Flavorful Spanish Rice Bake

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers (such as RO*TEL®)
• 1 cup water
• ¾ cup long-grain white rice
• ½ cup chile sauce
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons sliced jalapeno peppers, or to taste (Optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Step 1

Lightly heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef along with the chopped onion and green bell pepper until the beef is nicely browned and crumbly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.

Step 2

Transfer the beef mixture to a large pot and add in the diced tomatoes with green chiles, water, rice, chile sauce, olives, jalapeños, garlic, salt, brown sugar, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir everything together over medium-low heat.

Step 3

Let it simmer gently, stirring now and then, until the flavors meld and the rice is tender, which should take around 30 minutes. Once it’s ready, mix in one cup of shredded Cheddar cheese.

Step 4

Pour the mixture into a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish and press it down firmly. Sprinkle the remaining cup of Cheddar evenly over the top.

Step 5

Pop the dish into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes. When it comes out, finish it off with a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro for a bright touch.