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This Ground Turkey Casserole has a southwest flair with black beans, corn, and spices. It’s a satisfying meal filled with lean protein and lots of veggies.
Your family will love all the flavor in this Southwest Ground Turkey Casserole with rice! Add a simple garden salad on the side for a complete meal that is guaranteed to get rave reviews. Be sure to check out our other Ground Turkey Recipes, too!
Ingredients for Ground Turkey Casserole
- Lean Ground Turkey – 1 pound of ground turkey; ground beef can also be used.
- Vegetables – Onion, diced tomatoes (canned), tomato sauce, black beans, corn, green chiles.
- Garlic
- Spices – chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
- White Rice – You need about 2 cups cooked rice, which is about 2/3 cup uncooked.
- Pepper Jack Cheese – for a little heat.
- Optional Toppings – Fresh minced parsley or cilantro, fresh diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, sour cream.
Step by Step Instructions
Cook the ground turkey. Heat olive oil in a large, oven safe skillet and cook the ground turkey with some diced onions, breaking it apart as you go.
Add spices. Stir in the minced garlic and the other seasonings and cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices.
Add remaining ingredients. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, corn, and green chiles, then stir in the cooked rice. Stir in a cup of Pepper Jack cheese.
Pour into a casserole dish. Pour the ground turkey mixture into a greased casserole dish and spread evenly. Top with more pepper jack cheese and bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
How to serve: Let the casserole cool for a few minutes, then garnish with things like sour cream, fresh tomatoes, sliced green onions, olives, or cilantro.
Expert Tips
- This casserole is a great way to use up leftover rice from another meal.
- If you want to make it spicier, add canned diced jalapenos instead of the chiles, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Try serving with large flour tortillas to make burritos, or with chips for a hearty dip.
- Storage: Cool completely and store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Store cooled casserole in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Scoop a portion into a bowl and reheat until warmed through.
More Delicious Ground Turkey Recipes
- Ground Turkey and Rice Soup with Kale
- Easy Cheesy Ground Turkey Enchiladas
- Easy Ground Turkey Tacos
- Healthy Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowl
- Cheesy Turkey Taco Pasta
Southwest Ground Turkey Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can corn drained
- 4 ounce can green chiles
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 2 cups grated pepper jack cheese divided
- Optional for serving: Fresh minced parsley or cilantro, fresh diced tomatoes, sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and diced onions and cook, breaking apart with a spatula, until no longer pink.
- Stir in garlic and seasonings and cook for a minute. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, corn and green chiles. Add rice and stir to combine.
- Stir in a packed cup of pepper jack cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese evenly on top of the casserole.
- Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh diced tomatoes, sliced green onions and minced parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage: Cool completely and store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Store cooled casserole in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Scoop a portion into a bowl and reheat until warmed through.
Can you make this with Cauliflower rice instead of white rice?
Sure, if that’s your preference.
Loved the recipe! Do you know what the serving size is?
The recipe makes 6 servings.