This versatile easy cheesy enchilada rice recipe works equally well as a hearty side dish, a handy base for burrito bowls, or a tasty burrito filling — or, just throw some black beans, corn, and bell peppers in here to turn this enchilada rice side dish into a simple vegetarian main entree.
Hey, so you know how sometimes you pick up one of these big 28 oz cans of enchilada sauce, use most of it in a recipe, but still have a bit left over (and don’t want it to go to waste)? I have just the recipe idea for you, because Easy Cheesy Enchilada Rice is specifically designed to make use of the rest of that can!
Yesterday I told you about the layered chicken enchilada casserole I made a few days ago — and if you decided to follow suit, here’s what you can do with the rest of that tasty sauce.
This easy enchilada rice recipe makes a good hearty side dish, or use it as a base for burrito bowls or as a burrito filling, or throw beans, corn, and peppers in there to turn it into a vegetarian main dish… Basically, think of this recipe as the base and then change things up to make it your own or to fit tonight’s meal!
Easy Cheesy Enchilada Rice
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
2 cups water
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic (about four cloves)
1 cup green enchilada sauce
4.5 oz can mild diced green chiles
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or cheddar-jack cheese
Sea salt, optional & to taste
Directions
Add rice and water to a medium saucepan. Throw in butter and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Remove from heat, replace lid, and let sit for five minutes.
While rice is finishing up, heat olive oil for one minute over medium heat in a separate large skillet. Add onion and saute for four minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
Reduce heat to medium-low under the skillet. Stir the cooked rice, enchilada sauce, diced green chiles, cumin, and cheese into the skillet and heat until everything is warmed through nicely and cheese is melted. Taste the rice and add just a little sea salt to brighten up the flavor, if desired.
Serve the enchilada rice topped with cilantro, sour cream, and/or avocado, if desired.
Note: Save significant time here by using leftover cooked rice if you have it on hand, or by cooking up the rice the night before. You can also jazz up this basic recipe to make it into a full vegetarian entree rather than a side dish by adding black beans, corn, and chopped & sauteed bell pepper, or you can use this flavorful rice as a base for burrito bowls.
Mild Enchilada Rice still packs a little kick
This simple enchilada rice recipe is only mildly spicy, but does have a bit of an underlying kick to it. Try it the next time you are looking to change things up from your usual rice-based side dishes — or do like my kids do for dinner sometimes, and mix enchilada rice with, say, some leftover salsa chicken to make a batch of large and filling burritos!
Easy Cheesy Enchilada Rice, printable recipe
Easy Cheesy Enchilada Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 tsp minced garlic about four cloves
- 1 cup green enchilada sauce
- 4.5 oz can mild diced green chiles
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or cheddar-jack cheese
- Sea salt optional & to taste
Instructions
- Add rice and water to a medium saucepan. Throw in butter and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Remove from heat, replace lid, and let sit for five minutes.
- While rice is finishing up, heat olive oil for one minute over medium heat in a separate large skillet. Add onion and saute for four minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
- Reduce heat to medium-low under the skillet. Stir the cooked rice, enchilada sauce, diced green chiles, cumin, and cheese into the skillet and heat until everything is warmed through nicely and cheese is melted. Taste the rice and add just a little sea salt to brighten up the flavor, if desired.
- Serve the enchilada rice topped with cilantro, sour cream, and/or avocado, if desired.
Notes
More recipes?
*** Find more recipe ideas with the Recipe Search!
Recipes in the real world
And don’t miss the free weekly ALDI meal plans that show you how to use these recipes to meal plan affordably and realistically for your family!