Impossible Beef Enchilada Pie

The “Impossible” pie was a 1970s Bisquick marketing innovation, and despite the dated branding, the technique works. A blender batter of milk, eggs, and Bisquick gets poured over a layered filling, and as it bakes, the heavier ingredients sink while the batter rises around them, forming its own crust on top and bottom.

For an enchilada pie, this means seasoned ground beef with onion, garlic, chili powder, and enchilada sauce gets sandwiched between crushed tortilla chips and a quarter pound of cheddar. The batter bakes around it all into a sliceable, casserole-meets-pie hybrid.

The crushed tortilla chips on the bottom of the pie plate are doing structural and flavor work, they soak up the meat juices instead of letting the bottom go soggy, and they add an authentic Mexican corn note to a dish that otherwise leans heavily on cheese.

The second sauce-and-cheese topping at the end is the genius move. Spreading the remaining enchilada sauce over the baked pie, then sprinkling the rest of the cheese for a final 3-5 minute melt creates a glossy, restaurant-style finish that turns this from weeknight casserole into something worth photographing.

Pro Tips

• Drain the ground beef thoroughly after browning, excess fat will pool on top of the pie and make it greasy.
• Use a blender or vigorous whisk for the milk-egg-Bisquick mixture as written, lumps in the batter mean lumps in the crust.
• A 10-inch pie plate is the right size, smaller and the filling overflows, larger and the crust goes thin.
• Let it cool the full 10 minutes before slicing. Cutting hot turns it into goop, the layers need time to set.

Variations

• Swap the ground beef for shredded chicken or ground turkey for a leaner version.
• Use pepper jack or Mexican blend cheese instead of cheddar for more authentic flavor and a touch of heat.
• Top the finished pie with sliced avocado, pickled jalapenos, and chopped cilantro for a fresh, restaurant-style presentation.