Description
Comfort meets fiesta in this Mexican Quesadilla Casserole, a hearty dish layered with zesty flavors and melted cheese. Warm tortillas, seasoned meat, and rich spices create a perfect meal that brings Mexico’s culinary spirit directly to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Vegetables and Beans:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 (15 ounces) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (10 ounces) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
- 1 (8 ounces) can corn, drained
- 1 (4 ounces) can chopped green chiles
- 1 (8 ounces) can tomato sauce
Spices and Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, then drain excess fat.
- Incorporate tomato sauce, black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, and green chiles into the meat mixture. Season with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Allow to simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Create the first layer by spreading 1/2 cup beef mixture across the bottom of the prepared dish. Arrange tortillas to cover the entire surface, slightly overlapping if needed.
- Add another 1/2 cup beef mixture and sprinkle 1 cup of Cheddar cheese over the tortillas.
- Repeat the layering process with additional tortillas, beef mixture, and cheese, ensuring even distribution.
- Top the final layer with remaining Cheddar cheese to create a golden, melted surface.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until cheese is completely melted and the casserole is thoroughly heated.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow layers to set and flavors to meld.
Notes
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter, leaner protein option that reduces saturated fat and calories.
- Add extra vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach to boost nutritional value and create more complex flavor layers in the casserole.
- Use whole wheat tortillas to increase fiber content and provide a more nutritious base for the dish, making it more filling and healthier.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting red pepper flakes and choosing mild or spicy green chiles to suit different taste preferences and spice tolerances.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 408
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 746 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg