Arroz con Maiz y Crema (Cheesy Rice Casserole With Corn)

Recipe from Sandra A. Gutierrez

Adapted by Christina Morales

Published October 9, 2023

  • This arroz con maiz y crema, or cheesy rice casserole with corn and mayonnaise, is served in a blue baking dish. The Cotija cheese on top has melted and turned a golden brown. On the right side, a serving of the casserole is plated.
    David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(326)
Comments
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Sandra A. Gutierrez, the author of “Latinísimo: Home Recipes from the 21 Countries of Latin America” (Knopf, 2023), was born in Philadelphia and raised by her Guatemalan parents in their home country. This recipe, a classic from Guatemala City where she lived, has been made since the 1950s, when mayonnaise started gaining popularity in Latin America as it became available in grocery stores. Ms. Gutierrez says the dish is typically enjoyed alongside buffet dinners with roast chicken or beef tenderloin. A satisfyingly easy side dish that is rich, cheesy and tangy, this casserole can be prepared and assembled in advance, or easily halved for a smaller crowd. —Christina Morales

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 12 servings

  • Butter, as needed for greasing

  • 6 (lightly packed) cups/800 grams cooked white rice (preferably medium- or long-grain)

  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (or frozen, thawed)

  • 1 ½ cups/340 grams sour cream

  • 1 cup/225 grams mayonnaise

  • 1 cup finely grated Cotija, queso seco or Parmesan

  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems

  • ½ cup finely chopped scallions

  • 2 large drained, roasted red bell peppers (about 6 ounces), thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 ½ cups/115 grams shredded Chihuahua, Monterey Jack or other melting cheese

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 to 12 servings)

63 grams carbs; 61 milligrams cholesterol; 619 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 36 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 622 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine the rice, corn, sour cream, mayonnaise, Cotija, parsley, scallions, roasted red pepper, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with the shredded cheese and bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    If you’d like additional color on your casserole, broil the casserole a few inches away from your broiler heat source until golden in spots, about 3 minutes. Let cool a few minutes, then serve hot.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
326 user ratings
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Comments

Patrick

This makes so much (also true with a lot of NY Times Cooking recipes). How well does it cut in half? Sure wish there were more smaller serving recipes for us singletons.

Bruce E Futhey

My taste buds got into a knock-down, drag-out fight with my coronary arteries over this recipe. A truce was negotiated that provided for: small servings, low-fat ingredients (where/if possible), and a half mile run every night for a week after each serving. That said, I made a half sized version that was quite tasty, and will again. Yum!

Ellen j

I will try this using mild green chilis (Ortega or Hatch), perhaps cilantro for parsley.

Wendell

This is really good. Next time I'll go a little lighter on the jack cheese on top, though. It probably doesn't need much.

Debbie

Great recipe. I followed the recipe with no changes and it was great. It is very rich and creamy. But, it reheats nicely in the microwave as there were a lot of yummy leftovers.

Cat Lady

Have made this twice, the first time replacing the mayo with Greek yogurt and second time replacing the sour cream with Greek yogurt and adding 2 tsp of smoked paprika and some red onion. Enjoyed it both times.

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Credits

Adapted from “Latinísimo: Home Recipes from the 21 Countries of Latin America” by Sandra A. Gutierrez (Knopf, 2023)

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