Tex-Mex Enchilada Casserole Recipe
I love this Tex-Mex Enchilada Casserole Recipe!
This is a delicious Tex Mex enchilada casserole and it happens to be freezer-friendly too. Hooray! I love that the ingredients are simple and real.
Ingredients and Prep
Please, do not be turned off by the seemingly long list of ingredients! They are simple ingredients – you probably already have most of them on hand – and this Tex Mex casserole comes together quickly. Give it a try! My family loves it!
To start off, get all of your ingredients measured out, chopped up, and ready to go!
Preparing the Veggies
Aren’t those veggies just beautiful? And check out those colorful spices in the background too. Love it!
I hadn’t used a poblano chile before this recipe, but it is a wonderful, flavorful addition. And it doesn’t make the casserole too spicy at all.
It is easy to find poblano chiles at your local grocery store too (even if they aren’t labeled with the word “poblano,” like at my store, for some reason.) Just look for something that looks like the photo above and it will all work out. 🙂 Nearly every grocery store will have them.
They are about the same size as bell peppers, but a bit more elongated and dark green in color. I found them near the bell peppers at my store. Grab one for this recipe next time you’re there!
Making the Sauce
I love that the sauce is basically from scratch. Home-cooking right here, baby! You know it is going to taste delicious!
Preparing the Tortilla Chips
Stack up the tortillas and cut them all into thirds. Slightly toasting them adds a nice texture to the casserole – they aren’t mushy at all. If you don’t want the tortillas to be slightly crisp, feel free to skip the toasting step.
Baking the Tex Mex Casserole
With the size of my family, splitting this recipe between two 8×8 pans works great. I can bake one for dinner and freeze the other for another time.
If you’re serving a bigger family or you’re making this recipe for a party, you may want to just cook the entire casserole in a 9×13 pan.
I like to use a silicone whisk whenever I am dealing with nonstick cookware. Don’t want to scratch up that surface!
Learn More About Freezer Meal Cooking:
- Why you NEED Freezer Meal Cooking in your life!
- Pros and Cons of Freezer Meal Parties
- 24 GENIUS Freezer Meal Tips
- What Foods Don’t Freeze Well
- Freezer Meal eBook
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Tex-Mex Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13-inch pan
Ingredients
- 14 corn tortillas each cut into thirds
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 medium red or green bell pepper cored, seeded and diced
- 1 large poblano chile diced
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons chile powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 ounces Monterey jack cheese shredded
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Lightly coat a 9X13-inch baking dish (or two 8x8) with nonstick cooking spray.
- Arrange the cut tortillas in a single layer on two large, rimmed baking sheets. Bake the tortillas until slightly crisp, about 15 minutes.
- In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, breaking the meat up into bite-sized pieces. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, until cooked through. Drain excess grease, transfer the meat to a plate, and wipe the skillet clean.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil and stir in the onion, bell pepper, poblano, corn and garlic. Cook until the veggies are softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir the flour, chile powder, cumin and coriander into the vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans, lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
- Place 1/3 of the baked tortillas in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the meat, then 1/3 of the veggie/sauce mixture, and then sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheeses. Repeat two more times, ending with the cheeses.
- Bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Preparing for the Freezer:
- Once the casserole is assembled (before baking), cover with plastic wrap, then with foil. Label and freeze the casserole.
Prepare after Freezing:
- Thaw completely in the refrigerator, about 24 hours, then bake as instructed above. Or bake from frozen, covered with foil, at 350°F/175°C for about 45-60 minutes, until warm. Then uncover and bake casserole until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes.