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    Home » Casserole

    Tex Mex Rice Casserole

    Published: Sep 13, 2022 by Richa 29 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    This Tex Mex Rice Casserole makes for a delicious one-pan meal! It’s family-friendly, budget-friendly, gluten-free, packed with simple and easily modifiable ingredients! Also perfect for meal prep. Nutfree Soyfree

    a plate with tex mex rice casserole topped with green onions and pickled jalapenos

    Are we ready for an easy yet delish casserole dish? I hope so because I have a good one for you. An easy Vegan Tex Mex Rice Casserole with lots of Tex-mex flavor like chipotle chili and cumin. This is a comforting and not too spicy Mexican-inspired dinner that is perfect on any weekday and leftovers make for a great lunch the next day.

    I make this Tex-Mex rice casserole all the time because it feeds the whole family, is super flavorful, and the ingredients are fairly budget-friendly. It’s kind of one pot dish, but instead of on the stove you put your ingredients into a casserole dish and pop it into the oven.

    overhead shot of a simple Vegan Tex Mex Rice Casserole
    You can’t really mess this up! Casserole dishes are very forgiving and you can tweak this one your own taste. Add some corn or chickpeas instead of beans or add some green beans.

    Serve this deliciously flavorful rice casserole dish at dinnertime tonight! The whole family will love trying this cheesy Tex-Mex Rice Casserole.

    vegan tex mex rice casserole in a white casserole dish sprinkled with cilantro

    More Mexican recipes:

    Mexican Egg Casserole

    Mexican Street Corn Salad

    Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix

    Quesadilla with Walnut Taco Meat

    Cauliflower Taco Meat; 1 Pan 

    Print Recipe
    4.94 from 16 votes

    Vegan Tex Mex Rice Casserole

    This Tex Mex Rice Casserole makes for a delicious one-pan meal your whole family will love! It’s family-friendly, budget-friendly, gluten-free, packed with simple and easily modifiable ingredients! Also perfect for meal prep. Gluten-free nutfree soyfree
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time40 mins
    Total Time55 mins
    Course: dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: tex mex casserole, vegan rice casserole
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 302kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons oil
    • 1 cup (160 g) chopped onion
    • ½ cup (75 g) of chopped red bell pepper
    • ½ cup (75 g) chopped green pepper
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 3/4 cup (92.5 g) of washed and soaked white rice , I use white basmati rice soaked for 10 mins then drained
    • 1/4 cup (45 g) of dried red lentils or split red lentils
    • 1 cup (170 g) cooked black beans or use entire 15 ounce can or 1 1/4 cups cooked
    • 2 teaspoons chili powder blend of choice less or more to preference
    • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper flakes or powder
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes omit if you want less heat
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 2 teaspoons hot sauce or use 3 teaspoons for spicier
    • 14 ounce (395 g) can of diced tomato or use 1 to 1 ½ cups of salsa or tomato pasta sauce of choice
    • ½ teaspoon salt , less or more based on salt content of the liquid used
    • 1 3/4 cups (414.03 ml) water or veggie broth 2 cups if the tomatoes or salsa is less moist

    To top the casserole:

    • ½ cup vegan cheddar cheese or other cheese of choice
    • 2 tablespoons sliced pickled jalapeno
    • Cilantro, green onion and lemon juice for garnish
    • tortilla chips for serving

    Instructions

    • In a 9x11 or similar sized baking dish brush the 1 teaspoon oil on the baking dish then add the onion, bell peppers, cumin, bay leaves and salt. Mix well then drizzle the remaining oil on top and mix lightly again.
    • Then bake at 400F (205C) for 9-12 minutes or until mixture is starting to get golden.
    • Remove the dish from the oven then add in the spices and tomatoes and mix in, then add the rest of the ingredients, drained rice and mix really well with the spatula. Cover with foil or parchment or a clean baking dish and put it back to bake for 30-35 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven, take off the sheet or the foil. Fluff the rice a little bit then top it with cheese, pickled jalapeno and put back in oven for the cheese to melt. You can also add some fresh jalapeño or serrano pepper slices. Broil it for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted.
    • Then take it out of the oven, garnish with cilantro, green onion, lime juice and serve.
    • Serve as it is or you can serve it with salsa or guacamole and some tortilla chips

    Notes

    To make this with quinoa : wash the quinoa and add to the casserole. Check at the 30 minute mark if the quinoa is cooked through, else continue to bake for another 10 mins 
    To make this with brown rice: wash and soak the brown rice for 15 mins then drain and use. Bake for 45 minutes then check of the brown rice is cooked, continue to bake for longer until cooked to preference. 
    Vegan cheese options: you can use store bought cheese or use  my liquid mozzarella here. For a cheddar flavor, add 1 teaspoon tomato paste and 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard and blend.
    To double: double everything, but use 3 to 3.5 cups water depending on liquid content of the tomatoes or salsa etc and also use a bigger baking dish.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Tex Mex Rice Casserole
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 302 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 678mg29%
    Potassium 767mg22%
    Carbohydrates 52g17%
    Fiber 12g50%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 11g22%
    Vitamin A 1536IU31%
    Vitamin C 51mg62%
    Calcium 84mg8%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Ingredients:

    • chopped onions and bell pepper are baked with cumin and bay leaves to get the flavors started
    • the rice is added uncooked – but make sure to wash and soak it
    • I added dried red lentils for more protein – if you use a different kind of lentil, cooking time will vary
    • I added some cooked black beans
    • spices: I like a blend of chili powder, chipotle pepper flakes, red pepper flakes, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and oregano
    •  hot sauce for spicier
    •  diced tomato or use 1 to 1 ½ cups of salsa or tomato pasta sauce of choice
    • I top my casserole with vegan cheddar cheese but any other cheese of choice works
    • sliced pickled jalapenos are another delicious addition
    • for a touch of color, sprinkle some cilantro and/or green onions on top

    Tips:

    • As for sides, I usually serve this with tortilla chips but a green salad is also an excellent choice
    • If you want add some canned corn as well
    • If you find that your rice isn’t cooked through all the way after the baking time is  up or something isn’t cooked through completely, just keep the casserole  in the oven a little longer

     

    ingredients for vegan Mexican Tex Mex Casserole on a marble countertop

    How to Make Vegan Tex Mex Rice Casserole

    chopped onions and bell pepper in a white casserole dish

    In a 9×11 or similar sized baking dish brush the 1 teaspoon oil on the baking dish then add the onion, bell peppers, cumin, bay leaves and salt. Mix well then drizzle the remaining oil on top and mix lightly again.

    chopped bell pepper and onion with spices and bay leaves in a white casserole dish

     

    sauteed chopped onion and bell pepper in a white casserole dish


    Then bake at 400F (205C) for 9-11 minutes or until mixture is starting to get golden.

    baked chopped bell pepper and onions in a white casserole dish

    Remove the dish from the oven then add in the spices and tomatoes and mix in.

    tomato paste being added into a casserole dish with minced sauteed bell pepper onion and spices

    toasted minced bell pepper and onion in tomato puree

    Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix really well with the spatula. Cover with foil or parchment or a clean baking dish and put it back to bake for 30-35 minutes.

    ingredients for Tex Mex rice casserole in a white casserole dish

    Remove from the oven, take out the sheet or the foil. Fluff the rice a little bit then top it with cheese, pickled jalapeno and put back in oven for the cheese to melt.

    You can broil it for a minute or two until the cheese has melted.

    Tex Mex Rice Casserole ready for baking

    freshly baked Tex Mex Rice Casserole in a casserole dish

    Tex Mex Rice Casserole sprinkled with vegan cheese

    vegan Tex Mex rice casserole with jalapeno and vegan cheese

    Then take it out of the oven, garnish with cilantro, green onion, lime juice and serve.

    Serve as it is or you can serve it with more jalapeno or salsa and guacamole and some tortilla chips.

    storage;

    Refrigerate for upto 3 days.

    vegan Tex Mex rice casserole sprinkled with cilantro and green onion

     

     

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Kaye

      January 23, 2023 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      this tastes great,lots of flavour, used 1 cup salsa and 1/2 cup tomato puree,which I had opened in the fridge. Really easy to prepare. Love it. Thanks for a great recipe,

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 26, 2023 at 12:51 pm

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    2. Judy

      January 05, 2023 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      My husband and I loved this dish! It makes four generous servings (we got six), and the leftovers were as delicious as the first serving.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 06, 2023 at 12:28 pm

        Fantastic!

        Reply
    3. sandy

      December 05, 2022 at 8:42 pm

      5 stars
      This was soooo good, and so easy! It makes the house smell wonderful while it’s cooking too.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 07, 2022 at 11:31 am

        Yes I love the smell, too! Glad you enjoy.

        Reply
    4. Sue

      October 02, 2022 at 7:55 am

      5 stars
      made this again, but with barley and extra broth. It had a nice chew. It’s such a delicious and versatile recipe!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        October 02, 2022 at 5:56 pm

        Sounds hearty and delicious.

        Reply
    5. Shelly

      September 22, 2022 at 2:21 pm

      5 stars
      Made this as directed. So yummy! I really enjoy these low fat/low calorie vegan recipes. Thanks a lot!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 23, 2022 at 5:44 pm

        Great to hear.

        Reply
    6. Christina

      September 19, 2022 at 5:29 pm

      5 stars
      This is so delicious! I made it with brown rice tonight and will try it with quinoa next time. Thanks for another great recipe, Richa!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 22, 2022 at 9:30 am

        Thank you – will be great with quinoa also.

        Reply
    7. Stephanie

      September 16, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      4 stars
      I’m still giving it a 4 star because I think it would be really good. The recipe version I printed called for 1/2 cup rice and 2 cups water/ broth, it felt like a lot to me but I trusted the process. After cooking for 45min and now starving, it’s liquid not chili liquid but runny soup. I double check my recipe and then came here to see comments only to see the recipe was changed to use more rice and less water so I do believe it’ll be a fantastic recipe with the new updates. I’m currently trying to save my batch by cooking with the lid off to evaporate some liquid (taste amazing though). Note to self: don’t try new recipes when already hungry haha.

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 16, 2022 at 7:46 pm

        Mine always cooks out with the original measurement. Might be the brand of rice or lentils or extra moisture in diced tomato diff brands at play, that’s why I remade it yest evening and updated the amounts

        Reply
    8. LANI

      September 16, 2022 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      Well, you can mess the recipe up..I think the calculator is doing it. I did exactly what the recipe stated for 6 servings but although it tasted good it was really soupy . If one is increasing a recipe, should I ignore the increase in broth? Was the diced tomatoes supposed to be drained…?

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 16, 2022 at 5:20 pm

        The widget just doubles or multiplies everhthjng. See recipe notes where it says to use less liquid than doubled. ESP since tomatoes etc also have a lot of liquid going in. Use 1.5 times water instead of double. The soupy casserole would be like thick chili so serve with bread

        Reply
        • lani

          September 16, 2022 at 5:49 pm

          I am mortified that I didn’t read the recipe thoroughly…Thank you thank you

          Reply
          • Lani

            September 16, 2022 at 5:52 pm

            interesting..I just saw that when I printed out the recipe to use, it omitted the information in the notes about the doubling…It went right from vegan cheese options to the nutritional information.

            Reply
          • Richa

            September 16, 2022 at 9:02 pm

            I added that later. Brands of rice and tomatoes , pan size etc can cause more liquid left, so added info on doubling witb less liquid

            Reply
    9. Sue

      September 16, 2022 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      The flavors of this dish are outstanding. So simple and so comforting. Thanks so much Richa!

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 16, 2022 at 5:20 pm

        Yay!

        Reply
    10. Joan Callaway

      September 16, 2022 at 6:17 am

      5 stars
      I made this last night with brown basmati rice (baked for 45 minutes per instructions), and it came out perfectly. I made the liquid mozzarella recipe (with suggested additions of tomato paste, mustard, and nutritional yeast). It was perfect on top and helped balance the heat (I intentionally made it fairly spicy). A lovely contrast of heat and cool.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 19, 2022 at 11:35 am

        Perfect; thank you Joan.

        Reply
    11. Diane Barber

      September 15, 2022 at 12:56 am

      5 stars
      Made this tonight for dinner . It is yet another fantastic recipe ! I did make it the way it worked for me . I cooked the onions , bell peppers and bay leaves on the stove for 7 minutes. I added the cumin in with the other spices . I bloomed them for a minute and added the tomatoes and cooked them for another 2 minutes . Then I added everything else to the pan and gave it a good stir . I brought it to a simmer before putting the mixture in the dish for the oven . I used 2 teaspoons of hot sauce and baked for 30 minutes . I fluffed up the perfectly done rice and added cheddar cheese on top and broiled it until the cheese was bubbly and there were delicious crunchy bits of rice . I used cheese because we are not completely vegan … yet ! 😋

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 15, 2022 at 2:11 pm

        Yumm

        Reply
    12. Pat

      September 13, 2022 at 6:38 am

      This looks great. I only eat brown rice. How would I alter the recipe to accommodate that change please?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 13, 2022 at 2:54 pm

        Sure – just see how in the Notes section.

        Reply
    13. Guni Dalal

      September 13, 2022 at 6:15 am

      I am absolutely making this today. Have almost every ingredient already on hand. I’ll report back.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 13, 2022 at 2:53 pm

        Please do and enjoy.

        Reply

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