Cheesy Sour Cream Rice

Creamy, cheesy, and delicious -- what more can you ask for in a side dish? Baked creamy rice loaded with green chilies and two kinds of cheese, Cheesy Sour Cream Rice is also loaded with fabulous flavor. It's the perfect side dish for any Tex-Mex meal!

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS FOR LATER

Creamy, cheesy, and delicious are three of the best words to hear when you're talking about a side dish. And Cheesy Sour Cream Rice sure fits the bill on all of those words. It gets creaminess from a hearty dose of sour cream, cheesiness from a blend of two kinds of cheese, and deliciousness from all of that goodness mixed with green chilies and seasonings.

With its blend of Mexican flavors, Cheesy Sour Cream Rice makes a great side dish for any Tex-Mex meal, or it pairs nicely with basic pork tenderloin, pork chop, and chicken dishes, too. We especially love it with our simple chicken enchiladas and sweet-&-spicy pork tenderloin. 

Or hey, taco night side dish, anyone?

This baked rice dish can be prepared in advance if you'd like, and then baked right before serving. Or, leftovers reheat great, too. Just pop leftovers in the microwave for a quick and easy refresh. So if you're like me and purposely cook and plan for leftovers, Cheesy Sour Cream Rice has got you covered.

Creamy, cheesy, and delicious -- what more can you ask for in a side dish?

What's to Love About This Recipe?

• Creamy, cheesy, & delicious - A mix of two kinds of cheese, sour cream, green chilies, and seasonings make this one creamy comfort food dish that's loaded with flavor.
• Can be assembled ahead - Assemble ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake just before serving, if you'd like.
• Reheats well - Warmed in the microwave, leftovers are perfectly delicious.
• Versatile side dish - Serve with just about any Tex-Mex meal, and with basic pork chops, pork tenderloin, and chicken dishes, too.
• Can easily feed a crowd - As a side dish, one pan can dish up 10-12 servings. Easily scale the recipe to make even more for that crowd.

Cheesy Sour Cream Rice Ingredients:

It doesn't take a ton of ingredients to make this tasty Cheesy Sour Cream Rice. To whip up a pan, you'll need:

• Cooked rice - Four cups of cooked rice serve as the base of the dish.

• Sour cream - The dish's signature ingredient, sour cream creates the rice's creaminess.

• Chopped green chilies - Use one 7-ounce can of chopped green chilies to bring on the Tex-Mex flavor.

• Red bell pepper - Chopped red bell pepper lends flavor, texture, and color.

• Shredded cheddar & Monterey Jack cheeses - A combination of mild or medium cheddar and Monterey Jack bring on flavor and the rice's wonderful cheesiness.

• Ground cumin - A classic Tex-Mex spice.

• Garlic salt - Flavorfully seasons the rice.

• Cilantro (optional) - Chopped fresh cilantro, sprinkled on top after baking, adds a nice touch of flavor. It's totally optional, if you're not a fan.

How to Make Cheesy Sour Cream Rice:

Baked Cheesy Sour Cream Rice is pretty easy to make. To me, the hardest part is cooking the rice -- which for some reason, is just something I'm not very good at. I manage, but rice is definitely not my strong point. Once you've got cooked rice -- and hey, I've totally been known to use leftover take-out rice, -- the rest of the dish is super easy.

In a large mixing bowl, simply stir together the cooked rice, sour cream, a can of chopped green chilies, some chopped red bell pepper, ground cumin, garlic salt, shredded Monterey Jack, and some shredded cheddar.

Spoon the mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, making it into a nice even layer.

Then sprinkle some more shredded cheddar on top.

Pop the pan in the oven and bake the rice for about 25 to 30 minutes, until everything's heated through and the cheese is nice and melty.

Sprinkle on some chopped fresh cilantro once the pan's out of the oven for color and flavor. Or, not -- if you're not a cilantro fan.

And then you're good to go to enjoy the creamy cheesy goodness! Serve Cheesy Sour Cream Rice alongside your favorite Tex-Mex meal for one super tasty side.

Recipe FAQs:

• Can this baked Cheesy Sour Cream Rice be made in advance? - Yes, Cheesy Sour Cream Rice can be made in advance. Assemble it, refrigerate, and then bake right before serving. You may need to increase the baking time a bit to account for the rice being chilled. -- Bake until the rice is heated through and the cheese is melty.
• Does leftover Cheesy Sour Cream Rice reheat okay? - Yes, leftovers reheat very well. Just pop leftover Cheesy Sour Cream Rice in the microwave for a quick and easy refresh.
• Can I freeze Cheesy Sour Cream Rice? - We do not recommend freezing Cheesy Sour Cream Rice. The sour cream can separate and/or become liquidy, and the rice can become mushy.

Check out these other tasty sides:

• Sheet Pan Fried Rice
• Baked Macaroni & Cheese
• Cauliflower Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
• Creamy Broccoli Casserole
• Broccoli-Rice Casserole
• Cheesy Fiesta Corn Casserole
• Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Creamy Baked Noodles
• Easy Cheesy Potatoes (Funeral Potatoes)
• More side dishes

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

sour cream rice recipe, baked sour cream rice, cheesy sour cream rice, cheesy sour cream rice bake, rice with sour cream, baked rice with sour cream

side dishes

Tex-Mex

Yield: about 10-12 servings

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Cheesy Sour Cream Rice

Creamy, cheesy, and delicious -- what more can you ask for in a side dish? Baked creamy rice loaded with green chilies and two kinds of cheese, Cheesy Sour Cream Rice is also loaded with fabulous flavor. It's the perfect side dish for any Tex-Mex meal!

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Ingredients

• 4 c. cooked rice
• 2 c. sour cream
• 1 (7 oz.) can chopped green chilies
• 1/2 a red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 c. shredded medium or mild cheddar cheese
• 1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 2 T. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine cooked rice, sour cream, green chilies, chopped red bell pepper, ground cumin, garlic salt, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until well mixed.
2. Spoon into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup shredded cheddar on top.
3. Bake at 375℉ for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through and cheese is melty.
4. Remove from oven and sprinkle top with chopped cilantro.

TRACEY'S NOTES:

1. About 1 & 1/2 cups uncooked rice will yield 4 cups, once cooked.
2. Chopped cilantro sprinkled on top adds really nice flavor, but is optional if you're not a cilantro fan.
3. Cheesy Sour Cream Rice can be made in advance, if you'd like. Assemble, refrigerate, and bake right before serving. You may need to increase the baking time a bit to account for the rice being chilled. -- Bake until the rice is heated through and the cheese is melty.

Similar Recipes

Creamy Baked Noodles

Broccoli-Rice Casserole

Easy Cheesy Potatoes (Funeral Potatoes)

Images and text ©The Kitchen is My Playground

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @kitchenplaygrnd on instagram and hashtag it #thekitchenismyplaygroundblog

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS FOR LATER

This post is linked with Weekend Potluck.