Tex Mex Black Eyed Pea Casserole (Printable View)

Hearty Southwestern bake with black-eyed peas, bacon, spinach, and melted cheddar over seasoned rice.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Grains

02 - 1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked

→ Vegetables & Legumes

03 - 1 can (15 oz) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
04 - 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
05 - 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
06 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

08 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

→ Liquids & Seasonings

09 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - Salt and pepper, to taste
14 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
03 - Drain excess bacon fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add olive oil if needed. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Stir in the rice, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add the Rotel tomatoes with juices, chicken broth, black-eyed peas, spinach, and cooked bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
06 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9x13-inch casserole dish.
07 - Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil, stir gently, and sprinkle 1.5 cups cheddar cheese over the top.
09 - Bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining cheddar cheese, if desired.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon.
  • The bacon and cheese do the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so you end up with something genuinely satisfying without fussing.
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to babysit the stove the whole time.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned peas—I learned this the hard way when my first attempt turned slightly gelatinous and lost its texture.
  • The rice will continue absorbing liquid as it bakes, so don't panic if it looks a little wet after you add the cheese; that's exactly what should happen.
  • Rotel tomatoes aren't something you can easily substitute; the combination of tomatoes and green chilies is what makes this taste authentically Tex-Mex rather than just spicy.
03 -
  • If your casserole seems dry after the foil comes off, it's too late to fix it, so trust the timing and don't skip or shorten the covered bake.
  • Use a 9x13 dish specifically; other sizes will throw off your cooking times and either dry things out or leave them undercooked.
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