Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole

Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole

I don't think this is authentic Mexican, it's more like Americanized Tex Mex, but it sure does taste good.
I keep most of the ingredients on hand so this gets made quite often.
I hate rolling enchilada's. I just cut or tear the tortilla shells into bite size pieces and mix it all together.
As an alternative, I've also used cooked rice or pasta instead of the tortilla shells.


You will need:
1 pound ground beef
Taco Seasoning (optional)
1 can refried beans
1 small diced onion
a couple cloves of garlic, finely minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 small can green chilies
1 can enchilada sauce
12 flour or corn tortillas, torn into bite size pieces
2 1/2 cups cheese~Cheddar, MoJack, or a Mexican cheese blend
Garnish:
Sour cream
Green onions
Sliced olives

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
In a pan with deep sides, such as a dutch oven, brown the meat, onions and garlic over medium heat. This will make it possible to combine all the ingredients without having to transfer it to a bowl...who likes washing more dishes then necessary? Add Taco Seasoning here if you are using it. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add the refried beans, green chilies, enchilada sauce, 2 cups cheese and torn tortillas. Stir to combine.
Pour mixture into a greased rectangle 12 x 7 casserole dish or a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of cheese over top.

Cover with foil.
This keeps the cheese from turning into a hard, inedible crust.
Place into your preheated oven on center rack and bake for 30-45 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Remove from oven. Remove foil.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Garnish with sour cream, sliced green onions and olives.
I generally let the family garnish their own individual servings.

Enjoy with a Margarita or a Corona :)

Cooks note: Stir in some Salsa and corn for a change!
The more I make this, the more I prefer this with torn corn tortilla shells. It just tastes better then the flour tortillas.