I don’t know about you but even as much as I enjoy cooking, having to cook so much lately, due to being stuck at home, has taken some of the enjoyment out of it for me. Don’t get me wrong, I still love to be in the kitchen creating recipes or making a delicious meal for my family but sometimes I just need a mindless, easy meal with minimal steps.

For some of us, we may not have access to a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables right now but we still need to nourish our bodies in the best way possible. And a recipe doesn’t have to contain lots of steps and ingredients for the dish to be delicious. So I wanted to create a quick meal with ingredients that most already have in their pantries. I actually took a poll and the ingredients that are included in this dish was in everyone’s pantry.

I wanted to create a dish that most everyone likes. And who doesn’t like Mexican food? My husband and I eat at least one Mexican inspired dish every week. It’s the one cuisine that I never get tired of. This meal is cheap, delicious, and won’t take up much of your time. It’s also versatile. For instance, the meal would have been better with black beans but since I didn’t have black beans, I used garbanzo beans. Use whatever beans you have on hand, to get rid of those cans in your pantry. This Easy Mexican Casserole Recipe is a great clean-out-your-pantry-dish!

Easy Mexican Casserole Recipe

Easy Mexican Casserole

Print Recipe

A delicious and easy clean-out-your-pantry meal!

• Author: Jessica | The Healthy Hippie
• Prep Time: 8
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 28 minutes
• Yield: 4–6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 16oz can black beans
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 pack taco seasoning ( I use Siete Foods)
• 1 15 oz can corn (drained & rinsed)
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (drained)
• 1 4 oz can diced green chilies (optional)
• 1/2–1 cup cooked rice (optional)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1/3 cup of sharp shredded white cheddar cheese or dairy free

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a pan on medium heat, add thawed beef and cook until browned.
3. Once the beef has browned, add the pack of taco seasoning & 1/3 cup of water. Stir to coat and allow to simmer for approximately 2-3 more minutes until mixture has thickened.
4. In a large bowl, mix together canned beans, tomatoes, green chilies, and spices.
5. In a 9 inch baking dish, pour in half the bean mixture. If using rice, pour half the amount of rice you are using, then the ground beef. Then repeat once more and juice half the lime over the mixture.
6. Top with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese in melted.

Notes

* I didn’t use rice for this dish but it would be delicious with it! Use whatever rice you like and cook it al dente since you will be baking it after it is cooked.

Optional toppings: Green onion, lettuce, avocado, jalapeno, or guacamole – get my guac recipe here

If vegetarian or vegan, omit the beef & you still have a delicious, wholesome meal!