Beef and black bean enchilada casserole
45 min · 45 g protein · 489 cals / serving
Every flavour of a tray of enchiladas with none of the rolling: lean beef, black beans, peppers, zucchini and corn in a warm chili-cumin filling made creamy with cottage cheese, layered with corn tortillas and red enchilada sauce under melted cheddar. Fifteen minutes in the oven, six generous squares, and it reheats and freezes like a dream.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, red or yellow, diced (or 300 g frozen pepper strips)
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef (95% lean)
Filling
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2/3 cup frozen corn
- 2 cans (10 oz each) enchilada sauce, red, mild or medium; check the label, as some enchilada sauces contain wheat flour
- 6 small (6-inch) corn tortilla
- 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (1%), 1% (low-fat)
- 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
To serve
- 2 green onions, sliced
- a handful fresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onion, peppers and zucchini for 3 minutes, then add the beef and cook, breaking it up, 6–7 minutes, until no pink remains (160°F).
- Stir in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano and salt for 30 seconds, then the beans, frozen corn and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Let it bubble for 2 minutes and take it off the heat. Blend the cottage cheese smooth (a stick blender in its tub is quickest) and stir it through the hot filling.
- Spread another 1/2 cup of sauce over the base of a deep 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13-inch, 3-quart) baking dish set on a baking sheet. Lay in three tortillas, tearing them to cover, then half the filling and half of the remaining sauce. Repeat with the last three tortillas, the rest of the filling and the rest of the sauce, and scatter the cheddar.
- Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes, then uncover and bake 5 minutes more, until the cheese has melted and the edges bubble. Let it stand 3 minutes so it cuts cleanly.
- Serve in squares with green onion and cilantro, and salsa or a spoon of Greek yogurt if you like. Cooled and covered, it keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months, whole or in portions; reheat a square in the microwave for 2–3 minutes and add the cold toppings after.
Good to know
Can I build it ahead?
Yes. Assemble it up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate, then bake it straight from the fridge with 10 extra minutes under the foil. Freeze it unbaked or baked; thaw overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating.
Can I use regular cheddar?
Yes, a full-fat sharp cheddar melts creamier and tastes stronger, for about the same score.
Is it spicy?
Mild with mild sauce, so children usually eat it happily. For heat, use medium or hot enchilada sauce, or add a sliced jalapeño to the filling for the grown-ups' half.
Per
- Calories
- 102
- Protein
- (38%)
- 9 g
- Fat
- (27%)
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- (35%)
- 10 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 267 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 2932 kcal goes into the pot and 3164 g of ingredients comes out as about 2865 g of food: 102 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.