Description
This Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole with Corn Tortillas is a flavorful layered dish featuring a rich, meaty enchilada sauce, beans, corn, olives, and a blend of Monterrey Jack and sharp cheddar cheeses. The casserole is baked to bubbly perfection, offering a delicious, hearty meal perfect for family dinners or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Filling
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons chili powder (NOT cayenne pepper)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (will not make it spicy)
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 3 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 4 oz. can mild chopped green chiles
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- pinch of cinnamon
Add Later
- 1 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz. can sweet corn, drained
- 1 6 oz. can chopped black olives, drained
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Layers
- 15 corn tortillas (cut 9 in half)
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Monterrey Jack cheese
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Optional Char Tortillas: Char the tortillas over the flame of a gas burner or in a cast iron skillet until lightly charred in spots for better texture and flavor.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a deep 9x13-inch baking dish and toss together the Monterrey Jack and sharp cheddar cheeses; set aside.
- Cook Beef: In a Dutch oven or very large saucepan, brown the ground beef and chopped onions until almost cooked through. Sprinkle in the flour and seasonings, cook for two minutes to blend flavors.
- Add Tomato Paste and Garlic: Reduce heat to low, stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic, and cook for one minute to enhance the flavor.
- Add Filling Ingredients: Stir in chicken broth, fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices, chopped green chiles, cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, then continue to simmer stirring often until thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: After sauce thickens, stir in the pinto beans, sweet corn, black olives, and apple cider vinegar. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper recommended).
- Assemble: Spread 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 2 whole tortillas in the center and surround with 6 tortilla halves to cover the surface. Top with one-third of the remaining meat mixture (about 2 cups), then sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese blend evenly over the top. Repeat two more layers of tortillas, meat mixture, and cheese.
- Bake: Cover the casserole with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh tomatoes, olives, avocados, cilantro, and sour cream if desired before serving.
Notes
- Use corn tortillas only; flour tortillas will become soggy and mushy in this recipe.
- Use inexpensive corn tortillas; thick gourmet tortillas like La Tortilla Factory may be too thick for this dish.
- Pre-measure seasonings before cooking to add them all at once and ensure balanced flavor.
- Do not skip the cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon—they simulate authentic Mexican chocolate and enhance the enchilada sauce flavor.
- Grate your own cheese for better melting; pre-shredded cheeses contain anti-clumping agents that affect melting.
- Customize the add-ins like beans, corn, and olives based on preference.
- Assemble and refrigerate the casserole for up to 24 hours before baking; increase bake time by about 10 minutes if baking from refrigerated.
- Make the meaty enchilada sauce up to 3 days ahead and store in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Char tortillas before assembling to help maintain texture, especially when refrigerating or freezing.
- Store leftover casserole tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze leftovers wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 3 months; bake from frozen at 425 degrees F for 60 minutes covered plus 15-30 minutes uncovered.
- Reheat in oven covered at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or in microwave in 20-second intervals until heated through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
