A-Roni in this recipe. I tried the casserole with Mexican Rice-A-Roni and we did not like it. It has too much orzo in the mix and not enough rice to hold up in the casserole.
- Here is our recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/
- Here is our recipe for Homemade Salsa: https://www.plainchicken.com/superior-grill-salsa/
- For a spicier dish, substitute Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles for the plain diced tomatoes.
- Feel free to add fresh onions, bell peppers, and olives to the casserole.
- My favorite store-bought salsas are Mateo’s, Kyliot’s, Chi-Chi’s, and Trader Joe’s.
- Can Taco Rice-A-Roni Casserole be made in advance? Yes! You can assemble the casserole and refrigerate it overnight before baking.
- Can Taco Rice-A-Roni Casserole be frozen? Yes! Assemble the casserole and let it cool completely. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze. When ready to bake, thaw completely and bake as directed.