Instant Pot Jean’s Casserole–a mixture of seasoned ground beef, pinto beans, sweet corn, nacho cheese sauce and picante sauce served over a bed of rice. An easy nacho casserole that has a lot of flavor!
Jean’s Casserole
Jean’s casserole is a nacho casserole with lots of nacho goodness inside like seasoned ground beef, beans, nacho cheese, salsa and more. It’s a fun and easy dinner that everyone loves and each person can customize their plate with favorite toppings. I got this recipe idea from Just a Pinch. The original author, Jean, said “I started making this for my family when my daughters were teenagers. They loved it. Also made it for many potluck luncheons at work.” I love that idea!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Lean ground beef–or ground turkey
- Dried onion–or 1 cup diced fresh onion
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Beef broth–or chicken broth
- Pinto beans–or black beans
- Pace Nacho Cheese Sauce–you can find this next to the salsas and other Mexican foods
- Pace picante sauce–I use mild. You can also use chunky salsa.
- Cornmeal–optional to thicken
- Frozen sweet white corn
- Rice
- Shredded cheddar cheese–or colby jack, monterey jack, etc.
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onion. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder and chili powder.
Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
Dump in the beans, nacho sauce, picante, cornmeal and corn. Don’t stir.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid. Stir.
Scoop rice into bowls and top with a large ladleful of beef mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Serve and enjoy! Alternatively you can spread 2 cups of white rice in the bottom of a 9×9 inch baking dish. Then pour the beef mixture over the top. Sprinkle with cheese and let melt in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with a big green salad and tortilla chips or corn chips.
- Top with your favorite nacho toppings such as sour cream, sliced olives, jalapenos, diced tomatoes, guacamole, etc.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- This recipe can be gluten free. Make sure the nacho cheese sauce you use is labeled gluten free.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with pace picante sauce are Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Casserole and Instant Pot Nacho Soup.
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Jean’s Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A mixture of seasoned ground beef, pinto beans, sweet corn, nacho cheese sauce and picante sauce served over a bed of rice. An easy nacho casserole that has a lot of flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 Tbsp dried onion (or 1 cup diced fresh onion)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 can pinto beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (10.5 oz) can Pace Nacho Cheese Sauce (mild)
- 1 cup Pace picante sauce (mild)
- 1 Tbsp cornmeal
- 1 cup frozen sweet white corn
- Hot white rice, for serving
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onion. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder and chili powder.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Dump in the beans, nacho sauce, picante, cornmeal and corn. Don’t stir.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid. Stir.
- Scoop rice into bowls and top with a large ladleful of beef mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Serve and enjoy! Alternatively you can spread 2 cups of white rice in the bottom of a 9×9 inch baking dish. Then pour the beef mixture over the top. Sprinkle with cheese and let melt in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.
Notes
You can make rice at the same time by using the pot in pot method. After step 4 and before step 5 add in a tall trivet. Place an oven safe dish on top of the trivet. Inside the dish add 1 ½ cups of white rice and 1 ¾ cups of water in the dish. Pressure cook as stated in step 5 and use a 10 minute natural pressure release instead of a quick release.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Would cooked chicken added on sauté at the end of the cook time work? Or if uncooked chicken replaced the ground beef what would the cook time be? Thanx Karen
I would just add the cooked chicken at the beginning at do a 2 minute pressure cooking time. Will be great!
Can the cornmeal be skipped on Jean’s casserole? I don’t use cornmeal and buying a big carton would go to waste. Any worthy substitute? Thanks!
I would just skip it! It’s just a thickener so if you want to thicken with cornstarch later you always can do that.
Great! Thanks!!
Could this be made in a crockpot?
I’d love to make some of these, but I have an instapot. How can I make these without one.