Being a college student means learning how to manage your time between classes, work, homework, eating, staying fit and somewhat squeezing in a social life in between it all. For a college student like myself, who loves to cook but gets too busy during the week, I've created an easy Mexican casserole that helps me stay fit, satisfies my hunger and saves me an extra night of cooking. 

This easy Mexican casserole dish takes a total of 25 minutes to complete. 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook - here is just how you can do it. 

Mexican Casserole

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:20 mins
  • Total Time:25 mins
  • Servings:2
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1 cup Minute brown rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 2 tsp Monterey Jack & Colby Mexican cheese blends
  • 1/2 zucchini chopped
  • 1/4 baby bella mushrooms chopped
  • 1 can black or pinto beans
  • 1 can sliced carrots or peas and carrots
  • 1 cup cooked shrimp
  • 1 tsp Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
rice, spinach, mushroom
Gabriella Vukelic
  • Step 1

    Grab a large skillet and add the brown rice, water, chicken (or vegetable) broth, mushrooms, zucchini, and can of sliced carrots (or peas and carrots). Let that cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

  • Step 2

    In a separate smaller skillet on medium heat, spread the olive oil throughout the skillet. Add the cup of shrimp (with shell and tail removed). Let cook for 2 minutes each side until shrimp is smaller in size and lightly pink. Salt and pepper to taste on each side of shrimp while on the skillet.

  • Step 3

    Drain canned beans and add to another small skillet. Let cook until beans are warmed up on medium heat.

  • Step 4

    Once beans and shrimp are ready, add both to the original large skillet with the rest of the ingredients. Add the cup of spinach, mix around ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the large skillet and let ingredients combine the flavors for about 5 minutes.

  • Step 5

    Remove the cover from the large skillet and add the cheese blends. Cover the skillet again.

    beans, rice
    Gabriella Vukelic
  • Step 6

    After a minute, remove the cover where you will see the melted cheese. Mix the cheese around the rice dish and allow the heat to absorb some more of the water and chicken (or vegetable) broth.

    rice, beans, sausage, mushroom
    Gabriella Vukelic
  • Step 7

    The casserole is now ready to prepare. You want to have left some moisture from the broth and water so that the beans don't dry up the dish.

  • Step 8

    Serve half on a plate and save the other half for a different night of the week or with a friend. Bon Appetit!