Easy Vegan Mexican Casserole With Rice

This Easy Vegan Mexican Casserole With Rice is an easy recipe for busy weeknights that the whole family will love. Mexican food is a vegan's best friend. It's usually easy to prepare with lots of veggies, beans, rice and delicious spices.

This Mexican casserole uses only one pot and takes minutes to prepare. It's great to eat on its own or used as a burrito filling.

Options

• This can be served in a bowl on it's own with some tortilla chips. Or it can be used with a wrap as a burrito filling.
• I don't add any non-dairy cheese- just my personal preference. But if you'd like to, feel free to top it with some vegan cheese. Non-vegans can add Monterey jack or cheddar cheese.
• Instead of a green pepper, use a red pepper for a little sweetness.
• You can also add some plant-based ground meat or ground beef (if you're not vegan). Add it while you're sautéing the onions.
• For a spicier meal, chop up some fresh jalapeno peppers and add them in.
• I like adding some avocado and hot sauce to my dish. You can also add vegan sour cream.

Vegan Casserole Ingredients

This recipe is made with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

• Onion - A regular yellow onion is best but use whatever kind you have.
• Green bell pepper
• Mushrooms - Fresh is best but you could always use canned if that's what you have.
• Corn kernels - I use frozen for convenience but you can also use fresh or canned.
• Green chiles - You can find these in a little 4 oz. can in most grocery stores.
• Black beans
• Diced tomatoes - I love using fire roasted.
• Vegetable broth
• White rice
• Olive oil
• Seasonings: cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, and smoked paprika

Making the Vegan Casserole

This recipe is made on the stovetop so no casserole dish is needed. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring to make sure they don't get too brown.

Next, add the spices and heat for an additional minute, stirring continuously. Add the chopped green peppers and onions to the pan and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Add the remainder of the ingredients and stir well. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir the pot occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat and scoop several tablespoons of the filling into some flour tortillas, whole wheat tortillas or corn tortillas. You can also spoon into a bowl and add your toppings (avocadoes, shredded cheese, hot sauce etc.).

Storage

Store any leftover vegan burrito casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to reheat it in the morning and pack in an insulated thermos for lunch at work.

FAQ

Can I use brown rice instead of white rice in this recipe?

I prefer white rice in this Mexican casserole, but if you want to use brown rice I'd add another ¼ cup of vegetable broth and increase the cooking time by 20-25 minutes.

Is this gluten-free?

This should be gluten-free as written (check the labels) and can be used with gluten-free tortillas.

Summary

This Easy Vegan Mexican Casserole recipe is one of my favorites to make. It takes little effort and uses simple ingredients that I always have on hand. It's very versatile and you can add different vegetables if you'd like. It's a great meal to have in your regular rotation. (If you don't have a meal rotation plan, I highly recommend making one!) I hope you love it!

Looking for other vegan dinner recipes? Check out:

• Ultimate Vegan Crock Pot Chili
• Easy Vegan Pasta Salad without Mayo
• The Best Vegan Mulligatawny Soup