This may be known to you as “Mexican Casserole” but growing up in my house, this was called Enchilada Pie and it was one of my favorite dinners as a child. Do not be freaked out by unappealing pictures as it is IMPOSSIBLE to make a casserole look like anything but dog food. I am sorry. I made a few little tweaks and updates to make this a little easier but honestly it is a casserole so it does not get easier than this. Casseroles are like training wheels for new cooks, because THEY DON’T NEED TO BE PRETTY!
what you need:
- 1 package ground turkey or beef I used turkey
- 1 package taco seasoning I used Siete brand, it is gluten and sugar free #health
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 can (15oz) Ranch Style beans
- 1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (10oz) red enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cup Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Water
- special equipment needed: casserole dish
- Note: I like to buy the blocks of cheese and grate them myself, I find that the pre-shredded cheese is a bit waxy and doesn’t melt as nicely as the blocks I grate myself!
what you need to do:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9×13 casserole dish and set aside.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet on the stove on medium heat (about a 5-6) and add your ground meat.
- Break up the meat using a wooden spoon as it cooks, you want it to be in very fine little pieces and not large chunks.
- Once the meat is about halfway cooked, add in your taco seasoning packet along with 1/3 cup water.
- Stir to combine well. Continuing to break up the meat with your wooden spoon. Seriously, go to TOWN on it. CHOP IT UP!
- Add in your beans and enchilada sauce, stir to combine.
- Grab one of the empty bean cans and fill with water, add to pan.
- Grab the empty enchilada sauce can and fill with water, add to pan.
- It will be a bit runny but it will cook down so do not be freaked out.
- Stir to combine, cover pan, lower heat to simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- While the sauce is cooking, grab your tortillas and cut them into thirds horizontally, and then into thirds vertically, creating 9 small pieces per tortilla. Set aside.
- Combine both cheeses in a small bowl and set near casserole dish.
- Once the sauce has thickened, set up a little assembly area with the greased casserole dish, cheese, tortilla pieces, and the sauce.
- Starting with the sauce, ladle about 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of the pan, making sure to coat it completely.
- Sprinkle in half of the tortillas and then top with half of the cheese.
- Ladle in another 1/3 of the sauce, covering the tortilla pieces completely.
- Add in the remaining tortillas and then top with the remaining sauce.
- Make sure the sauce covers every little bit of tortilla so they get soft and not crunchy!
- Sprinkle the other half of the cheese on the top.
- So it goes: sauce–> tortillas–>cheese–>sauce–>tortillas–>sauce–>cheese
- Place in preheated oven and cook about 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let it cool about 5 minutes before serving!
- Reminder: all casserole looks a bit like dog food when served so do not expect this to be the most beautiful thing you have cooked.
- Top with avocado, tomato, cilantro, sour cream, the list goes on!!! I am not fancy and like mine plain with no toppings.
- Store covered in the fridge for about ~5 days.
