Cheesy Tortilla Bake (Printable Version)
A perfect blend of crunchy tortilla chips, cheesy layers, and savory spiced beef covered in a tangy enchilada sauce. It's an easy crowd-pleaser for any weeknight dinner.
# Ingredients:
01 -
1 bag of tortilla chips (around 12 ounces)
02 -
3 cups of grated cheese
03 -
1 pound of ground beef (feel free to swap it for shredded chicken or ground turkey)
04 -
A 28-ounce can of enchilada sauce (red variety)
05 -
A small 4-ounce can of diced green chilies, drained
06 -
A teaspoon of ground cumin
07 -
Half a cup of salsa
# Steps:
01 -
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to heat it up.
02 -
Cook the ground beef in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until it’s fully browned. Drain any leftover grease.
03 -
Mix the green chilies, cumin, and salsa into the cooked beef. Stir well so everything blends nicely.
04 -
Place tortilla chips in a big bowl and gently crush them into smaller sections. Don’t crumble them completely!
05 -
Throw the spiced meat mix into the bowl with the chips. Add the can of enchilada sauce and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Mix it all together carefully but thoroughly.
06 -
Coat a 9"x13" baking pan lightly with non-stick spray.
07 -
Spread the tortilla and meat mixture evenly inside your greased baking dish.
08 -
Take the remaining 2 cups of cheese (add more if you’re feeling cheesy!) and sprinkle them all over the top, covering it completely.
09 -
Cover the baking dish with tin foil and cook it in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes. You’re looking for hot and bubbly.
10 -
Take out the dish and let it cool down a bit for five minutes before digging in.
# Notes:
01 -
This dish is perfect for using up tortilla chips that are slightly past their crunch peak.
02 -
Feel free to jazz this up with extras like sour cream, chopped tomatoes, guacamole, cilantro, jalapeños, or sliced olives.
03 -
If you enjoy spicy food, swap in a hot enchilada sauce or toss in some diced jalapeños.
04 -
You can freeze this before baking. Stop after step 8, make sure it’s well wrapped, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, let it thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as usual, adding 10-15 extra minutes to cook time.