As demonstrated with my Slow Cooker Chile Verde, I love spicy food and Mexican cuisine. There is just something about it I can’t resist! So, I decided to try a Mexican casserole. Mine was vegetarian, but it’s really easy to add either ground beef or chicken. The outcome was somewhat enchilada-like, with a little bit of crunch!
Here’s the recipe:
Vegetarian Mexican Casserole
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Prep is fairly quick and easy for this delicious vegetarian recipe! It's also really versatile—feel free to switch up the veggies and toppings!
Author: Mary Gannaway
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3-5 cloves of garlic, smashed or minced
- 1 diced onion (optional)
- 2 cups corn
- 2 diced green chilies
- 3 diced jalapenos
- Chili powder, cayenne pepper, cilantro, cumin, or other desired seasonings
- 2 cans pinto beans
- 1 can black beans
- Tortilla chips
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 2 cups hot sauce (optional)
- 1 lb shredded cheese
- 8 oz meltable cheese
- Desired toppings*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat olive oil in a pan, then add garlic, diced onion, corn, chiles, jalapenos, and desired seasonings to taste.
- Heat veggies until they are warm, then add the beans, and heat for about 5 minutes on medium.
- Add a layer of chips in the bottom of a 13x9 pan**, then add a layer of the bean mixture.
- Add about half of your shredded cheese, dot some cubes of the meltable cheese on top, and then add ½ cup of the salsa verde. If you're using hot sauce, mix together the hot sauce and salsa verde prior to adding.
- Continue layering in the same order (another layer of chips, then veggie mixture, then cheese and salsa) until there are no more ingredients.
- Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, until it is crispy on the edges and warm throughout the middle.
- Serve immediately with desired toppings
Notes
*Sour cream, black olives, avocado, green onion, and rice are all good options.
**You can also use Spanish rice on the bottom instead, as the chips will get a little soggy
**You can also use Spanish rice on the bottom instead, as the chips will get a little soggy
Overall, this recipe is plenty versatile. You can add more chips for a crispier outcome, or crunch them up more for a softer version. There are also a lot of possibilities for serving. I suggest making some guacamole to pair it with or add lettuce to the top.
This time, I used chips on the bottom, but I think the next time I try this recipe, I’d like to start with a layer of spanish rice in the bottom. The bottom layer of tortilla chips ended up a little mushy, which I didn’t find to be a bad thing. It ended up with a sort of enchilada-nacho-taco salad sort of taste! Regardless, this recipe is super easy and yummy!
Leave a Reply