Black Bean, Cheese, & Tortilla Casserole

By á-81356

This casserole made with black beans, cheese, and tortillas is a super tasty meal that can be made on a budget, but it brings an overload of flavor.

Ingredients

• CASSEROLE:
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 medium onion, trimmed, peeled, and chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and finely chopped
• 3 scallions, sliced, white and light green parts only
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato salsa (mild, medium, or hot, depending on preference)
• 12 soft corn tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• TO SERVE:
• Guacamole
• Salsa, homemade or store bought
• Sour cream or creme fraîche
• Hot sauce

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Oil a 9 or 10" casserole dish and set aside.

Warm the olive oil a chef's pan or large, deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, scallions, and cumin, and sauté about a minute more, or until fragrant. Stir in the black beans, tomato sauce, and salsa, lower the heat, and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat.

Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 4 tortillas, overlapping or trimming to fit if necessary (if you are using a rectangular or oblong dish, you may want to cut a couple of the tortillas in half to get a better fit; don't worry if the tortillas don't cover the entire dish.)

Toss the cheeses together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the tortillas with 1/3 of the cheese. Top with 1/2 of the tomato-bean mixture, smoothing the top with a spatula. Arrange 4 more tortillas over the beans, top with 1/3 of the cheese, and the rest of the beans.

Top the casserole with the rest of the tortillas. Sprinkle evenly with the rest of the cheese, drizzle with a little olive oil, and bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top as desired with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and hot sauce. Enjoy!