Rice Con Queso

This is the cheese-lover’s answer to the weeknight dinner question. Cooked brown rice, black beans, and chopped green chilies get layered with ricotta and Monterey Jack in a casserole dish, baked until the cheeses melt and mingle, then topped with cheddar for the final sizzle.

The trick is using pre-cooked rice and canned beans, which means this assembles in ten minutes flat. It’s the kind of dish that makes leftover Sunday rice feel intentional instead of sad. Ricotta might seem odd in a Mexican-inspired dish, but it melts into creamy pockets without going stringy the way mozzarella does, and it lightens the heavier Jack cheese.

Canned green chilies (mild Hatch or Anaheim) are the flavor anchor. They add heat, smoke, and the distinctive roasted-chile note that distinguishes this from plain cheesy rice. Don’t skip them.

Serve with warm tortillas, pickled red onions, and a drizzle of sour cream or salsa verde.

Kitchen Tips

• Season the rice-bean layer with salt and cumin before assembling; plain rice reads bland.
• Drain canned chilies well so the casserole doesn’t turn soggy.
• Let the casserole rest 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven so the layers set and slice cleanly.
• Broil the cheddar topping for 2 minutes at the end for extra browning.

Variations

• Swap white rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for brown rice.
• Use pinto or kidney beans instead of black.
• Add a layer of corn kernels and a handful of chopped cilantro for extra vegetables.