This Tex-Mex Beef Bake is a cheesy ground beef and rice casserole that tastes like taco night in scoopable form. It’s hearty, saucy, and the kind of dinner I make when I want something warm and filling without juggling a bunch of separate sides.
The flavor is straight-up taco seasoning with a little extra cumin, plus tomatoes with green chiles for that familiar Tex-Mex tang. I also really like how the rice soaks up the sauce so the casserole stays soft and creamy, not dry.
For me, this is best with classic taco toppings at the table—green onions, cilantro, sour cream, and pickled jalapeños—so everyone can fix up their own plate. It’s also a solid choice for busy weeknights because the whole thing bakes in one dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Weeknight Friendly: It’s a quick prep, straightforward bake, and dinner comes out in one pan.
Cheesy Top: The melted cheddar jack on top makes it feel like real comfort food, not just “taco stuff” stirred together.
Great Use of Leftover Rice: Cooked rice is perfect here and helps the casserole hold together in neat scoops.
Taco Night Energy: You still get all the fun toppings—sour cream, jalapeños, cilantro—without making individual tacos.
Easy to Tweak: Mild or spicy, beans or no beans, beef or turkey—you can adjust it to your kitchen and it still works.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Beef Filling
- Ground beef: I use a leaner ground beef so the filling doesn’t get greasy, but anything you like works—just drain the fat well.
- Yellow onion: Regular yellow onion is my go-to here. It softens into the sauce and gives the filling a little sweetness.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best here. Jarred minced garlic works too if that’s what you have.
- Taco seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought blend or homemade. If your mix is salty, go easy on the added salt at the end.
- Ground cumin: Don’t skip it. It gives the casserole that warm Tex-Mex flavor that makes it taste more “taco-like.”
- Diced tomatoes with green chiles: This is the shortcut that adds both tomato and a little chile heat. Mild or hot is fine.
- Black beans: I like black beans for the texture and extra protein. Rinse them well so the filling doesn’t taste canned.
- Frozen corn: Frozen corn is easy and holds its bite. Canned corn works too—just drain it.
- Tomato sauce: This makes the filling saucy enough for the rice to soak up without turning watery.
- Beef broth: A little broth loosens everything up so it simmers nicely. If you only have chicken broth, that’s fine.
- Kosher salt: I add it at the end so I can taste first. The taco seasoning and canned items can vary a lot.
- Black pepper: Just a little goes a long way here.
Bake and Toppings
- Cooking spray: A quick coat helps keep the cheesy edges from sticking to the pan.
- Cooked long grain rice: Long grain rice stays fluffy and doesn’t get mushy. This is also a great place to use leftover rice from the fridge.
- Shredded cheddar jack cheese: Cheddar jack melts really nicely and tastes right with Tex-Mex flavors. Monterey jack, cheddar, or a Mexican blend all work.
- Green onions: I like these for a little crunch and fresh onion flavor on top.
- Cilantro: Adds a fresh finish. If you’re not a cilantro person, just skip it and do extra green onions.
- Sour cream: I always serve this on the side. It cools down the spices and makes each serving creamier.
- Pickled jalapeños: My favorite topping for this bake. They cut through the richness and add a little bite.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Brown the beef: Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, then drain off any excess fat.
- Cook the onion: Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Season the beef: Stir in the taco seasoning and cumin until the beef is evenly coated.
- Simmer the filling: Add the diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until it thickens a bit, then season with salt and pepper.
- Add the rice: Stir the cooked rice into the beef mixture until it’s evenly combined.
- Fill the baking dish: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Add the cheese: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar jack over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the cheese is fully melted.
- Rest and serve: Let it rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with green onions and cilantro. Serve with sour cream and pickled jalapeños.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Drain the beef well. If there’s a lot of grease in the pan, the casserole can end up heavy and a little oily. I just tilt the skillet and spoon it out, or drain carefully.
Use rice that’s not too wet. Freshly cooked rice is fine, but if it’s very steamy and soft, let it sit for a few minutes first. Slightly cooled rice mixes in more evenly.
Keep the simmer short. Five minutes is usually enough to thicken the sauce a bit. If you simmer a long time, the filling can get too thick before it even hits the oven.
Taste before adding salt. Taco seasoning, broth, and canned tomatoes all bring different salt levels. I season at the end so it doesn’t get too salty.
Go heavier on toppings than you think. This bake is rich, so a good amount of green onions, cilantro, jalapeños, and sour cream actually makes it taste fresher.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad: A simple chopped romaine salad with tomato, cucumber, and a limey vinaigrette is really nice with this. I keep it pretty light.
- Chips and salsa: Tortilla chips with salsa or pico de gallo make an easy side, and they’re great for scooping up the casserole.
- Veggies: Roasted zucchini or sautéed bell peppers are easy and fit the Tex-Mex flavor. I usually season them with a little cumin and salt.
- Extra toppings: Add avocado, shredded lettuce, hot sauce, or crushed chips on top. Setting out a topping bar makes serving feel effortless.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm the whole dish in the oven until heated through.
You can make this recipe ahead by assembling the casserole, covering it tightly, and refrigerating it for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed, adding about 5 to 10 extra minutes since it’s going in cold.
If you want it longer-term, you can freeze it tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake until hot.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef?
Yes. Ground turkey works well, and shredded rotisserie chicken is also a good swap. If you use turkey, I like adding a small splash more broth if the filling seems a little dry.
Can I swap the rice for pasta or cauliflower rice?
Cooked pasta works fine here, especially short shapes like rotini or elbows. If you use riced cauliflower, I’d cut back the broth a bit since cauliflower tends to release moisture as it bakes.
How can I make it spicier?
Add a little chipotle in adobo (even a teaspoon goes a long way) or a pinch of cayenne when you add the taco seasoning. You can also just serve it with hot sauce and extra pickled jalapeños.
What’s the best cheese to use?
Cheddar jack is my favorite because it melts well and tastes right with taco seasoning. Monterey jack, sharp cheddar, or a Mexican blend all work, so use what you already like.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Tex-Mex Beef Bake
INGREDIENTS
Beef Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- ½ cup beef broth
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper.
Bake and Toppings
- cooking spray
- 3 cups cooked long grain rice
- 2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese
- sliced green onions for garnish
- chopped cilantro for garnish
- sour cream for serving
- pickled jalapenos for serving.
INSTRUCTIONS
Stovetop
- heat oven to 375 F and lightly coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray
- brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat until cooked through and drain excess fat
- add onion and cook until softened then stir in garlic and cook briefly
- stir in taco seasoning and cumin then add diced tomatoes with green chiles
- black beans
- corn
- tomato sauce
- and beef broth and simmer 5 minutes to thicken then season with salt and pepper.
Bake
- stir cooked rice into the beef mixture until evenly combined
- transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer
- top with shredded cheese
- bake 15 to 20 minutes until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted
- rest 5 minutes then garnish with green onions and cilantro and serve with sour cream and jalapenos.
