This easy Ground Beef and Rice Enchilada Casserole takes the delicious flavors of classic enchiladas and combines them with ground beef and rice. This easy dinner boasts big flavors the whole family will love!
If you’ve been around The Roasted Root for a while, you’ve probably surmised that I love a great cheesy Mexican-inspired casserole.
My Ground Beef Taco Casserole, Ground Turkey Taco Casserole, and Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole with Corn Tortillas are a few fan favorites!
Why do I love casserole recipes so much?
Well to be frank, the majority of the answer is: the cheese.
Melted on the inside, slightly crispy on top with that golden brown crust, lots of cheese is what draws me in and keeps me coming back for more!
I also love the ease of preparation of casserole recipes like this, and the fact that they involve minimal easy cleanup.
Not to mention, the big, bold flavors!
If your family is into savory meals with tons of flavor, this ground beef enchilada casserole is magic.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this delicious enchilada casserole recipe.
Ground Beef and Rice Enchilada Casserole Ingredients:
Ground Beef: One of the star ingredients here, we need one to two pounds of ground beef. I use two pounds, because I like it beefy!
Pick any fat you like. Use lean ground beef (90/10 or leaner) for less fat, or fattier ground beef (85/15 or 80/20) for richer flavor.
Avocado Oil: In order to sauté the vegetables and brown the meat, we need some cooking oil. I like using avocado oil because it is ideal for cooking at high temperatures. Olive oil works too.
Onion, Fresh Garlic, Bell Pepper: Fresh veggies like yellow onion, garlic c loves, and bell peppers add a burst of vibrant flavor and freshness to the casserole.
Chili Powder: while chili powder is optional, I like adding some in for extra flavor. No worries if you don’t have any on hand. The enchilada sauce and cheese bring a great deal of flavor too. Swap it for homemade taco seasoning if you prefer.
White Rice: The best supporting actor in this feature, we need some rice to serve as the carbohydrate portion of the meal to make it balance from a nutritional standpoint.
Any kind of white rice works, including short grain or long grain rice. The white rice mustn’t be replaced with brown rice, because brown rice requires far more time to cook.
Enchilada Sauce: The reason we’re all here! Delicious red enchilada sauce is what brings classic enchilada flavor to this easy beef enchilada casserole recipe! I prefer red enchilada sauce, but green enchilada sauce works too.
Chicken Broth: Remember, we’re adding uncooked rice to this ground beef and rice casserole, so we need liquid for the rice to absorb. I use chicken stock, but beef broth or even water work great too.
Colby Jack Cheese: The real reason we’re here. Let’s just say, the cheese is everything in this casserole. It brings that rice creamy element that can’t be replaced in any other way.
I like Colby jack cheese, but any kind of cheese that melts easily works too. Just be sure to hand grate a block of cheese rather than using pre shredded cheese for the best results.
Casserole Toppings:
Pick your favorite toppings to serve this beef enchilada casserole recipe, such as avocado, a dollop of sour cream, fresh cilantro, black olives, chopped red onion, pico de gallo, green onions, or salsa.
You can also serve the casserole with tortilla chips, Spanish rice, refried beans, green salad, or any other side dishes.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Replace the ground beef with ground turkey, ground chicken, or any kind of ground meat.
- Add in some vegetables for a boost of nutrients. Baby spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini are all great options.
- Use any kind of melting cheese you enjoy, like cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, or even mozzarella cheese.
- If you must use brown rice, use 4 cups of already cooked brown rice and reduce the chicken broth to 1/2 cup. You’ll also need to bake for less time. Just until the cheese has melted, about 8-10 minutes if the rice is already warm, or 20-30 minutes if the rice is chilled.
- Add one drained can of black beans if you’re a bean fanatic!
- Looking to make enchiladas with corn tortillas or flour tortillas? Make my Carnitas Enchiladas Recipe with ground beef instead of pork.
- Use homemade enchilada sauce instead of store-bought enchilada sauce.
- Add a small can of drained black olives to the filling of this beef rice enchiladas recipe if you love them.
- Replace the fresh garlic with 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.
- Mix a small can of diced green chilies in this easy beef enchiladas recipe if you’re a big fan of green chilies.
- If you enjoy extra saucy Mexican rice casserole, add and extra cup of enchilada sauce.
- Love spicy food? Add cayenne pepper or 1 to 2 diced jalapenos or a serrano pepper.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients for ground beef enchilada casserole, let’s make it!
How to Make Ground Beef and Rice Enchilada Casserole:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and spray a large 13” x 9” casserole dish with cooking spray.
Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (I use a 12-inch skillet with a deep lip). Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and chopped bell pepper and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. If the vegetables become too brown at any point, reduce to medium heat.
Add the ground beef to the skillet with the vegetables and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to break it into small pieces while it browns.
Stir in the chili powder and season with sea salt. Continue cooking until the beef is mostly browned (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked just yet, but should be mostly cooked).
Transfer the onion and ground beef mixture to the prepared casserole dish along with the uncooked white rice. Stir everything together until the rice is evenly distributed throughout the beef mixture.
Add the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, sea salt, and half of the grated cheese to the baking dish and stir well.
Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake on the center rack of the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven and take off the aluminum foil (save the foil for storing the casserole later).
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the casserole and broil for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Serve ground beef and rich enchilada casserole with your choice of toppings, and enjoy! I recommend extra cheese, sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado, chopped tomatoes, green onions, etc.
To store leftover casserole, wrap the casserole dish with plastic wrap or use the sheet of aluminum foil you used for baking. Store this beef enchilada recipe in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If there isn’t a lot of leftover casserole, store leftovers in an airtight container.
Casserole can be frozen in a large zip lock bag, freezer bag, or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
And that’s it! The next time you’re craving an ooey gooey cheesy enchilada experience or Mexican food, whip up this simple casserole recipe!
The whole family can agree meals like ground beef enchiladas are worthy of putting on repeat. This easy dinner recipe tastes just as great as traditional enchiladas, and is fun for the entire family.
Make it a day or two in advance for easy reheating when dinner time rolls around.
If you enjoy casseroles, also try theses reader favorites:
More Casserole Recipes:
- Chicken and Spinach Breakfast Casserole with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Dairy-Free Creamy Mushroom Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole
- Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Mediterranean Breakfast Casserole
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole
Do it for the cheese!!
Ground Beef and Rice Enchilada Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 to 2 lbs ground beef*
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 cup uncooked white rice**
- 1 (15-oz) can red enchilada sauce (1 ½ cups)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ tsp sea salt to taste
- 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese grated*
For Serving (optional):
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Sour Cream
- Salsa
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and spray a large 13” x 9” casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (I use a 12-inch skillet with a deep lip). Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and chopped bell pepper and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. If the vegetables become too brown at any point, reduce to medium heat.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet with the vegetables and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to break it into small pieces while it browns. Stir in the chili powder and season with sea salt. Continue cooking until the beef is mostly browned (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked just yet, but should be mostly cooked).
- Transfer the onion and ground beef mixture to the prepared casserole dish along with the uncooked white rice. Stir everything together until the rice is evenly distributed throughout the beef mixture. Add the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, sea salt, and half of the grated cheese to the baking dish and stir well.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake on the center rack of the oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven and take off the aluminum foil (save the foil for storing the casserole later). Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the casserole and broil for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve ground beef and rich enchilada casserole with your choice of toppings, and enjoy! I recommend extra cheese, sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado, chopped tomatoes, green onions, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
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