Layered Taco Casserole
I transform this kid-approved Mexican-inspired layered taco casserole into a hearty meal in just 45 minutes. With layers of corn tortillas, salsa, refried beans, and veggies, this vegetarian taco casserole is the perfect midweek recipe the whole family can enjoy.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 246kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ red onion chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- taco seasoning to taste
- 1-1½ cups chunky salsa
- 1½ cups frozen spinach squeezed out to remove excess liquid
- 15 oz tomato sauce 1 can
- 10 corn tortillas
- 1 15oz can refried black beans
- 5 Jumbo black olives sliced
- 1 roma tomato diced
- ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese or mexican cheese blend feel free to use double or triple the amount cheese and add it to every layer if your child really likes cheese!
Instructions
- Chop your veggies, and saute the red onion, red pepper, garlic and corn over medium heat until the onions are translucent.
- Heat up the beans, and add a couple teaspoons of taco seasoning until the beans are as spicy as you like.
- Meanwhile, add a couple teaspoons of taco seasoning to the veggies, and add in the spinach.
- Start assembling your “lasagna”! In an 8×8 baking dish, start with a layer of the tomato sauce. You want just enough to cover the bottom of the baking dish, about ¼-⅓ cup. Then add ⅓ of the salsa, and a layer of the corn tortillas. You may have to cut some of the tortillas into quarters to fill the entire bottom of the baking dish (with no gaps).
- Top the corn tortillas with ½ the refried beans, ½ of the veggie mixture, and a drizzle of the tomato sauce + salsa (about ⅓ the amount that's left of each).
- More layering – top with the corn tortillas, the remaining ½ the refried beans, and the remaining ½ the veggie mixture, a drizzle of the tomato sauce + salsa (use the next ⅓ and you'll have ⅓ of the tomato sauce + salsa left for the final step).
- Then top with the corn tortillas again, and the rest of the tomato sauce + salsa. Top that with the cheese, olives and tomatoes, and it’s ready to go into the oven! The tomatoes and olives will likely be at the very top of the casserole dish, that's ok!
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min, until the cheese is bubbly and melted.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this layered taco casserole is to pan fry the corn tortillas with a light spray of extra virgin olive oil before layering them. This simple step keeps them from getting soggy and gives them the perfect crispiness that I love.
- Using frozen spinach: When using frozen spinach, I recommend thawing it overnight and squeezing the excess water from the spinach before adding it to the veggie mixture.
- Homemade taco seasoning: When I don’t have taco seasoning, I use chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano as a make-do taco seasoning.
- Using flour tortillas: If you don’t have corn tortillas, I recommend using whole wheat flour tortillas.
- Vegan version: For a vegan option, omit the cheese or use a vegan-friendly cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Cholesterol: 5.5mg | Sodium: 1089.5mg | Potassium: 560.9mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8.7g