Bean and Rice Enchilada Casserole

Sorry, forgot to take a pic of the baked casserole.  Imagine this browned
with melty cheese on top and steam rising from the surface.

Cinco de Mayo is approaching!  I love Cinco de Mayo because it is just another excuse to make Mexican food.  Not that I need one---I actually cook a lot of Mexican.  But it’s a fun excuse to try new things.  I’m hoping to try a new Mexican beef stew this year.  And I want to make chimichangas.  Yum!

Since I have Mexican food on the mind, I decided to try a new variation on my enchilada casserole.  I wanted to make a meatless version that doesn’t require a lot of cheese.  So earlier this week, I cooked a pot of pintos and white beans, make a pot of brown rice, and threw together this bean and rice enchilada casserole.

It turned out really good!  Even though it doesn’t have any meat in it, it is still very substantial.  And it still provides a complete protein.  Additionally, the beans and brown rice add a lot of fiber that would be missing from more traditional meat or cheese enchiladas.

Bean and Rice Enchilada Casserole

1 large can enchilada sauce (or homemade)

Corn tortillas

1 qt. beans, drained (pintos, white beans, black beans, and/or kidney beans)

3 c. cooked brown rice

1 lb. frozen corn

6 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°.  In 9X13” pan, spoon a thin layer of enchilada sauce to cover bottom.  Place single layer of tortillas over sauce.

Spoon ½ of the beans over tortillas, followed by ½ of the rice, ½ of the corn, and 1/3 of the cheese.  Pour 1/3 of the remaining sauce over all and cover with single layer of tortillas.

Repeat:  remaining beans, remaining rice, remaining corn, ½ of remaining cheese, ½ of remaining sauce, single layer of tortillas.  Top tortillas with remaining sauce, spreading to cover.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

I ran out of corn tortillas so I used flour to finish covering
the top.  No one even noticed!

Cover with foil, tenting as necessary.  Bake about one hour.