Mexican Cauliflower Rice Casserole Recipe

If the word casserole stirs up happy thoughts of mouthwatering aromas and savory, satisfying dinners traveling to the table in a 9 x 13, you're not alone. The classic casserole, which can be anything from a good ol' tuna casserole to something fancier like coq au vin, has been around for decades and although it may have lost some steam since the '50s, it's not going anywhere. Though the dish may have started as a way to stretch proteins with more affordable ingredients as quickly and conveniently as possible, it has become a versatile way to experiment with bold flavor and texture combinations. And it's still as convenient as ever.

This recipe for Mexican cauliflower rice casserole has all of the makings of a handy casserole — make ahead-friendly, flavor-packed, nutritious, and perfect for leftovers. It's full of hearty beans, smoky fire-roasted tomatoes, tender cauliflower rice, and creamy cheese, balanced with warm spices and fresh herbs. Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Even though I am a huge rice fan, sometimes I like the lighter aspect of using cauliflower rice. Because cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable it offers many health benefits and provides a grain-like feel in this dish."

To make this recipe, you'll need quite a bit from the produce department so start there. Pick up a small cauliflower head, onion, red pepper, garlic, and cilantro. Some options for topping the casserole are avocado, red onion, and sliced jalapeño. If you want to save a step and use pre-made cauliflower rice, pick up a bag of that.

Hit up the frozen aisle for fire-roasted corn and if you can't find it, you can make your own as shown in this charred Mexican street corn pasta salad recipe. From the canned goods area pick up black beans, pinto beans, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, and green salsa. The green salsa adds great flavor here from the tomatillos, which are the key ingredient. You can buy it jarred with the other salsas, or make your own.

Then check your pantry for avocado oil, chili powder, cumin, Mexican or regular oregano, smoked paprika, or salt. Lastly, grab some cheddar cheese and chips for serving.

Add the cauliflower to a large food processor and pulse about 10 times to break down the cauliflower into rice-sized pieces. Be careful not to over-process.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Add the oil to a large pan over medium heat.

Add the onion, red pepper, and garlic to the pan and saute for 8 minutes.

Add the riced cauliflower, corn, black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, green chiles, green salsa, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and salt to the pan. Stir to blend.

Transfer the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Add the cheese to the top of the mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

Top with cilantro and optional toppings, and serve.

This Mexican casserole is very versatile and can be enjoyed a number of ways. You can enjoy it as a complete meal by serving it in a bowl or on a plate with toppings on the side and crispy tortilla chips for scooping it up. If you want to add a side dish, a simple green salad, a Mexican kale salad, or a tangy slaw all make a nice accompaniment. For an elevated taco Tuesday, use the Mexican casserole as a taco filling by folding it into soft tortillas or hard corn taco shells. You can set up a taco toppings bar so everyone can create their preferred version. If burritos are more your thing, use the casserole as a burrito filling wrapped up in a tortilla. You can serve them as is, or add red or green enchilada sauce. 

The casserole can also be used as a base for a burrito bowl. Add chopped romaine lettuce and fresh tomatoes. For a lighter meal, add the filling to romaine or butter lettuce leaves for the ultimate lettuce cups, or stuff the filling into red or green peppers for delicious stuffed peppers.

You can absolutely use regular rice in the Mexican casserole, and it is a delicious option. There are two ways in which to do this. The first method is to add cooked white or brown rice to the mix, which is perfect if you have a leftover batch in your fridge. You'll want to add it to the baking dish in step 5 at the same time the recipe calls for you to add cauliflower rice.

If you don't have pre-cooked rice on hand, you can add uncooked white rice with only a few modifications to the recipe. Begin by preheating the oven to 375 F rather than 350 F, to ensure that the rice will cook thoroughly. You'll also need to add 3 cups of vegetable broth or water to the baking dish in step 5 when you add the uncooked rice. Instead of cooking the casserole for 20 minutes, cook for 45-50 minutes, or until all of the extra liquid has been absorbed and the rice is done. "Since brown rice takes substantially longer to cook, I don't recommend using uncooked brown rice, but adding it cooked will work fine," Hahn shares.