Rice-a-licious! Well, my friend requested something with rice and guacamole so I came up with this! It’s a Mexican rice dish packed with extra yumminess to make it a complete meal. It was Josh’s 3rd time eating Mexican this weekend, and I think he would continue to eat it daily if guac is involved. This dish wasn’t only loaded with veggies and beans, but also with tons of flavor. I made ours mild because Josh can’t handle the spice, but if you like things spicy you could add in a jalapeno or add more cayenne to the spice mix. It’s mixed together in a pan and then baked in the oven in a casserole dish so the top layer of rice gets a little crispy, then I topped it with fresh tomatoes, guacamole, tiny diced red onion, cilantro, and lime to add freshness. I was planning on adding salsa to the top as well, but in the end I didn’t think it needed anything else. It was seriously scrumptious!

Loaded Mexican Rice Bake

1 yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 large zucchini, quartered and diced

1 tsp minced garlic

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup Roasted Corn (frozen TJ’s)

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ground

salt and pepper to taste

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

4 cups cooked brown rice

Topping options– guacamole, fresh tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, lime

1. Preheat oven to 400* and have rice already cooked.
2. In a large saute pan, cook onions and peppers over medium heat.
3. Add in the zucchini and garlic and cook until they begin to become tender.
4. Stir in black beans and corn then add the spices and combine.
5. Pour in the tomato sauce and mix then add in the rice and combine until evenly mixed.
6. Pour into a small 9×13, not sure what size mine was but it was smaller than my normal 9×13 but same shape casserole dish.
7. Bake covered for 10-15 minutes and then uncover and turn on broil for 5ish more minutes until sides are bubbling and top is getting crispy.
8. Serve and add all the toppings your heart desires!