Tex-Mex Cheesy Rice Casserole

Tex-Mex Cheesy Rice Casserole is a flavorful and delicious dinner that pairs nicely with a bottle of White Zinfandel.  This is a sponsored post in partnership with Sutter Home Family Vineyards. 

Every once in a while it is really nice to open a bottle of wine with dinner, especially after a hectic day.  I will admit that I have had trouble in the past pairing wine and food together.  This Sutter Home White Zinfandel pairs perfectly with spicy Mexican dishes.

If I had to choose only one type of cuisine to eat from now on, it would definitely be Mexican, I crave it all the time.  My favorite way to spice up a Mexican dish is with poblano peppers.  They have a little kick without setting me on fire but still add a terrific amount of flavor to the dish.

I have to say that one of the best perks of my job is occasionally receiving a bottle or two of wine to try out.  The wines from Sutter Home Family Vineyards are always on my list of favorites.  My husband tends to prefer the deeper flavors of red wine but I much prefer the lighter, crisp flavors of a white zinfandel.  It was just the ticket to balance out the spicy casserole.

This Tex-Mex Cheesy Rice Casserole was easy to prepare and perfect on a weeknight.  It uses common pantry ingredients and was a big hit with the family.  We generally have an abundance of ground beef in the freezer and I’m always on the lookout for something new and different.  This casserole will definitely be happening again soon.  My husband and I both thought  it was delicious with the Sutter Home White Zinfandel.

Be sure to check out all of the fabulous dinner and wine pairings from my Virtual Potluck partners:  Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine, Cookistry and 30AEats.

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Yield: 6

Tex-Mex Cheesy Rice Casserole

Print

A delicious

Prep Time 10 minutes

Inactive Time 1 hour 39 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 poblano pepper, sliced into quarters, seeds removed
• 1 onion, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese, divided use
• 1 15 oz seasoned black beans (or plain, rinsed and drained)
• 4 cups cooked rice
• cilantro, lime, avocado, fresh tomatoes, and sour cream for garnish

Instructions

1. Add ground beef to a skillet and season with salt. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up and stirring to brown. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Add poblano pepper and onion to a small baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until peppers and onions soften. Remove to a cutting board and cool slightly. Dice vegetables.
4. Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees.
5. Place butter into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Whisk in minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Whisk in flour, salt and ground chipotle. Cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Add milk, sour cream and 2 cups of shredded cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce has thickened. Stir in peppers, onions.
6. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
7. Add ground beef, black beans and rice to baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over and stir to until well combined. Top with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until mixture is heated through and cheese is melted.
9. Serve with cilantro, lime, avocado, fresh tomatoes and sour cream.