This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no additional cost to you – and you can trust that I only promote products I love or would use myself. Read my full disclosure for more details.
Do you like surprises? I know there are some people who just can’t stand them.
Now, truth be told, some surprises are meant to be good … like your husband bringing donuts home on a Saturday morning after his graveyard shift (thank you, Sweetie). And some are meant to be bad … like when your 11 year old is lurking in the hall just waiting for you to come around the corner. Yeah, that has never happened to me … never.
I had a surprise the other day … sadly, it wasn’t quite as exciting as either of the scenarios above, but I can say it was a good surprise.
Everyone with kids knows, it’s a crap-shoot whenever you try a new recipe. Especially one like a casserole – where there are a variety of things all mixed together. The results can be awful for the kids. My kids are fairly adventurous with food, but they’re not so great on the whole casserole front.
How does that happen? I grew up on casseroles. I think there may be cream of mushroom soup running through my veins (thanks, Mom). I tend not to use the cream soups (sorry, Campbells), but I do love a good casserole.
After spending a day running errands, including one that took us to a town 45 minutes from home, we dashed home without much time to make dinner – and – nothing planned! I quickly ran through the ingredients in the cupboards, refrigerator and freezer and came up with the idea for this casserole.
I’ve tried recipes similar to this, but somehow … the combination of green enchilada sauce with the other seasonings, made this totally unique.
The kids even had seconds. That was a jaw-dropper!
Give it a try, then let me know how it turned out for you. It was a total winner here!
Cheesy Beef and Bean Green Enchilada Casserole
- 2 T. oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 T. chili powder
- 1 t. cumin
- 1 C. salsa
- 1/2 C. water
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1/2 of a 28 oz. can green enchilada sauce
- 3 c. shredded cheese
- Saute onion in the oil, until starting to soften, then add the ground beef.
- When the ground beef is cooked through, add the taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, water, salsa and black beans. Stir until it is all combined and the water is mostly evaporated.
- Put 2 T. of the enchilada sauce in bottom of a casserole dish, then layer half of the ingredients in this order: tortillas, beef mixture, enchilada sauce, cheese. Then repeat.
- Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, until bubbly. Serve topped with sour cream and salsa if you like.
So, you may be asking … what do I do with the other half of the green enchilada sauce? I just put mine in a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer so I can make this again later. If I was planning ahead, I would have made another whole casserole and frozen that. It could also easily go in soup or chili. The key here is not to waste it. Remember, every little bit counts … and the quickest way to stretch your budget is to not be wasteful.
Do you like this kind of recipe? Try this Chile Rellenos Casserole, too. Please leave me a comment and tell me what you think.
