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This dump-and-bake Southwestern Black Bean Casserole is full of veggies and flavor with minimal hands-on time in the kitchen! Quick, easy, and plant-based.
Hey, hi, hello. I’m at it again with another Dump-and-Bake Casserole!
This time, we’re going south – for flavor, that is! This hearty Southwestern Black Bean Casserole is full of those classic Tex Mex flavors you love, with minimal hands-on time. Oh yeah, and maximum flavor.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
Not only is this casserole quick & easy, but it’s also made from only 9 plant-based ingredients:
- Black Beans: for fiber, plant-protein, and heartiness!
- Uncooked Brown Rice: for complex carbs, and rice just goes with beans, right?
- Vegetable Broth: to cook our rice (and add more flavor)
- Salsa: for some Tex-Mex oooomph
- Nutritional Yeast: for a subtle cheesy flavor, sans dairy
- Peppers & Onions: for some veggies, and again – southwest flavor!
HOW TO MAKE SOUTHWESTERN BLACK BEAN CASSEROLE
- Layer your uncooked ingredients in a casserole dish
- Heat the liquid, salsa, and spices on the stove,
- Pour into the casserole, cover, and bake for an hour
Bringing just the right amount of liquid to a boil before pouring it over the casserole allows for the rice to cook to soft and fluffy perfection. Now sad, soggy leftovers to see here! Speaking of leftovers, this recipe is great for meal prep – leftovers can be reheated in the microwave, oven, or in a non-stick skillet with a touch of oil or water.
This Southwestern Black Bean Casserole is great as-is, but I also like to deck my casserole out with some freshly chopped cilantro, avocado, and my vegan chipotle mayo. But hey, you do you! It would also be great alongside some chips & guacamole, more homemade salsa, or maybe even some avocado fries.
If you’re looking for more dump-and-bake recipes, you’ll also love this Buffalo Cauliflower Chickpea Casserole and this Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintSouthwestern Black Bean Casserole
This dump-and-bake Southwestern Black Bean Casserole is full of veggies and flavor with minimal hands-on time in the kitchen! Quick, easy, and plant-based.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 60 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (415 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 cup (~ 250 g) chunky salsa
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cans (510 g) canned black beans, drained and rinsed; about 2 3/4 cups
- 1 cup (182 g) uncooked brown rice
- 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
- Optional toppings: Chipotle Mayo, avocado, fresh tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Mix the vegetable broth, salsa, and nutritional yeast together in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
- While the liquid is heating up, spread peppers and onion evenly across a 9×13″ pan or casserole dish. Sprinkle the black beans over the veggies, then add the uncooked rice on top.
- Remove the vegetable broth from the heat once it comes to a boil and pour evenly over the casserole dish. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil (or parchment paper, followed by aluminum foil) and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 60 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro, avocado, and chipotle mayo (or serve as desired). Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to one month.
Notes
- Substitutions: black beans can be swapped for another bean (pinto, garbanzo, etc). There are no substitutions for the brown rice – other grains require different cooking times and absorb different amounts of liquid
Keywords: southwestern casserole vegan, vegan black bean casserole, black bean casserole, bean and rice casserole, tex mex casserole
This is such a great recipe! So flavourful and easy to make. I added a few mushrooms, cause I love them. 🙂 for garnishes we used chipotle aioli, avocado, cilantro, green onions and sliced grape tomatoes.
Thank you so much for the recipe! I’m looking forward to eating the leftovers and making this for others. I’m also looking forward to trying your other dump and bake recipes. Thank you again!
★★★★★
You are so welcome, Janet! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. ♥
Love it! I had to add more water to get the rice to cook completely, but it was so easy, so colorful, and just delicious. I had company and my guests loved it!
★★★★★
Thank you Catherine!
Hi!
I just tried this but mine is fairly watery at the bottom and rice is a little on the tough side. Veggies and onions are definitely done though. :/ Should I cook longer?
Hi Lindsay! Some adjustments may be needed to improve the rice texture and liquid absorption. Here are key points:
Watery Bottom: If the bottom is watery, cover the casserole with foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to help the rice absorb more liquid.
Rice Tenderness: If the rice is slightly tough, cook the casserole for a longer duration, periodically checking for desired tenderness.
Covering the Casserole: Ensure tight covering with aluminum foil or parchment paper followed by foil to trap steam and promote even rice cooking.
Oven Temperature: Verify the oven temperature for accuracy, as an overly hot oven may cause uneven cooking.
Additional Cooking Time: If needed, bake for an extra 10-15 minutes while monitoring rice tenderness.
Resting Time: Allow the casserole to rest after baking to let residual heat continue cooking the rice.
Very good. So easy. I used a large jalapeno pepper instead of a green pepper and a bunch of sliced mushrooms since I wanted to use them up. I used one large can of black beans (540ml) instead of 2 cans. I added 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp of cumin.
★★★★★
Glad you liked it, Christine!
2nd favorite dump and bake i made from you. a regular in my house
★★★★★
Wow!Thank you, Sara! ♥
This was so easy and delicious! My salsa was too spicy for my kiddo so I subbed canned diced tomatoes with some spices and it worked great. I did a combo of pinto/ black since I only have one can of black. Sooo good.
★★★★★
Sounds delicious, Aerin!
This was great! I found it a very forgiving base to work off of. It’s definitely possible that my broth was not flavorful enough, because I needed to add more components to get this to be flavorful enough for my taste. I used some Bragg’s liquid aminos, cumin, garlic powder, and some lemon juice. Lime juice would have been great too. I also had to sub out some frozen mixed veggies for the peppers, and that was a very successful substitution keeping the quantity the same.
★★★★
Thank you for the review, Diana.
YUM! Just made this for dinner tonight & it was super good + surprisingly easy to prepare. The chipotle mayo truly complemented the dish nicely. Thank you Caitlin! Xoxo.
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed, Christin!
Easy to make. Flavorful ! Delicious!
★★★★★
Thank you, Jeanne!
Can the dump and bake recipes be doubled? I’ve tried two others and they’re just great, but my son eats so much this lasts us for one meal and not quite enough for one more. Would love to stretch it a little further. Thanks so much!
Hi Miranda, doubling the recipe should work out just fine. You may have to increase the cooking time slightly. Glad you enjoy the dump and bakes!
Although. Y husband and I are not vegan, I prepared this dish formy vegan daughter’s birthday. It was delicious!
★★★★★
Glad you found it delicious, Jeanne!
Delicious, thank you. Just wondered if I could double it though – whether I would double everything exactly and how much longer it would take. Any ideas? Thanks for another great recipe.
★★★★★
How would recommend reheating from frozen? I was thinking of making this and freezing it for an easy premade meal for a friend but want to give her clear instructions on how to reheat.
Microwave:
Place a serving of the frozen casserole in a microwave-safe dish.
Heat on high for 4-6 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Check to see if the casserole is heated through. If not, continue to heat in 1-2 minute increments until it is.
Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Take the casserole out of the freezer and remove any plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Place the frozen casserole in an oven-safe dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 60-75 minutes or until heated through.
Remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes to allow the top to crisp up (optional).
Non-stick skillet:
Add a touch of oil or water to a non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
Cut a serving of the frozen casserole into smaller pieces.
Place the casserole pieces into the skillet and stir occasionally.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Serve and enjoy!