Description
Layering bean and cheese enchilada casserole becomes super simple when you grab tortillas, your favorite beans, and melty cheese for a comforting Mexican-inspired dinner. Baked until golden and bubbling, this hearty casserole delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Cheeses:
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
Base and Spices:
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sauces and Seasonings:
- 1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 375°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Drain and thoroughly rinse the 15 oz black beans and 15 oz kidney beans in a colander.
- Finely chop the entire medium onion and mince 2 garlic cloves.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté onions until they turn soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper into the skillet, stirring for 30 seconds.
- Add drained beans to the skillet and stir, cooking for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
- Pour ¼ cup enchilada sauce across the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
- Create the first base layer by arranging 4 corn tortillas to completely cover the sauce, allowing slight overlap.
- Distribute half the bean mixture evenly across the tortilla layer.
- Scatter ⅔ cup shredded cheddar cheese over the beans.
- Sprinkle the entire 4 oz can of diced green chiles across the layer.
- Construct a second identical layer with 4 more tortillas, remaining bean mixture, and another ⅔ cup cheese.
- Complete the casserole with final 4 tortillas, drizzling remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkling rest of the cheese on top.
- Shield the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes at 375°F.
- Remove foil and continue baking 10-15 minutes until cheese turns golden and bubbly.
- Allow the casserole to rest 5 minutes after removing from oven.
- Garnish with ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro just before serving.
Notes
- Drain beans thoroughly to prevent excess moisture from making the casserole soggy.
- Select corn tortillas that are fresh and pliable to ensure they blend well with the other ingredients.
- For a gluten-free version, verify that your enchilada sauce and spices are certified gluten-free.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting chili powder or adding diced jalapeños for extra kick.
- Prep Time: 10-12 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-44 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 337 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 570 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg