Mexican Beef Bake
Submitted by fireball
Layered Mexican beef bake with seasoned ground beef, corn, green chiles, black olives, and Monterey Jack cheese. Topped with tortilla chips and sour cream.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minThis Mexican casserole layers seasoned ground beef with corn, black olives, and Monterey Jack in a simple repeat pattern that takes about 15 minutes to assemble. Two tablespoons of chili powder plus taco sauce and canned green chiles give the beef layer serious flavor without needing a long list of individual spices.
The layering goes: corn and green onions on the bottom, beef mixture over that, olives, then cheese. Repeat once more. Twenty minutes covered in a hot oven melts the cheese through every layer.
Garnish with crushed tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, diced fresh tomato, and the remaining green onions. Those fresh toppings add crunch and brightness against the rich, melty bake.
Kitchen Tips
- Brown the beef thoroughly before adding the chili powder. Well-browned meat has deeper flavor than gray, steamed meat.
- Cook the chili powder with the beef for a full minute. This blooms the spice and removes the raw, dusty taste.
- Drain the corn and green chiles well. Excess liquid makes the casserole watery at the bottom.
- Cover the casserole while baking so the cheese melts evenly without browning on top.
Variations
- Use pepper jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack for built-in heat.
- Add a layer of refried beans for extra body and protein.
- Swap ground beef for seasoned ground turkey to lighten things up.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
In 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until well browned.
Stir in chili powder; cook 1 minute.
Remove from heat; stir in taco sauce, green chiles, and salt.
In small bowl, combine corn and half of green onions.
In 1½-quart casserole, layer half corn mixture, half beef mixture, half olives, and half cheese.
Repeat layering. Bake, covered, 20 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.
Garnish with tortilla chips, sour cream, tomato, and remaining green onions.
Serve.
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