This cheesy turkey and rice with beans is one of my go-to midweek meals that never disappoints. It’s easy, cheesy, and so comforting!
Cheesy! Rice! Beans! Made with ground turkey, lots of aromatics, and plenty of spices, this cheesy dinner will have everyone reaching for seconds.
I make a variation of this cheesy turkey and rice with beans a few times a month because it’s just so easy to make, and it never disappoints. Sometimes I use quinoa instead of rice, and sometimes I use chicken instead of turkey, as in my Cheesy Chicken and Quinoa recipe. It’s also perfectly delicious with ground beef or ground pork, and you can get creative with almost every element in the recipe.
It does require some chopping and dicing at the start, but once that’s out of the way, throwing this together is a breeze. If you can recruit someone in the house to chop everything, you’ll have dinner on the table even faster.
How to make this cheesy turkey and rice with beans
What you need
- Spices: I season this dish with chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne powder.
- Ground Turkey: Use your favorite ground meat here, like chicken, beef, or pork. You could also use a ground plant-based protein; I love Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumbles!
- Aromatics: I use diced onion, bell peppers, jalapeño, and scallions to add even more flavor to the dish.
- Tomatoes: I use diced Roma tomatoes, but a can of diced tomatoes will work just fine.
- Pinto beans: I used canned pinto beans, but kidney beans, black beans, or even cannellini beans will work!
- Lime juice: This adds just the right kick of acidity at the end of cooking.
- Rice: I make a fresh pot of rice and let it cook while I work on the turkey, but this is a perfect meal for day-old rice!
- Cheese: You can buy a nice Mexican cheese, like Oaxaca cheese, and grate it yourself. Or use grated Chihuahua cheese for an even gooier, cheesier final product. For a midweek meal, I keep it simple with a bag of shredded Mexican cheese blend. Monterey Jack would also be a great option!
- Garnishes: I serve this with an avocado if I have one, but it’s also great with your favorite chili or taco toppings. Try it with minced red onion, minced cilantro, sliced radishes, or a dollop of sour cream for a creamier finish.
How to make it
- Step 1: Combine all the spices–chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne powder–in a bowl.
- Step 2: Prepare the rice and let it stand as you work on the ground turkey and beans.
- Step 3: Brown the turkey and season it with half the spice mixture, along with salt and pepper. Remove it from the pot and transfer to a bowl.
- Step 4: Add the onion, bell peppers, and jalapeño, and sauté briefly until they soften. Add the scallion whites and diced tomatoes. Season with the rest of the spice mix.
- Step 5: Add the pinto beans and ground turkey to the pot and finish with a bit of chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Step 6: Add the cooked rice, half the scallion greens, lime juice, and half the shredded cheese. Stir to combine everything.
- Step 7: Add the rest of the cheese on top and transfer to the broiler for just a few minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes.
From there, you’re ready to scoop the cheesy turkey with rice and beans into bowls and garnish to your heart’s content! Finish each dish with the remaining minced scallions. I served mine with fresh avocado and extra lime on the side.
Cheesy Turkey and Rice with Beans
This cheesy turkey and rice with beans is one of my go-to midweek meals that never disappoints. It's easy, cheesy, and so comforting!
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Servings: 5
Calories: 549kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (divided)
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
- 2 bell peppers (trimmed, seeded, and diced)
- 1 jalapeño (optional, trimmed and minced)
- 5 scallions (trimmed and minced; white and green parts kept separate)
- 3 Roma tomatoes (cored and diced; or use 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes)
- 1 (15-ounce can) pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup water or chicken stock
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (or use shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese)
- Salt and pepper
Rice:
- 1 cup uncooked white rice (rinsed)
- 2 cups water
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil, optional)
For serving:
- Lime wedges
- Avocado (diced)
Instructions
Prepare the spices:
- Combine the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
Make the rice:
- Add the white rice, water, salt, and butter if using to a small pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it stand as you finish the turkey.
Brown the turkey:
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the turkey and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Add half the spices from the bowl and continue cooking for 4 to 6 minutes until cooked through. Transfer to a bowl.
Cook the aromatics:
- Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil to the pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, diced bell peppers, minced jalapeño, and the white parts of the scallions. Sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until they begin to soften.
Simmer the turkey:
- Add the Roma tomatoes and the rest of the spices from the bowl. Sauté for 5 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked turkey and the pinto beans. Toss to combine. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until the vegetables soften. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Finish the turkey and rice:
- Turn on the broiler.
- Add half the minced scallion greens to the pot along with the cooked rice. Add the juice from 1 lime and half the shredded cheese. Stir to combine. Taste and season.
Broil the cheese:
- Add the rest of the cheese on top of the turkey and rice. Transfer to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese melts and browns.
To serve:
- Remove the pot from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Spoon the cheesy turkey and rice into bowls and serve with the remaining minced scallion greens on top. Finish with diced avocado and a lime wedge on the side. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 16g | Sodium: 659mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin C: 75mg
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I made this a few nights ago and loved it!!! My lunches were glorious as leftovers were even better.
This was so good we used black beans and canned tomatoes instead and it turned out perfect