Lisa’s Favorite Mexican Rice

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, or to taste
• 1/2 onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 1 (16 ounce) package southwestern-style mixed frozen vegetables
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (optional)
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes; add ground beef and continue to cook while breaking beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon until the beef is completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Season beef mixture with the taco seasoning mix.

Stir beef mixture, rice, vegetables, kidney beans, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, salsa, and olives together in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the mixture.

Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the dish is hot in the center, about 30 minutes.