Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (2024)

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This Weight Watcher's Mexican Casserole is going to be your favorite new casserole recipe. It's packed with ground beef, tomatoes, corn, tortillas, and black beans. It's pretty much a taco that is stacked inside a casserole dish.

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (1)

Love easy casserole recipes like this one try Baked Spaghetti and Meatball Casserole, Bubble Up Meatball Sub casserole, or Bubble Up Breakfast Casserole.

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  • Why You Will Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients Needed
  • How to Make Mexican Casserole
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Great Weight Watcher Recipes to Try
  • Mexican Casserole

Why You Will Love This Recipe

I managed to cut back the sodium content down on this casserole to about 200 mg by using no salt-added canned food. I've been on this low-sodium kick lately and I found no salt added corn, black beans, and tomatoes at the grocery store. I even found low sodium taco seasoning. The only ingredients that had sodium in it were the cheese and corn tortillas.

This casserole is made in only 1 or 2 dishes for easy clean up.

It's loaded with a ton of all your favorite Mexican vegetables like beans, corn, and tomatoes.

Ingredients Needed

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (2)
  • Extra lean ground beef (drained or rinsed!) - Is considered better than higher fat options for several reasons. First, it has less saturated fat, which can contribute to heart disease and other health issues. Additionally, it tends to have fewer calories per serving, making it a good option for those watching their weight. The 96% lean ground beef from Aldi is my favorite.
  • Onion (chopped) - use minced onion or onion powder if you don't like onions
  • Canned jalapeno slices, chopped
  • Fresh tomatoes, chopped or 1 (15 oz) can diced canned tomatoes
  • Can kernel corn (drained) - refers to corn that has been harvested, cooked, and preserved in a can. It is a popular food item due to its convenience and long shelf life. However, some people prefer fresh or frozen corn for its taste and texture.
  • Black beans (rinsed and drained) - are a convenient and versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. They are a great source of protein and fiber, and can be added to salads, soups, stews, and even dips.
  • Taco seasoning mix - Is a blend of spices used to flavor ground beef or other meats for use in tacos. It typically includes a combination of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and sometimes salt and pepper. It can be purchased pre-mixed, or made at home using individual spices. I usually buy the Lower Sodium Taco Seasoning packets such as Mrs Dash.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make Mexican Casserole

Step 1: Brown ground beef and chopped onions in large skillet; brown 10 to 12 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring constantly. Drain all fat from skillet and return beef/onions to skillet.

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (3)

Step 2: Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, chilies/jalapenos, and taco seasoning mix; mix well. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (4)

Step 3: Meanwhile spray a 12x8-inch (2-quart) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut each tortilla in half; place 8 halves in the bottom of the sprayed baking dish, overlapping slightly.

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (5)

Step 4: Spoon half of the beef mixture evenly over the tortillas. Spoon sour cream over beef mixture; spread evenly. Top with the remaining 8 tortilla halves and remaining beef mixture. (Cover tightly with foil & Freeze for later OR cook as directed below…).

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (6)

Step 5: (Thaw overnight if frozen) Heat oven to 350ºF. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh chopped lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, black olives, etc…

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (7)

Serving Size: Slice the casserole into 6 equal portions. Serving size is 1 slice.

I hope you like this casserole dish just as much as I did! Serve with your favorite taco condiments such as sour cream, avocado, etc....

Recipe FAQs

What are the five components of a casserole?

In a standard casserole recipe, there is protein, vegetables, starch, sauce, and cheese. Sometimes there will be dairy added to the casserole. This recipe can be made into so many new recipes just by changing the 5 components of a casserole! Instead of tortillas add cooked pasta!

How do Americans make casseroles?

Casseroles are usually layered dishes and they get slowly cooked in the oven covered in foil.

What is the difference between a hotdish and casserole?

Casserole is the name of the dish used to cook with, whereas hot dish is the meal itself

More Great Weight Watcher Recipes to Try

  • Simple Perfect Chili Ree Drummond
  • Oatmeal Cookies 3 Ingredients
  • Air Fryer Beef Enchiladas
  • Blackstone French Toast (Blueberries and Cream)

If you tried this Mexican Casserole Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries

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Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (12)

Mexican Casserole

★★★★★4.4 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Jenna
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 25 min
  • Total Time: 35 min
  • Yield: 6 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Weight Watcher's Mexican Casserole is going to be your favorite new casserole recipe. It's packed with ground beef, tomatoes, corn, and black beans.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 lb extra lean ground beef (drained or rinsed!)
  • ½ cup onion (chopped)
  • ¼ cup canned jalapeno slices, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped or 1 (15 oz) can diced canned tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz) can kernel corn (drained)
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 (1 ¼ oz) package taco seasoning mix
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • ¾ cup nonfat sour cream
  • ⅓ cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend, shredded
  • bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste (or less (or more)

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef and chopped onions in large skillet; brown 10 to 12 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring constantly. Drain all fat from skillet and return beef/onions to skillet.
  2. Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, chilies/jalapenos and taco seasoning mix; mix well. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile spray 12x8-inch (2-quart) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut each tortilla in half; place 8 halves in bottom of sprayed baking dish, overlapping slightly.
  4. Spoon half of beef mixture evenly over tortillas. Spoon sour cream over beef mixture; spread evenly. Top with remaining 8 tortilla halves and remaining beef mixture. (Cover tightly with foil & Freeze for later OR cook as directed below…).
  5. (Thaw overnight if frozen) Heat oven to 350ºF. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh chopped lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, black olives, etc…
  6. Slice the casserole into 6 equal portions. Serving size is 1 slice.

Notes

My WW Personal Points: 7 Click here to see in recipe builder (will have to log in)

Instead of tortillas add some cooked pasta.

  • Category: Easy
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ⅙th of the pan
  • Calories: 355
  • Sugar: 8.2
  • Fat: 5.9
  • Saturated Fat: 2.2
  • Carbohydrates: 52.3
  • Fiber: 10.4
  • Protein: 26.7

Keywords: weight watchers mexican casserole, mexican casserole, casserole with tortillas

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

Where did the Mexican casserole come from? ›

The first version of a Mexican casserole seems to have been the muk-bil (literally, “to put in the ground”). Made by the Mayans on the Yucatan Peninsula since pre-Hispanic times, it is the King Kong of tamales.

How do I add Flavour to bland chicken casserole? ›

Fresh herbs or citrus zest can also punch up flavors with a bit of welcome brightness for a long-cooked dish, as can adding some heat in the form of a dash of hot sauce, a generous pinch of minced or sliced fresh chili pepper, or a shake of red pepper flakes.

How do you spice up a casserole? ›

Balance Flavors

Sweet, salty, spicy, and acidic elements should blend well and complement each other. Add ingredients like caramelized onions, olives, or lemon zest to give your casserole a depth of flavor.

What temperature should a casserole be heated to? ›

Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
ProductMinimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time
Eggs160 °F (71.1 °C)
Fish & Shellfish145 °F (62.8 °C)
Leftovers165 °F (73.9 °C)
Casseroles165 °F (73.9 °C)
6 more rows
May 11, 2020

What is the oldest traditional Mexican food? ›

Most Ancient Mexican Dishes
  • Corn tortillas.
  • Tamales.
  • Mole.
  • Salsa.
  • Guacamole.
  • Tacos.
  • Pozole.
  • Atole.
Oct 27, 2023

What is the oldest known casserole? ›

Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

What are 5 components of a casserole? ›

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

What spices enhance the flavor of chicken? ›

5 best spice and herbs blends for chicken and meat
  • Paprika and garlic powder. Paprika is a great spice that makes any chicken dish stand out, it comes in many forms sweet, hot, regular and smoky. ...
  • Basil and rosemary. ...
  • Ginger and lemongrass. ...
  • Turmeric and chili. ...
  • Coriander and cumin.

How do you make a casserole taste good? ›

Coat the meat in flour just before cooking. If you coat it too early, the moisture in the meat absorbs the flour and spoils the texture of the casserole. Begin by browning the meat or chicken, separately, before adding vegetables, liquids and herbs. This seals in the juices and adds flavour.

What can I add to casserole for Flavour? ›

Try different herbs for added flavour: sage or lemon thyme work wonderfully well. For a meatier casserole, add chopped sausage or pancetta when cooking the chicken. Stir wholegrain mustard through the casserole at the end of cooking (to taste); this is especially good if you have sausage in the casserole.

How do you fix a bland casserole? ›

From boring to brilliant: Five easy ways to fix a bland recipe
  1. Salt. Advertisem*nt. ...
  2. Acid. One of my favorite ways to perk up a bland dish is with a splash of acid. ...
  3. Chilli peppers. Adding something spicy is a sure way to transform an underseasoned dish. ...
  4. Sugar. ...
  5. Fresh herbs.
Mar 13, 2023

Why put foil on casserole dish? ›

It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal. Loosely covering your dish with foil can prevent uneven browning while baking. However, tightly sealing your bakeware with foil is the way to go for more steam.

Is it better to cook casserole the day before or? ›

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

Should you cover casserole when baking? ›

The primary reason for covering a casserole as it bakes is to trap moisture inside the dish. This will not only keep the casserole itself moist, but it will also help get the casserole up to cooking temperature.

Can you put raw meat in a casserole? ›

Always Cook Meat Before Adding

Don't add raw meat to a casserole.

Who made the first Mexican dish? ›

In fact, we have the Mayans to thank for inventing the earliest form of the tortilla, a food that is central to Mexican cuisine today. The Mayans often ate tortillas with a paste made from beans given that meat was scarce in the region where they lived.

Who made the first casserole? ›

And a piece by Langdon Reid in a Staunton, Virginia, newspaper says: “History tells us that a French Canadian immigrant Elmire Jolicour is credited with inventing the casserole, this wonderful dish of culinary breakthrough, in Berlin, New Hampshire, in 1866.”

Where does authentic Mexican food come from? ›

Authentic Mexican food dates back to the times of Mayan Indians and the Aztec Empire. Both cultures collided, combining foods like corn tortillas, beans, chili peppers, wild game, and fish. When Spain invaded Mexico in the 1500s, foods like pork, dairy, garlic, and other herbs and spices became popular.

What country is casserole from? ›

Although their name comes from the French word for saucepan, casseroles feel distinctly American, routed in a love for comfort food and often shaped by a desire for easy, tasty home-cooked meals. Here's everything you need to know about casseroles and cooking them, along with great recipes for all kinds of occasions.

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