Mexican Rice Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 390 g vegan ground “beef” or 350 g firm tofu, drained and crumbled
• 2-3 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 1/2-2 cups water or soup stock, boiling
• 1 1/2 cups cooked Stahlbush Organic black beans
• 1 1/2 cups Stahlbush Island Farms corn kernels
• 1 cup long grain white rice, rinsed until water is clear
• 1 cup tomato salsa
• handful of torn up cilantro, optional
• 1-1 1/2 cups shredded vegan cheese, optional
• avocado slices or guacamole for serving, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

• Oven Baked:
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • In a large cast-iron enamel coated skillet over medium, heat the oil. (If you don’t have an oven safe skillet, do this in a frying pan and then combine everything later in a heavy ceramic or glass 9″ x 13” casserole dish.) Brown the vegan ground “beef” or tofu for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the ground or tofu, stir well to coat. Deglaze with 2 cups boiling water or soup stock, scraping the bottom to lift any stuck bits. (This is when you add everything to the casserole dish if you don’t have an oven-safe heavy skillet).
  • Stir in the black beans, corn, rice and salsa. Turn off the heat. Cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
  • Optional: stir in the cilantro and/or vegan cheese. If adding the vegan cheese to the top instead, cover for 5 minutes so it melts. Serve with avocado slices, guacamole, more salsa or other toppings as desired.
• Instant Pot:
  • Set the Instant-Pot to Sauté. Heat the oil and then sauté the vegan ground “beef”/crumbled tofu for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. You’re looking for some extra texture. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the ground or tofu, stir well to coat.
  • Deglaze with 1 1/2 cups boiling water or soup stock, scraping the bottom to lift any stuck bits. Stir in the black beans, corn, rice and salsa.
  • Put on the lid, ensuring the steam valve is closed. Set to Pressure Cook on high for 3 minutes. When the time is up, allow the pressure to come down naturally for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, release the steam valve.
  • Optional: stir in the cilantro and/or vegan cheese. If adding the vegan cheese to the top instead, cover for 5 minutes so it melts. Serve with avocado slices, guacamole, more salsa or other toppings as desired.