Skip to main content

Tortilla Casserole

Warm and cheesy meal with bright salsa and fresh cilantro.
Cooking for a Crowd

Cooking for a Crowd

Use these recipe sheets to prepare for larger groups:

Saucy casserole slice on a plate.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 12 wedges
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

1 cup medium salsa (try Food Hero's Salsa Roja or Salsa Verde)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained (or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed)
½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
4 whole-wheat tortillas, 10-inch diameter
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheese (try Monterey Jack or Mexican blend)

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
  3. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Lightly oil or spray a 10-inch casserole dish.
  4. In a small bowl, mix salsa and tomato sauce.
  5. In a medium bowl, mix black beans, corn and cilantro.
  6. Place 1 tortilla in baking dish and spread ¼ of salsa mixture over tortilla. Top with ⅓ of bean mixture and ⅓ of cheese.
  7. Repeat layering 2 more times; spread last of salsa mixture over top of last tortilla.
  8. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until cheese melts and filling is hot.
  9. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. 

Notes

  • Try kidney or pinto beans instead of black beans.
  • Add leftover cooked chicken, turkey or ground beef.
  • Cook your own dry beans. One can (15 ounces) is about 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups drained beans.

Comments

I tried TeresaP's comment and used small corn tortillas and it worked so well!  Really tasted like an enchilada, but WOW how fast is this recipe??  It really took less than 15 minutes to fully get into the oven, this is perfect after work meal to prep.  And it is so adaptable to what you have in the pantry.  Oh and we sprinkled chopped black olives on top and a bit of low-fat sour cream.

From OSU Test Kitchen: We tested the Tortilla Casserole at 500 degrees F and 350 degrees F. Both work well. The lower temperature takes a little longer but at either temperature between 15-25 minutes the dish turns out very similar. 

For those that have prepared this recipe, is the baking temperature really 500 degrees?

Quick, tasty recipe! I used 8 small corn tortillas instead of whole wheat and added 1 cup of chopped cooked turkey (leftover from Thanksgiving) seasoned with cumin and cayenne.  Next time I will add some bell pepper and green onion too!

You might also like...

Recipes A to Z (without photos)

Skillet-Braised Chicken
Plate with seasoned and browned chicken breasts.

Skillet-Braised Chicken

A simple and delicious chicken recipe to enjoy as is or use in many recipes from salads to pasta.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
2 Servings
Squash Blossom Quesadilla
Plate of corn tortillas folded over cheese and squash blossom filling with salsa.

Squash Blossom Quesadilla

Tortillas filled with tender sautéed squash blossoms and creamy cheese. Make them your own by adding salsa, peppers, cilantro or epazote.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
6 quesadillas
Pear Quesadillas
Plate of golden tortilla folded over a cheese, pear and vegetable filling.

Pear Quesadillas

A unique and delicious sweet and savory quesadilla recipe.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
8 wedges
Turkey Ginger Rice Lettuce Wraps
Plate of lettuce boats filled with a turkey and carrot mix.

Turkey Ginger Rice Lettuce Wraps

Fresh and filling meal with a warm blend of rice, vegetables and a savory sauce.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
6 cups
Strawberry Sipper Flavored Water
Glasses of pink strawberry water with mint.

Strawberry Sipper Flavored Water

Strawberry puree makes this water refreshing and tasty!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
6 Servings
Meatball Soup
Bowl of meatballs, rice and vegetable soup served with lime and cilantro.

Meatball Soup

A hearty meatball soup loaded with veggies, Italian herbs and flavorful broth.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
9 cups