Beef Tortilla Casserole

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 9
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped medium
• 1 onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• salt
• 2 lbs ground beef (90% lean)
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
• 2 (15 1/2 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• pepper
• 18 (6 inch) corn tortillas
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)

Recipe

• 1 adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 300° (not a typo).
• 2 heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
• 3 add the bell peppers and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• 4 stir in the garlic, chili powder, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• 5 add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
• 6 stir in the broth, chipotles, beans, and tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• 7 stir in 1/4 cup of the cilantro and the lime juice.
• 8 season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 9 meanwhile, spray both sides of the tortillas with vegetable oil spray and spread out over two baking sheets (some overlap is fine).
• 10 bake until the tortillas are soft and pliable, about 5 minutes.
• 11 remove the tortillas from the oven and increase oven temperature to 450°.
• 12 spread 1/3 of the beef mixture in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
• 13 layer 6 of the tortillas on top of the filling, overlapping as needed, then sprinkle with 3/4 cup of each cheese.
• 14 repeat to form a second layer.
• 15 spread the remaining filling in the baking dish.
• 16 cut the remaining 6 tortillas into quarters, then spread over the top.
• 17 sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of each cheese.
• 18 bake until the cheese is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling, about 15 minutes.
• 19 let cool for 10 minutes.
• 20 sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro before serving.