Why can’t dinner be a party in and of itself? With this Fiesta Rice Bake, it’s not only a party… it’s a full-on festival! The Fiesta Rice Bake bakes up a tender bed of rice with juicy, savory beef, classic Tex-Mex veggies like onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes, and plenty of zesty, spicy flavors! Cheese is a must at any party, and this casserole delivers that as well! Let’s get the party started!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup long grain rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup red chile sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, optional, chopped, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, crumbling it as it cooks, until browned.
Step 3 –Drain the excess fat from the skillet.
Step 4 –Heat a large pot over medium-low heat.
Step 5 –Add the browned beef, the onion, the green bell pepper, the tomatoes, the water, the rice, the red chile sauce, the salt, the brown sugar, the cumin, the Worcestershire sauce, and the ground black pepper to the pot and stir to combine.
Step 6 –Simmer the beef mixture, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld together, about 30 minutes.
Step 7 –Transfer the beef mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish, pressing the beef mixture down firmly into the casserole dish using the back of a wooden spoon.
Step 8 –Sprinkle the beef mixture with the cheddar cheese.
Step 9 –Bake the beef mixture until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 10 –Garnish the rice bake with the cilantro.
Step 11 –Serve.
