Our Healthy Mexican Casserole is a perfect addition to your Taco Tuesday or weekend menu. It’s made with grass-fed beef, bell peppers, corn and beans, and topped with delicious melted cheese. Eat it on its own or add as a filling to taco shells with a side of guacamole, chips and salsa. Delish! Made in 45 minutes, kid-friendly, and best of all this recipe is made with minimal equipment, which means minimal clean-up!
Feel free to omit the cheese, corn and black beans to make this recipe Whole30 and Paleo- friendly. You can also serve it over some fresh spinach to make it a taco salad. Just throw a little extra salsa on top. The world is your oyster. I promise it will still be tasty! Hope you enjoy and please leave a comment below with any feedback you have. We love to hear from ya’ll!
Make It Quicker –
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- Dice all veggies on a meal prep day (I like to devote Sunday’s to this) and store in air-tight container for up to 2-3 days.
- Defrost meat the night before so you have flexibility to cook any time the next day (before work, while your kids are eating breakfast, during independent play, nap time, or screen time if applicable).
- Gather all ingredients that do not require refrigeration and place on counter the night before you plan to cook or first thing in the morning.
- Involve your kids in the cooking and cleaning process for a learning activity (gathering ingredients, measuring & pouring ingredients, following a recipe, letter and number identification, building vocabulary, categorizing ingredients, the learning opportunities are endless)!
Ingredients Needed –
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- extra virgin olive oil
- grass-fed beef
- bell peppers (any color, but red/yellow are in this recipe)
- red onion
- jalapeno
- black beans
- corn
- salsa
- cheese
- chili powder
- cumin
- garlic powder
- salt
- cilantro, avocado and greek yogurt (optional toppings)
Equipment Needed –
I made this recipe because I am a huge fan of casseroles and couldn’t quite find the perfect Mexican style one for my fam that was tasty and quick to throw together. This recipe requires little prep work (15 minutes) and minimal time in front of the stove-top (15 minutes). This allows me to keep an eye on the kiddos or use any extra time to get something else accomplished. Also, since my mission in life is to “use less dishes,” you will only need 6 pieces of equipment to make this recipe. Solid!
Healthy Mexican Casserole
Equipment
- 9x13 inch casserole dish
- large non-stick pan
- cutting board
- chopping knife
- mixing spoon
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lb grass-fed beef
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 red bell peppers diced
- 2 yellow bell peppers diced
- 1 1 jalapeño (optional) diced and seeds removed
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1 14 oz black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt more to taste
- 2 C shredded cheese I used Sargento Mexican 4 Cheese Blend
- 1 16 oz can salsa I used Frontera Roasted Tomato Salsa
- cilantro, avocado, greek yogurt for toppings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a9x13 inch casserole dish with coconut oil.
- Prepare all of the veggies.
- Coat a large nonstick pan with olive oil and put on medium-high heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and veggies are slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add ground beef to pan and cook until meat is cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Discard fat.
- Add all spices to pan and stir to combine.
- Turn heat down to medium-low. Add frozen corn, black beans, and salsa to pan and stir to combine. Cook for additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer mixture to greased casserole dish.
- Top with shredded cheese and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Add greek yogurt, avocado, and cilantro for toppings.
Kenny
Definitely a favorite in our house!
UpBeet Sisters
Glad you love it!