Description
This Easy Mexican Casserole is a flavorful, comforting dish combining seasoned ground beef, ranch-style beans, Rotel tomatoes, and melted cheddar cheese layered with crunchy tortilla chips. Prepared quickly on the stovetop and baked to bubbly perfection, it’s perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner that serves six.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Bean Mixture
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (15-oz) can Ranch Style beans
- 1 (10-oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies, undrained
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 (1-oz) package taco seasoning
- 1 (10.5-oz) can Unsalted Cream of Chicken Soup
- ½ cup water
Casserole Layers
- 1 (10-12 oz) bag tortilla chips, crushed (about half the bag used)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Serving
- Sour cream, for topping
- Salsa, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and brown meat: Preheat your oven to 325°F. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked, then drain off any excess fat to keep the dish from being greasy.
- Combine ingredients in skillet: To the browned beef, add Ranch Style beans, undrained Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, chopped onion, taco seasoning, cream of chicken soup, and water. Stir everything together and let it simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture is well combined and heated through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Assemble the casserole: Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Start with a layer of crushed tortilla chips on the bottom, then spread half of the meat and bean mixture over the chips. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar cheese on top. Repeat the layering with the remaining chips, meat mixture, and cheese.
- Bake covered: Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and heated through.
- Broil for bubbly cheese: Carefully remove the foil and place the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese starts to brown and bubble. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Rest and serve: Allow the casserole to sit for 5-10 minutes to set before serving. Garnish individual servings with sour cream and salsa as desired for extra flavor.
Notes
- You can adjust the quantity of tortilla chips based on your preferred crunch level; not the whole bag is necessary.
- Use lean ground beef to reduce fat content and improve the texture of the casserole.
- For a spicier dish, add extra diced chilies or hot sauce to taste.
- This casserole can be prepared a day in advance and baked just before serving.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
