Description
Ground beef enchilada casserole packs Mexican-inspired flavor into an easy baked dish. It’s hearty, comforting, and made for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Proteins:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 can black beans
Main Starches:
- 12 corn tortillas
Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 cups enchilada sauce
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Dice 1 medium onion, 1 medium bell pepper, and mince 2 garlic cloves with a sharp knife on a clean cutting board.
- Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds. Sauté onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
- Add 1 pound ground beef to the skillet. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper over the meat.
- Break up the beef with a wooden spoon, cooking until no pink remains and internal temperature reaches 160°F, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Drain excess fat from the skillet using a colander, then return meat mixture to pan.
- Stir in 1 can of drained black beans and mix thoroughly.
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce across the bottom of the baking dish.
- Layer 4 corn tortillas across the sauce, slightly overlapping edges.
- Distribute half the beef and bean mixture evenly over the tortillas.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the meat layer.
- Repeat tortilla, meat, and cheese layers one more time.
- Top with remaining 4 tortillas, pour 1 ½ cups enchilada sauce to cover completely.
- Scatter remaining 1 cup cheese across the top of the casserole.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes at 375°F.
- Remove foil and continue baking 10-15 minutes until cheese melts and edges turn golden.
- Remove from oven and rest 5 minutes before serving to help casserole set.
Notes
- Always drain excess fat from the ground beef to prevent a greasy casserole and ensure a cleaner, more appetizing dish.
- Corn tortillas work best for authentic flavor, but flour tortillas can substitute if corn aren’t available in your pantry.
- For a lighter version, replace ground beef with ground turkey and use reduced-fat cheese to cut calories without sacrificing taste.
- Prepare this casserole ahead of time by assembling and refrigerating up to 24 hours before baking, which can help blend flavors and make weeknight dinners easier.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 387 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 704 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 58 mg