Chilaquiles Rojos

5 from 5 votes

If you love Mexican food, then you’re going to adore chilaquiles rojos! This classic Mexican dish is filled with black beans, peppers, tomatoes, and spices with layers of corn tortilla smothered in a rich tomato sauce. It’s a vegetarian-friendly Mexican casserole the whole family will love!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: servings

Calories: 253.6kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

½ tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion diced
3 red, yellow or orange bell pepper diced
2 15oz cans of black beans, rinsed
1 14oz can of diced tomatoes
1½ cups corn frozen (thawed) or fresh
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
10-12 corn tortillas quartered
1¼ cups shredded Cheddar cheese or a Mexican cheese blend
1 15oz can tomato sauce 1 can
1½ cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ancho chili powder
½ tsp chipotle chili powder use less for a less spicy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
Diced tomato and green onion for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Meanwhile, make the sauce: combine the tomato sauce, vegetable broth, chili powders (all 3 of them), garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk to combine, then turn the heat down to low and let simmer.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
Stir in beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through, about 3 minutes.
Scatter half the tortilla pieces in the casserole dish.
Top with half the vegetable mixture, then half the sauce, and then half the cheese.
Repeat with one more layer of tortillas, vegetables, sauce and cheese.
Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.
Top with diced tomatoes and green onion.

Video

https://youtu.be/efLpZmLf52I

Notes

Topping Ideas and Variations For Chilaquiles

We enjoy this recipe just the way it is, but you can certainly add any of your favorite toppings or mix-ins that you like. Here are a few ideas to consider:

Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt: 1-2 tsp per serving is plenty!
Guacamole: Add some freshly made guacamole. It’s delicious and goes so well with all of the other ingredients.
Pico de Gallo or Salsa: If you love pico de gallo, add a tablespoon or so on top right before serving.
Cilantro and/or Green Onions: Dice some fresh cilantro and green onions and sprinkle all over top. It’s bright, vibrant and adds a touch of freshness!
Eggs: Chilaquiles are typically served with a fried egg, or scrambled eggs. Feel free to cook up some eggs (fried, scrambled, poached, or however you like it) and top these healthy chilaquiles with them after they come out of the oven!
Baby Spinach: For even more veggies and extra greens, add 6oz fresh baby spinach to the black bean mixture (add it at the step when you add the black beans).
Refried Beans: For some extra protein, you can serve these up with some refried beans on the side.

Top Tips For Making Chilaquiles Rojos

Allowing the sauce to simmer brings out all the flavors of the seasonings.
Don’t forget to add foil when baking the casserole. It will keep the top from burning while heating it all the way through.
Evenly dice your chopped vegetables so that they are about the same size. This will give the casserole a good texture, and make sure you get all the flavors in one bite!
If you want tortillas with a little bit of bite, bake them at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or toast them in the toaster oven before assembling.
Feel free to switch up the toppings and filling with your favorite ingredients!
Make these vegetarian chilaquiles vegan just by omitting the cheese, or using a vegan alternative!

Adapted from EatingWell

Nutrition