Nutmeg Notebook
Easy Mexican Casserole
You know you have a hit when it’s time to clean up after the meal and the other guests ask if they can have some of the leftovers to take home with them! We were happy to share as I had doubled the recipe and it made a ton of food! This would be great Super Bowl party food. Serve it over a bed of lettuce and fajita style veggies for a Mexican bowl and top it off with the Green Chili Hummus. Serve it with corn tortilla chips for nachos with avocado or on little corn tortillas for tacos. Use as a filling for enchiladas with green sauce or red sauce. Lots of possibilities! I think you’ll like it. The recipe below is doubled so feel free to cut it in half you are feeding a small group.
Easy Vegan Mexican Casserole / Slow Cooker
- 2 cups uncooked brown rice I used long grain but next time I will try short grain
- 6 cups water
- 16 ounces tomato sauce low sodium or salt free
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 cans beans, drained and rinsed – I used 1 can black beans, 1 can pinto beans
- 1 can diced green chiles or 1-2 jalapeno peppers
- 2 cups frozen corn
- add ins:
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 jar of your favorite salsa or homemade salsa
Place all ingredients from brown rice through the corn into the slow cooker. Give it a good stir to mix together. Put lid on and set it on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Before serving stir in the fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro.
Tami’s Notes: Could add more beans, fresh onion, diced green peppers and a jalapeno pepper.
I am going to say this makes 12 servings but it could be even more! We fed 9 people using it as a side dish and had enough leftovers for everyone to take a container home. How many servings will depend on if you serve it as a main dish or side dish. I didn’t measure how many cups this made but it filled my 6 qt slow cooker about 3/4 full.
Serves: 12
Nutritional Information
Per Serving: 197 Calories, 1.1 g Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 67.6 mg Sodium, 41.7 g Carbohydrates, 7.4 g Fiber, 7.1 g Protein
Recipe adapted from My Plant Based Family.
Check out the recipe for Green Chili Hummus here.
Hi Tami, I made this casserole in the slow cooker. The taste is great! I used long grain brown rice but a little mushy even though I reduced the liquids. Have you made this with short grain brown rice? I served it with taco chips, salsa, and a salad but felt like it could use another menu item. Do you have some suggestions for a menu plan?
Hi Lynne,
You know it’s been a couple years since I have made this recipe. I do think I tried it once with short grain brown rice but I don’t remember how it turned out. I think chips salsa and salad sound wonderful. It’s one of those complete meals in one dish kind of meals. Corn bread muffins would work to serve with it. We like this recipe http://nutmegnotebook.com/2013/11/whole-grain-corn-muffins-2/ Happy Cooking, Tami
Hi Tami, Can I cook this recipe in the instant pot or on the stove? Would you know for how long? Thanks!
You probably can – I don’t know how long and I don’t have time to figure it out so what I would advise you to do ( which is what I would do) is look for a similar recipe that is cooked stove top or oven and try the time indicated for other recipes.
Hope that helps!
Hi, Tami – I just tried this recipe this past weekend and as I start to accumulate a repertoire of Go To WFPB SOS recipes, this is definitely one of them! I halved it and added a green, red, and yellow bell pepper. I’ve had it over a potato, over salad greens and simply in a bowl. The cool part is that it’s so versatile – change up the bean, vary the seasoning, etc. That’s what I love about your recipes. They’re not fussy, versatile, delicious, and most importantly are WFPB SOS. (I can trust all your recipes not to be ‘junk food’ vegan) Thank you SO much for sharing!
Hi Lynn,
I am so glad you like the recipe so much!
Happy Cooking,
Tami
I’m going to try this today. I’m out of brown rice but want to use white rice instead. How much water should I use instead?
Thank you for all your work. I love your videos.
I don’t know because I don’t cook white rice. Try doing a search on Google and I’m sure you’ll find an answer.
Happy Cooking!
Going to make this today. I have two younger kids, how hot is it? Thanks!
Hi Patricia,
You have total control over the heat by the salsa you choose to use in this recipe. That is the source of heat in this recipe so choose a very mild salsa that your children can tolerate and you should be fine!
Happy Cooking,
Tami
OMG, this was a fabulous dish along with the Green Chili Humus (added cilantro and lime juice) and Breville air fried tortilla chips.. I will be making this often – easy and delicious. Slow cook in the instant pot for an hour with white rice, pinto beans.
Hi Laura, So glad you like it!
Can this dish be frozen? It looks delicious.
I have never frozen it but I think it would work!
I am floored by how easily this comes together. The flavor is so good. I’m trying to incorporate more beans into my husband’s diet because he doesn’t care for them. But, he loves this dish. We topped it with avocado slices, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much it made also. Using leftovers, I am going to make burritos with Ezekiel tortillas.
I am glad I found you. I have your corn muffin recipe in the oven right now.
Cheers!
Hi Tammy, I a glad you found me too! I am delighted to know you and your husband like this recipe. Making burritos out of the leftovers is such a great idea.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment – it’s greatly appreciated.