Ground Beef Zucchini Rice Casserole

5 from 24 votes

This one-pot ground beef zucchini rice casserole has minced meat, spices, onions, garlic, tomatoes, squash, and rice.

Servings:

Chop the garlic and onions to the same size. Slice the ends off of the squash. Slice the squash into thin circles.
In a nonstick large pot on high heat, add the olive oil. Once it starts to heat up, add the chopped onions and garlic. Sautee until starting to brown.
Add the minced meat to the sauteed onions. Break apart any clumps and cook until browned (about 3 to 4 minutes). Add the ground 7 spice, salt, and pepper.
Turn the heat down slightly to medium-high heat. Add the sliced squash, canned diced tomatoes, canned tomato paste, and the water. Mix everything together. Cover and simmer on medium-high heat for about 25 minutes or until the kousa squash starts to break apart.
Add the rice. Mix well. Cover and cook on very low heat for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Mix at the halfway mark again so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Add water if needed (maybe ½ a cup or cup).

Substitute zucchini squash for kousa squash. Due to size differences, slice 5 cups of zucchini for an equal parts substitute.
Storage: Store this squash and rice casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. This recipe is also freezer-friendly, just store the rice casserole in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.