Mexican casserole with tortillas, beans and cheese Recipe
This layered casserole with tortillas, beans and cheese is a bit like a Mexican lasagna – instead of pasta you use corn tortillas, and instead of béchamel there’s a fragrant tomato sauce with spices. It’s perfect for a family dinner or a get-together with friends, because it easily feeds several people at once. And the leftovers taste even better the next day.
This casserole is a homemade take on a Mexican-style chilaquiles casserole – layers of tortillas, beans and cheese make it something between lasagna and a giant taco you cut into squares. The sweet-and-tangy tomato sauce with cumin and chili soaks into the tortillas, so the inside is soft and juicy while the top is nicely browned. It reheats beautifully and actually tastes better the next day, once the spices have had time to meld.
Chef's tips
Cook the sauce only until it thickens slightly – if you reduce it too much, the tortillas won’t have time to absorb enough moisture in the oven and the casserole will turn out dry. Grate the cheese on the coarse side of the grater so it melts into appetizing strands instead of forming a hard crust. After baking, do wait those 10 minutes: the layers will set and won’t slide apart when you cut it, like hot lava.
How to serve
Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and a quick tomato salsa – they balance out the heat of the chili. To drink, a lager-style beer, a slightly chilled margarita or simply lime-and-mint water all work well. It’s a great dish for a movie night with friends: put the dish in the middle of the table, add a bowl of nachos and let everyone help themselves.
Ingredients
- wheat or corn tortillas medium, about 20 cm in diameter - 8 pieces
- red kidney beans, canned drained and rinsed - 400 g
- canned tomatoes chopped - 400 g
- tomato paste - 1 tablespoon
- onion finely chopped - 1 piece
- garlic cloves finely chopped - 2 pieces
- red bell pepper diced - 1 piece
- yellow cheese grated, e.g. cheddar or gouda - 200 g
- ground cumin - 1 teaspoon
- sweet paprika, ground - 1 teaspoon
- chili powder or more to taste - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt or to taste - 1 teaspoon
- ground black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
- vegetable oil for frying - 2 tablespoons
- fresh coriander or parsley chopped, for serving - 10 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Prepare a baking dish about 20×30 cm, lightly grease it with oil or line with baking paper.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–5 minutes, until softened and slightly translucent. Add the pepper and fry for another 3–4 minutes, until slightly softened.
- Add the garlic, cumin, sweet paprika and chili. Stir for about 1 minute, until the spices become very fragrant.
- Add the beans, canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir, season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. If it is very thick, add 2–3 tablespoons of water.
- Cut the tortillas into halves or quarters to make them easier to arrange in the dish. Spread a thin layer of the bean-tomato sauce over the bottom of the dish.
- Arrange the first layer of tortillas to cover the bottom (they can overlap slightly). Spread 1/3 of the sauce over the tortillas, sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated cheese. Repeat the layering two more times: tortillas, sauce, cheese.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil (shiny side in) and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 8–10 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned.
- After removing from the oven, let the casserole rest for 10 minutes so it firms up a bit and is easier to slice. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped coriander or parsley.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave. The flavors deepen by the next day, and the casserole holds its shape even better when reheated.
