Mexican Casserole Recipe
After our recent trip to Cancun, I wanted to keep the fiesta going so I made a Mexican casserole. It’s become somewhat of tradition that I cook it for my boyfriend when we come home. He calls it “Heavenly Mexican Pie”. Whatever you want to name it, it’s freakin’ delicious and filling.
One 9'“ x 13” casserole dish can yield up to 12 servings. We chose to cut big portions, and it still lasted three days!
I used as many healthy substitutions as I could (low-sodium, fat-free, vegan, etc.), but you can include whichever varieties you like.
Preheat the oven to 350, and spray EVOO into a Pyrex baking pan. Brown your ground turkey (you can also use beef or chicken) and add two packets of taco seasoning. Follow the directions on the package- which usually entails adding the powder and water, bringing to a boil, and letting it simmer. Drain the meat and set aside while you sauté the onions and garlic.
Once those veggies are translucent, add them to the cooked turkey. You may need a bigger pot because you will cook all of the ingredients together on the stove before putting in the oven. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt-free seasoning, and black pepper. Feel free to adjust the spices to your preference of flavor.
While that mixture is simmering, line the bottom of the baking dish with tortillas. I used six regular-sized corn tortillas, but you can add more if you’d like. The components will be layered like a lasagna.
Once the bottom level is in place, spread refried beans over the top. Save enough beans for another tier. Cover that with your meat filler, followed by shredded cheese.
Start the next layer with another round of corn tortillas, topped with refried beans, then meat filler, and cheese. I added chopped green onions on top, but you can use sliced jalapenos (fresh, canned, or jarred) or black olives. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Once you remove the dish from the oven, it’s key to let it cool for 10-15 minutes so the layers can set.
Slice and serve with chips, salsa, guacamole, queso, sour cream, rice, or any other sides you want.
Close your eyes and pretend you’re in Cancun.
INGREDIENTS:
-2 lbs. ground turkey
-2 packets (1oz.) low-sodium taco seasoning
-1.5 cups water
-1 medium or large onion, diced
-2 tbsp minced garlic
-8oz. can of low-sodium tomato paste
-2 cans (14.5oz.) of low-sodium diced tomatoes, drained
-1 (15oz.) can of low-sodium black beans, drained
-1 (15oz.) can of low-sodium whole kernel corn, drained
-Chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt-free seasoning, black pepper as needed
-1 dozen corn tortillas
-1 (15oz.) can of vegetarian refried beans
-2 (8oz.) packages of shredded Mexican, Cheddar, or Monterey Jack vegan cheese
-1 bunch of green onions
-Optional: sour cream, jalapenos, red or green salsa, black olives, tortilla chips, guacamole, pico de gallo
