Beef Enchilada Layered Casserole (Printable)
Layered Tex-Mex bake with seasoned beef, beans, tortillas, and melted cheese for a warm family dinner.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meat & Protein
01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles, mild or hot
→ Sauce
06 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce
07 - ½ cup tomato sauce
→ Spices
08 - 1 tsp ground cumin
09 - 1 tsp chili powder
10 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
11 - ½ tsp salt
12 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Other
13 - 8 corn tortillas, 6-inch
14 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
15 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
16 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Garnishes (optional)
17 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
18 - 1 medium avocado, sliced
19 - Sour cream, for serving
# Steps:
01 - Set oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Break apart with a spatula and cook 6 to 8 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Incorporate black beans, diced green chiles, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom.
06 - Arrange 4 tortillas over the sauce, tearing to fit if needed. Evenly spread half of the beef mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle with half of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Drizzle with ½ cup enchilada sauce.
07 - Repeat layering with remaining tortillas, beef mixture, most of the remaining cheese, and the rest of the enchilada sauce. Reserve some cheese for topping.
08 - Cover dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes.
09 - Remove foil, sprinkle reserved cheese on top, and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
10 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with cilantro, avocado slices, and serve with sour cream if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It feeds a crowd without keeping you in the kitchen all night, and that's the kind of recipe that feels like sharing a secret
- The layers of seasoned beef, beans, and melted cheese create this incredible depth of flavor that tastes like you spent hours cooking
- It reheats beautifully, making it one of those dishes that's actually better the next day
02 -
- Drain those black beans and rinse them thoroughly, it removes excess starch that can make the casserole mushy
- Don't skip tearing the tortillas to fit, they'll cook way better than if you try to fold them in, and the whole thing holds together
- That 10-minute rest at the end isn't just a suggestion, it's what transforms this from good to 'please teach me how to make this' good
03 -
- Brown the beef the day before if you want to speed up your cooking day, the flavors actually marry better overnight
- Use store-bought enchilada sauce without guilt, focusing your energy on building great layers and getting the beef seasoning exactly right