Name: Dump and Bake Taco Rice Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup white jasmine rice, or basmati; 2¾ cups water or veggie broth; ½ cup salsa; 1 19-oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 zucchini, sliced; 1 orange bell pepper, diced; 4 vegan chorizo-style sausage links, sliced (sub 8 oz extra firm tofu); 4 tbsp taco seasoning; 1 cup dry TVP (textured vegetable protein); 3 tbsp nutritional yeast

If your fridge is looking…uninspired, this cheap high-protein pantry dinner is about to save the day. This Dump & Bake Taco Rice leans hard on shelf-stable staples (rice, beans, TVP, spices) with a couple of flexible veggies—so you can make a budget-friendly, high-protein meal without a grocery run! One dish, no boiling, no babysitting—just bold taco flavour and a very easy win.

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Watch how to make Dump and Bake Taco Rice over on my YouTube channel! And don’t forget to subscribe while you’re at it 😉

Inspiration & Ingredients

Do you ever find yourself staring dead-eyed at the random ingredients in your pantry and just… can’t be bothered to figure out what to cook for dinner? Same. Luckily I’ve got dinner figured out for you tonight with this super pantry-friendly and cheap Dump and Bake Taco Rice Casserole. Clocking in at around $2.50 per serving and dishing out 30g of protein per serving, it’s a high-protein dinner hero!

You heard what I said: This meal costs about $2.50 per serving, requires less than 10 minutes of prep time, and still packs in tons of nutrients, fiber and protein. It’s flexible and works with pretty much any veggie you’ve got, or even no veggies if you’re fresh out of produce.

Why This Pantry Dinner Works (and why it’s cheap)

Pantry-first ingredients: rice, canned beans, TVP, salsa, spices
High-protein without pricey swaps: TVP = serious protein for pennies
One-pan, dump & bake: minimal effort, minimal dishes
Meal-prep gold: reheats perfectly all week
Flexible: use whatever veg you’ve got (or skip them)

Pantry Staples

1 cup white jasmine rice
2¾ cups water or broth
½ cup salsa
1 19-oz can black beans, drained
1 cup dry TVP
4 tbsp taco seasoning
3 tbsp nutritional yeast(optional but recommended)

Flexible add-ins (use what you have):

1 zucchini, sliced (or frozen veg)
1 orange bell pepper, diced
4 vegan chorizo-style sausage links, sliced (optional but tasty)
No fresh veg? Still works. This is a true pantry dinner—just go rice + beans + TVP + salsa + spices.

How This Stays High-Protein (on a Budget)

TVP (textured vegetable protein) does the heavy lifting—cheap, shelf-stable, and absorbs all that taco flavor
Beans add extra protein + fibre
Nutritional yeast boosts protein and adds a subtle cheesy/umami vibe

No tofu required. No fancy ingredients. Just smart swaps.

How to Make This Dump & Bake Taco Rice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Dump everything into a large casserole dish.
Mix well so rice and TVP are fully submerged.
Cover tightly with foil or a lid.
Bake 35–40 minutes. Sprinkle some vegan cheese on top (optional), and pop back in the oven to melt for a minute.
Rest (covered) 5–10 minutes, then fluff and serve.

Yes, it’s really that easy!

Budget Tips (Make It Even Cheaper)

Use frozen vegetables or skip them entirely
Use water + bouillon instead of broth
Swap sausage for extra beans or more TVP
Buy TVP in bulk—it’s one of the cheapest protein sources out there

Pro Tips for Perfect Baked Rice

Prefer softer rice? Add a splash more liquid next time
Keep it covered so it steams (not dries out)
Fully submerge the TVP so it softens evenly
If it looks a bit wet at the end, resting time fixes it

Storage & Meal Prep

Reheat: microwave or oven with a splash of water
Fridge: 4–5 days (airtight)
Freezer: up to 2 months

Nutrition (Per Serving)

Fibre: ~14g
Calories: ~520–560
Protein: ~28–32g
Carbs: ~70g
Fat: ~12–15g

Taco Tuesday… But Make It Cheap And Lazy

This is what a cheap high-protein vegan meal should look like: simple, flexible, and built from ingredients you already have. It’s cozy, filling, and ridiculously low-effort—aka the kind of dinner you’ll actually make on a busy night.

Dump it, bake it, and eat well for cheap, baby!

Love this recipe? I’d really appreciate if you gave me a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! Lastly, if you made any of these recipes and decide to share them on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVegan and use hashtag #SteamyVegan! I seriously love seeing what you’re cooking up! Plus make sure to check me out on YouTube — I have HUNDREDS of recipe videos to give you limitless plant-based inspiration!

Janelle Carss