Cheesy Taco Casserole

[nverland]

Cheesy Taco Casserole

2 cups cooked rice (cook 1 c dry rice with 2 c water for a 2 c rice yield)
1 jar salsa
Optional: 1/2 c to 1 c diced veggies such as carrots, bell peppers, olives, mushrooms, onions (whatever you’d add to tacos)
Optional: 1 can beans (red, black, pinto, etc.)
2 Tbsp taco seasoning (about 1/2 packet of commercially prepared taco seasonings, or the whole packet if you want extra taco flavor)
1 c sour cream (8 oz)
2 c shredded cheese + 1/2 c

Directions:

After cooking the rice, combine all the other ingredients with the rice in a large bowl and stir until combined. Pour mixture into a foil-lined 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 shredded cheese on top. Bake at 375F for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until cheese and the top is beginning to brown. If you added extra beans, veggies, or your salsa was watery, this could lengthen cooking time.

Allow casserole to rest and cool for about 10 minutes to make slicing easier.

Yields: 12 hearty squares of casserole from the 9 x 13 pan. Store leftovers in fridge or freeze squares in individual sized containers in the freezer for your a homemade, fast, “tv dinner”.

Notes: To make this vegan (and it’s already gluten-free)

For the sour cream, use a vegan/soy-based sour cream such as Follow Your Heart, or use a vegan/soy-based cream cheese such as Tofutti + splash of almond milk or water to thin it out.

For the shredded cheese, use a vegan cheese such as Follow Your Heart or Daiya.