Enchilada Rice Casserole
This black bean and halloumi enchilada rice casserole is the kind of dump-and-bake dinner that makes everyone come back for seconds - grated halloumi fried until golden, mixed with spiced black beans, sweetcorn, and rice in a smoky enchilada sauce, topped with melted cheese, and grilled until bubbling. It's everything you love about enchiladas but in a cheesy, scoopable rice bake that takes about 25 minutes.
If you love Mexican-inspired bakes, try my cheesy black bean bake, black bean casserole, or enchilada orzo for a pasta twist. For more halloumi recipes, my halloumi fajitas are also a reader favorite.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
After I shared my black bean enchilada orzo recipe a couple of weeks ago and you all loved it, I knew I wanted to recreate a similar version but using rice for a more traditional enchilada rice base - with lots of protein and veggies from the halloumi, black beans, peppers, and corn.
I made this recipe the day after cooking a batch of my popular spicy rice, which was the perfect addition to the recipe. Quick, easy, packed with flavour, perfect dinner!
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the key ingredients. The full quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Halloumi: This is my secret ingredient from an amazing enchilada rice bake! Grating halloumi and sautéing it gives you these crispy, salty, cheesy bites distributed throughout the bake. It's a completely different experience from halloumi slices. Use the coarse side of a box grater.
- Black beans: They add protein, fiber, and substance. Pinto or kidney beans also work perfectly.
- Cooked rice: Leftover rice is actually ideal for this recipe - it's drier and holds up better in a bake than freshly cooked rice. I used some leftover spicy rice, and it worked perfectly, but using a pouch of rice would also be a quick and easy substitute.
- Enchilada sauce: I used a jar of enchilada sauce for this recipe for convenience's sake, but you could also make my homemade enchilada sauce recipe instead.
- Red bell pepper, onion, sweetcorn: You could also use diced zucchini, squash, or spinach stirred in at the end.
- Seasonings - smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne
- Red Leicester and mozzarella: The Red Leicester adds a sharp, tangy flavor and a gorgeous orange color to the top of the bake, while the mozzarella adds lots of stretchy goodness.
- Toppings: I love topping the bake with sour cream (or Greek yoghurt for a healthier alternative), avocado, diced cilantro, and sliced jalapeños. These are what complete the dish - the cool, fresh contrast against the warm, spicy, cheesy bake is so good!
How to Make This One Pot Enchilada Rice Casserole
Step 1: Fry the Halloumi
Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof pan. Add the grated halloumi and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it starts to brown and go crispy in places.
Step 2: Cook the Vegetables
Add the diced onion and red pepper to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until starting to soften.
Step 3: Season
Add the smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and stir the spices into the vegetables.
Step 4: Build the Bake
Add the frozen sweetcorn, drained black beans, and enchilada sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors come together. Then stir through the cooked rice until everything is well combined.
Step 5: Top with Cheese and Grill
Scatter the grated Red Leicester and shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. Grill for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling.
Step 6: Garnish and Serve
Top with sour cream, sliced avocado, diced cilantro, and jalapeños. Serve immediately while the cheese is still stretchy.
Expert Tips
- Grate the halloumi: Don't cube it - grating gives you much more surface area, which means more crispy, golden bites distributed throughout the whole dish. Use the coarse side of a box grater.
- Use leftover rice: Pre-cooked, cold rice from the fridge is actually better for this bake than freshly cooked. It's drier and firmer, so it holds its shape and absorbs the sauce without going mushy. Note that you can't reheat pre-cooked rice, so don't make this recipe intending to have leftovers - or add fresh rice if you are.
- Use an oven-proof pan: Since the final step is grilling, you need a pan that can go under the grill. If yours isn't oven-proof, transfer to a baking dish before adding the cheese.
- Don't skip the toppings: Sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and jalapeños are what make this feel like a proper enchilada experience. The cool, fresh contrast is essential.
What to Serve with Enchilada Rice Bake
This is a complete meal, but if you want to build a spread:
- Tortilla chips and guacamole on the side
- A simple green salad with lime dressing
- Warm tortillas for scooping
- Drizzled with avocado lime crema
Storage
If using leftover rice, you won't be able to store and reheat any leftovers - which is why I make just enough of this dish to serve up immediately without leftovers.
If you intend to have leftover enchilada rice bake for the next couple of days, use fresh rice that hasn't already been cooled/reheated:
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes or microwave individual portions.
- Freezer: Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and reheat in the oven.
- Meal prep: This is great for batch cooking. Portion into containers for grab-and-go lunches. Add fresh toppings when serving.
FAQs
Grating creates much more surface area than cubing, which means more crispy, golden, salty bites spread throughout the bake. Cubed halloumi sits in a few spots; grated halloumi is in every spoonful. It's a game-changer.
Halloumi's salty flavor and non-melting texture make it uniquely suited for this role. Feta crumbled in would give saltiness but won't crisp. Cheddar would melt entirely. There isn't a perfect substitute - halloumi is what makes this recipe special.
This recipe uses pre-cooked rice, which is faster and gives a better texture. If you want to cook the rice in the sauce (like my black bean casserole), you'd need to adjust the liquid significantly and bake covered for much longer.
Red Leicester is a British cheese similar to cheddar but with a slightly nuttier, tangier flavor and a distinctive orange color. It melts beautifully and gives a gorgeous color to the cheese topping. Regular cheddar or Monterey Jack works as a substitute.
Moderately warm from the enchilada sauce and cayenne. The cheese and sour cream mellow the heat. For milder, use mild enchilada sauce and reduce the cayenne. For spicier, use hot sauce and add extra jalapeños.
Enchilada Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 100 g halloumi grated
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup frozen sweetcorn
- 400 g tinned black beans drained and rinsed
- 300 g enchilada sauce
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 50 g red leicester cheese grated
- 50 g shredded mozzarella cheese
- Garnishes: sour cream avocado, diced cilantro, jalapenos
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the grated halloumi. Saute for 2-3 minutes until the halloumi starts to brown.1 tbsp olive oil, 100 g halloumi
- Add the diced onion and red pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.1 white onion, 1 red bell pepper
- Add the seasonings and stir them into the vegetables.1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- Add the sweetcorn, black beans, and enchilada sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.½ cup frozen sweetcorn, 400 g tinned black beans, 300 g enchilada sauce
- Stir through the cooked rice until everything is well combined.2 cups cooked rice
- Scatter over the grated cheese on the top of the enchilada rice, then grill for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.50 g red leicester cheese, 50 g shredded mozzarella cheese
- Finish with your garnishes and serve immediately.Garnishes: sour cream
Nutrition
Notes
- Halloumi: Grate on the coarse side of a box grater. Sauté until golden before adding veg.
- Rice: Use pre-cooked. Leftover rice is ideal.
- Cheese: Red Leicester for flavor, mozzarella for stretch. Both on top, grilled.
- Storage: Fridge 3-4 days, freezer 3 months.
