Looking for a good side dish to serve with Mexican food? Mexican Rice, Corn, & Poblano Bake is a great change from the standard refried beans and Spanish rice. It goes well with Mexican dishes such as marinated grilled skirt steak, enchiladas, and burritos. It also makes a great meatless main dish.

The recipe uses leftover cooked rice, frozen corn, and pre-shredded cheddar-jack cheese. The poblano peppers give the dish a bit of heat and a wonderful flavor; however, it takes a few minutes to roast, cool, and peel the peppers. If there’s no time to roast the peppers, a 4-ounce can of diced green chilies and two diced jalapeno peppers may be substituted.

12 Servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

3 poblano chili peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped (see note) or 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies and 2 diced jalapeno peppers
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 cups frozen corn
3 cups cooked rice, (cooked with salt and butter)

1. Preheat oven to 350°.


2. Spray a 9 x 9" casserole dish with non-stick spray.


3. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet; add the onion and cook until limp.


4. Stir in the garlic and cook one minute.


5. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.


6. Add the chopped peppers, sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese, cilantro, corn, and rice.


7. Mix well and pour into the prepared baking dish.


8. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese.


9. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the rice mixture is hot and the cheese is bubbly.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 281 Calories from Fat 140
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 50% Protein 13% Carb. 37%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 16 g
Saturated Fat 7 g
Cholesterol 36 mg
Sodium 161 mg
Total Carbohydrate 26 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 9 g

Vitamin A 46% Vitamin C 74% Calcium 0% Iron 7%

Note: To roast poblano peppers, place them on a baking sheet under the broiler (oven door open), broil until blistered on all sides, place in a sealed Ziploc-type bag, and let cool. When cool, the blistered skin will pull off easily. Pull out the core and wash away the seeds under cold running water.