Description
This Twice Baked Crispy Cheesy Taco Rice Casserole is a flavorful and satisfying dish that combines the best of tacos and casseroles into one delicious meal. With layers of seasoned meat, crispy taco shells, cheesy rice, and a zesty cilantro lime ranch dressing, every bite is a burst of Tex-Mex flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Casserole:
- 1 lb ground beef, chicken, or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 8 hard shell tacos
- 1-2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup dry long grain rice
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- 1/3 cup salsa verde
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro/green onions
For the Cilantro Lime Ranch:
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped + 2 tablespoons brine
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Add butter, rice, and poblano to the skillet. Cook until the rice is toasted, then add water and salsa verde. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Line taco shells in a baking dish. Divide meat among shells and top with half the cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese melts.
- Place the baked tacos into the skillet with rice. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
- Make the ranch dressing. Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake until creamy.
- Serve the casserole topped with cilantro, avocado, and ranch dressing. Enjoy!
In a large oven-safe skillet, cook the meat and onion, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add taco seasoning and water. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, around 5 minutes. Remove 3/4 of the meat and set aside.
Notes
- Feel free to customize the filling with your favorite taco ingredients.
- You can make the taco seasoning and hard shell tacos from scratch for a more homemade touch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
