We doing a Burrito Casserole for Taco Tuesday! This recipe takes all the things that make up a Burrito and layers them into a casserole for an incredible meal with a decent serving of twelve (12). Wrap Any leftovers in tinfoil and refrigerate for 3 days, or freeze for longer storage. Then just heat them up in the oven at 350 F until heated through. Add a dollop of Sour Cream, some reserved Fresh Pico de Gallo and Cilantro or Parsley. Want some heat, add a sprinkle of Chilies de Arbol or some Red Chili Flakes. It’s good with a bit of Sriracha too!
Burrito Casserole Ingredients
Large Flour Tortillas, Refried Beans, Adobo Sazon Rice (or other choice of rice), Sour Cream, Taco Meat (or Burrito Meat), Red Taco Sauce (or Enchilada Sauce), Pico De Gallo, Cheddar Cheese, Cilantro, or Parsley.
Flour Tortillas
The large Flour Tortillas will come in packs of 10. Only 6 are needed for the Burrito Casserole. Save the remaining 4 Large Tortillas for other recipes, or slice and fry or bake for tortilla chips. Place the Tortillas into the casserole to fill it out and overlap the middle. Then just slice through both tortillas, right down the middle. You can also use scissors. Additionally you can do all 3 layers, just stack 3 tortillas on each side and slice down the middle.
Refried Beans
Use a can of La Costena Refried Beans. Which are a bit bigger (546ml) than the Old El Paso (398ml) ones. Heat through the Refried Beans, just to soften them and make it easier to spread out evenly in the casserole.
Rice
The Rice is the bulk of the casserole and used to fill out the casserole a bit more, so that we can get 12 decent size servings. Make this first with a full 2 cups worth of uncooked Rice and then set aside until needed.
Adobo Sazon Rice is my go-to. This is an excellent rice in terms of flavor and appearance. Other types may include Taco Rice, Yellow Cumin Rice or Mexican Rice.
Sour Cream
Use about 1/2 C of Sour Cream on top of the layer that will hold the meat. Most of it used to serve on top when serving. For this reason you want the larger sour cream at about 500 ml as suppose to the smaller ones.
Burrito Casserole Meat
Add all of the ingredients into a pan to mix well. Set the pan over medium high heat and mix, while browning and ensuring the bouillon cube is completely mixed in. Then empty into a bowl so you can heat through the refried beans in the same pan over medium heat.
Combine all the below ingredients for the Taco or Burrito Meat.
- 1 lb (ca. 454 g) of Ground Beef or Ground Beef & Pork (50/50)
- 1/2 C Water or Tomato Juice
- A pack of Taco Seasoning or Burrito Seasoning
- 1 Beef Bouillon Cube
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Burrito Casserole Sauce
Use either the Red Taco Sauce or Enchilada Sauce.
- The Red Taco Sauce is a quick sauce that can be thrown together in about 5-10 minutes
- The Enchilada Sauce is based off of the Red Taco Sauce, with a purée of Onion, Tomato, Garlic and soaked Chilies added. Which just adds incredible flavors.
Pico de Gallo
Prepare the Pico de Gallo and use half of it for the Casserole and the other half for garnishing.
Combine the below ingredients into a tupperware container and refrigerate until needed.
- 3 Roma Tomatoes – Small Diced
- 1 Lime or Lemon with Zest – Finely Grated then Juiced or just 1-2 Tbl of Lime or Lemon Juice
- 1/4 C Fresh Cilantro – More or less depending on taste, can use dried in less amounts
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt or to taste
- 1 Jalapeno or Serrano – Seeded and finely minced
- 1 White Onion – Small Diced
Cheese
Use Old Fort Cheddar Cheese and shred through a food processor or by hand. Include a variety of Cheeses, like Monterey Jack by itself or with the Cheddar. A three cheese Tex Mex can be used and doesn’t require any shredding.
How to assemble a Burrito Casserole
Before you assemble the Burrito Casserole, everything needs to be made up in advance. Below is a checklist of ingredients that need to be prepared.
- Rice: Either Adobo Sazon Rice, Taco Rice, Yellow Cumin Rice, or Mexican Rice. Prepare this first as it takes the longest to make. Use a Deep Pan with a lid.
- Pico de Gallo: Prepare Pico de Gallo or Salsa while the rice is cooking.
- Red Taco Sauce or Enchilada Sauce: Either one of these will do. Red Taco Sauce is pretty quick and the Enchilada Sauce is a bit more with the inclusion of a chili purée, but really elevates the flavors from the Chilies. Prepare this too, while the rice is cooking
- The Taco Meat cooked and set aside. Followed by the Refried Beans right before assembling the Burrito Casserole.
Burrito Casserole Assembly
With all the ingredients made up and ready to go, you’re ready to start putting together this wonderful Burrito Casserole.
Tortillas
Place the Tortillas so that they fill out the casserole with the middle overlapping and slice through to get an even layer. This will be repeated for every layer for a total of 3 layers.
The excess tortillas can be sliced into strips and fried to serve on top as a garnish too.
Refried Beans
Heat the refried beans in a pan while mixing, so that they are warmed through and more easily spreadable. Spread evenly in the casserole.
Rice
Empty all of the rice in and spread out in an even layer.
Second Tortilla Layer
Lay down the second layer of tortillas and trim.
Sour Cream
Spread Sour Cream in an even layer. About 1/2 C, more or less.
Meat
Layer the previously cooked Meat in an even layer.
Second Red Sauce
Drizzle Red Sauce and spread out with a spoon.
Third Tortilla Layer
Add your third layer of Tortillas.
Third Red Sauce
Spread another layer of Red Sauce. If using Salsa in place of Pico De Gallo, you do not need to add any Red Sauce. Just the Salsa can be spread here.
Pico De Gallo or Salsa
Add half of the Pico de Gallo. Reserve the remaining for garnishing.
Frozen Corn can be added here too.
Cheese
Sprinkle about 200g or more of shredded Cheese over top.
How to Bake a Burrito Casserole
Everything that goes into making a Burrito Casserole is already cooked. All we’re really doing is baking to meld the flavors and melt the cheese.
Place into a preheated at 350F oven in the middle rack position, uncovered. Bake for about 20 minutes and then remove to rest for another 20 minutes before serving. I like an ooey gooey cheese, so not much browning on top. You can cook longer if desired.
How to Slice a Burrito Casserole
This is a hefty Casserole and you might be tempted to slice it up like you do all casseroles in about 8 equal size portions. However, this would result in a serving that you most likely will not finish, it’s heavy. For that reason, slice the Burrito Casserole into 12 equal servings.
Start by slicing the Casserole length wise into three (3) equal strips. Then slice across in half, followed by each half being sliced in half again, to yield 12 roughly equal size servings. Use a very sharp knife to get clean slices. Run the knife through again to ensure all layers are sliced through.
Garnishing
Garnish with fresh Pico de Gallo and a good dollop of Sour Cream. Along with either Cilantro or Parsley. If some heat is desired, crushed or ground Chilies de Arbol or Red Chili Flakes can be sprinkled over top. Sriracha sauce can also be drizzled over or served on the side.
Equipment
- 1 Casserole 9×13
- 2 Bowls for Rice & Taco Meat
- 1 Food Processor or Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 1 portion Adobo Sazon Rice - or other choice rice (2 C uncooked rice worth), see notes
- 1 portion Pico de Gallo - or Salsa
- 1 portion Red Taco Sauce - or Enchilada Sauce
- 1 pack Large Tortillas
- 1 can Refried Beans
- 500 ml Sour Cream
- 200 g Old Fort Cheddar Cheese - or more
- As Desired Cilantro or Parsley - Fresh or dried
Taco Meat
- 1 lb Ground Beef - or 50/50 Ground Beef & Pork
- 1 Pack Old El Paso Taco Seasoning - or Burrito mix
- 1/2 C Water - or Tomato Juice
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Cube Beef Bouillon
Instructions
- Prepare each ingredient in the order they are listed : Rice, Pico de Gallo or Salsa, Red Taco Sauce or Enchilada Sauce. Set these aside until we're ready to assemble the Burrito Casserole. The total time will take about 35 minutes, because everything else can be prepared while the rice is cooking. Preheat the oven to 350F with the rack in middle position.
- Taco Meat: Combine all the ingredients for the Taco or Burrito Meat in a deep pan and mix well. Place over medium high heat and mix often while browning and ensuring the bouillon cube is completely dissolved into the mixture. Empty into a bowl.
- Refried Beans: In the same pan you just cooked the meat in, add the refried beans and heat over medium heat just until warmed through and becomes easier to spread.
- Burrito Casserole Assembly: Place two Tortillas in the casserole, with the middle overlapping. Slice down the middle and discard the trimmed pieces. Do this for each layer of tortillas for a total of 3 layers.Refried Beans: Spread the refried beans in an even layer, covering the whole casserole. Rice: Empty the rice into the casserole and spread in an even layer. Tortillas: Place the second layer of Tortillas. Sour Cream: Spread the desired amount of Sour Cream in an even layer. Reserve a good amount for garnishing. Meat: Spread out most of the meat in an even layer and use the remaining to place in spots where it's thin a bit.Red Sauce: Drizzle Red Sauce over the meat and spread out evenly.Tortillas: Place a third layer of Tortillas. Red Sauce: Spread out another layer of Red Sauce over the Tortillas. If using Salsa, then apply this and skip the Pico de Gallo in the next step. Pico de Gallo: Sprinkle about 1/2 of the Pico de Gallo. Reserving the rest for garnishing. Cheese: Add Cheese in an even layer.
- Cooking: Place the Casserole into the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Serving: Slice lengthwise into 3 equal strips. Then slice across in half and each half in half again for a total of 12 roughly the same size servings. Plate a serving with fresh Pico de Gallo, good dollop of Sour Cream and Cilantro or Parsley.