Tex-Mex Beef and Tortilla Casserole

Tex-Mex Beef and Tortilla Casserole

Tex-Mex Beef and Tortilla Casserole

Make this crowd-pleaser as spicy—or not—as you like by controlling the amount of chipotle powder, and by using salsa that is as mild or fiery as you like.

  • Cuisine:

    American

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 sweet onion chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 1/2 pounds of lean ground sirloin
1 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon of ground chipotle pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans of petite diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of salt
12-14 (6-inch) of corn tortillas
3 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of prepared salsa

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 11- by 7-inch baking dish.
  2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain off excess fat and return skillet to the stove; cook 2 minutes. Add the corn and cook 1 minute; stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano and chipotle pepper and cook until well-distributed and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt.
  3. Arrange a single layer of tortillas over the bottom of the prepared baking dish, cutting as necessary to make them fit. Spread 1/2 of the beef mixture over then tortillas then top with 1 1/4 cups of the cheese. Top the cheese with a layer of tortillas, cutting to fit as needed. Spread with the remaining beef mixture and 1 1/4 cups cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, cutting as needed. Then spread with the prepared salsa and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
  4. Bake until cheese is melted and the filling is hot and bubbly, about 25-28 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes before cutting.