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This cheesy Taco Rice Casserole recipe is the ultimate weeknight comfort food! Itโs loaded with seasoned ground beef, rice, beans, and gooey melted cheese, all baked together into one hearty dish. This easy family dinner casserole is perfect for busy nights, potlucks, or when youโre craving Tex-Mex flavors without a lot of effort.

Cheesy Tex-Mex Rice Casserole
If you love tacos and you love casseroles, this cheesy ground beef and rice bake gives you the best of both worlds. Tender rice absorbs the flavors as it bakes, and then itโs topped with plenty of melty cheese.
Why Youโll Love Taco Rice Casserole
- Easy Weeknight Dinner โ Minimal prep, minimal ingredients, and all-in-one casserole convenience.
- Family-Friendly โ Makes 8 servings. Tastes like tacos in casserole form.
- Customizable โ Add extra veggies, swap beans, or adjust spice level.
- Make-Ahead Friendly โ Great for meal prep or freezing.
- Versatile โ Itโs hearty enough to serve as a main dish, but also works as a party dip with chips.

This is one of those family-friendly meals thatโs easy to make, feeds a crowd, and tastes even better the next day as leftovers.
You can keep it simple or add your favorite toppings like sour cream, avocado, shredded lettuce, or tortilla chips for crunch.
Ingredients

Main Casserole
- Ground Beef โ (hamburger) or use ground turkey
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Taco Seasoning
- Rotel (Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles)
- Salsa
- Pinto Beans โ or black beans
- Long Grain White Rice
- Cream of Celery Soup (or Cream of Mushroom)
- Enchilada Sauce
- Beef Broth
Topping
- Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Tips and Variations
- Add-Ins โ Add corn, diced red bell pepper, or a can of diced green chiles.
- Rice Option โ This recipe works best with long grain white rice. If youโd like to try brown rice, just know that it usually takes longer to cook and may need extra liquid. Because I havenโt tested this variation, I canโt guarantee exact results, but if you give it a try Iโd love to hear how it works for you!
- Bean Swap โ Black beans or kidney beans can be used instead of pinto beans.
- Make it Spicy โ Use hot Rotel, spicy salsa, or pepper jack cheese.
- Meal Prep โ Assemble ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake when ready. Leftovers reheat well!
Equipment Youโll Need
- Skillet
- Large Mixing Bowl
- 13โx9โ Baking Dish
- Aluminum Foil
How to Make Taco Rice Casserole

- Prep the Dish โ Preheat oven to 375ยฐF and spray a 13โx9โ casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the Beef โ In a skillet, brown the ground beef. Drain grease, then stir in onion powder, garlic powder, taco seasoning, Rotel, and salsa.
- Mix the Casserole โ In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef mixture with pinto beans, rice, cream of celery soup, and enchilada sauce.

- Stir in beef broth until well mixed. Pour mixture into the prepared dish.

- Bake Covered โ cover tightly with foil, and bake for 50โ60 minutes, or until rice is tender.

- Add Cheese โ Remove foil, stir casserole, and top with shredded cheddar cheese.

- Return to oven for 5โ10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve & Enjoy โ Serve warm as a main dish or scoop with tortilla chips as a party dip. Add your favorite toppings like sour cream, avocado slices, lettuce, green onions, or crushed tortilla chips.

Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator โ Store leftover Taco Rice Casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer โ Wrap tightly or place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating โ Warm individual portions in the microwave, or reheat the whole casserole in a 350ยฐF oven (covered with foil) until heated through. Add a sprinkle of fresh cheese before reheating to freshen it up.

Make Ahead Tips
- Assemble Ahead โ Prepare the casserole up to the point of baking, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge while the oven preheats and add an extra 10 minutes to the bake time.
- Freeze Before Baking โ You can also assemble, wrap well in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze unbaked. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking as directed.
- Meal Prep Portions โ Bake as directed, then portion into individual containers for grab-and-go lunches or easy reheated dinners.
More Main Dish Rice Recipes
Ham and Broccoli Rice Casserole
Instant Pot Dirty Rice
Hamburger Rice Casserole
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Instant Pot Jambalaya

If you make this tasty taco hamburger rice bake, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating. I’d love to hear from you!

Taco Rice Casserole
Equipment
- Skillet
- Large Mixing Bowl
- 13โx9โ Baking Dish
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 1-ounce packet Taco Seasoning
- 10-ounce can Rotel
- ยฝ cup Salsa
- 1 15-ounce can Pinto Beans
- 1 cup Long Grain White Rice
- 1 10-ounce can Cream of Celery (or Cream of Mushroom)
- ยฝ cup Enchilada Sauce
- 1 ยฝ cups Beef Broth
Topping
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Instructions
Prep
- Spray a 13โx9โ baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375ยฐF.
Brown the Beef
- In a skillet, brown the ground beef and drain the grease. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, taco seasoning, Rotel, and salsa. Stir well.
Make the Casserole
- To a large bowl, add the ground beef mixture, pinto beans, rice, cream of celery soup, and enchilada sauce. Mix together well.
- Stir in the beef broth
- Pour the mixture into the casserole dish.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil.
Bake
- Bake the casserole for 50-60 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
Add Cheese Topping
- Remove the foil, stir the casserole well.
- Top the casserole with the shredded cheese and put back in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Serve
- Serve as a main dish, or use as a dip for tortilla chips.
- Top with salsa, sour cream, avocado slices, lettuce, green onions, or crushed tortilla chips.
Notes
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator โ Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer โ Wrap tightly or place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating โ Warm individual portions in the microwave, or reheat the whole casserole in a 350ยฐF oven (covered with foil) until hot all the way through. Add a sprinkle of fresh cheese before reheating to freshen it up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

This hamburger Taco Rice Casserole is sometimes called a cheesy taco rice bake or even a Mexican rice casserole with ground beef, since it has all the classic Tex-Mex flavors baked together in one dish. You might also hear it described as a beef and rice taco bake or a cheesy ground beef and rice casserole. No matter what you call it, this easy recipe is a hearty, rice and beef casserole with cheese that is family-friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights.