Turkey Taco Casserole {Freezer Friendly}
This gluten free turkey taco casserole freezer meal comes from eatingonadime.com, who calls the dish “Easy Taco Casserole Recipe”. As the name suggests, this freezer taco casserole is easy to prepare indeed. If I can make it, you can, too!
I used turkey for the meat, but you can use beef if preferred. Feel free to omit the meat completely if you are making the taco casserole for a vegetarian. Simply replace the meat with an extra can of beans (use pinto or another can of black beans). Oh, and if you are cooking for a vegetarian, remember to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth when cooking the rice. Using broth in lieu of water when freezing rice helps the rice to remain moist and gives the dish a little added flavor. Use white, brown, Basmati, or jasmine rice, whatever suits your fancy.
You may need to drain the grease from the meat after browning it; the turkey I purchased ended up being pretty lean with little grease after the meat was cooked.
This taco recipe is great by itself, or serve with avocado slices, sour cream, and/or corn chips.
Taco Casserole {Freezer Friendly}
Ingredients
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1 lb ground turkey or beef
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 cup corn (canned, fresh, or frozen)
- 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican blend)
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Cook rice, replacing water with chicken or vegetable broth.
- Brown turkey or ground beef in large skillet. Drain grease from the pan if necessary if necessary.
- Add onions, zucchini, taco seasoning, corn, black beans, and tomatoes to turkey, mixing completely.
- Spray 9 X 13 casserole dish with olive oil spray or coat evenly with olive oil.
- Spread rice evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish, then top with turkey mixture.
- Top the casserole with a layer of cheese.
- Let dish cool completely; then cover with plastic wrap and lid to freeze.
- To bake; thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake (cover with foil) at 350°F
for approximately 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is bubbly and brown.