2nd Time Around Taco Bake
This taco bake is an excellent way to use leftover tacos. It's simple to make and tastes even better than tacos the first night.
This taco bake is an excellent way to use leftover tacos. It's simple to make and tastes even better than tacos the first night.
- Carbohydrate 107.226922455227 g
- Cholesterol 8.49333333333333 mg
- Fat 22.2573836227461 g
- Fiber 7.07095323156983 g
- Protein 18.2840314278579 g
- Saturated Fat 5.4506501736558 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (425g)
- Sodium 2468.65926676127 mg
- Sugar 100.155969223657 g
- Trans Fat 2.1717544187157 g
- Calories 709 calories
Step-by-step
- First cut up all your left over tortillas into 1" pieces, I used 12 soft corn shells. Put the pieces in a bowl and add in the can of cream of chicken soup, stir to thoroughly combine.
- In another bowl, mix left over taco seasoned ground beef with the picante sauce.
- Add 1/2 of the meat to a crockpot and 1/2 of the can of enchilada sauce. This could also be done in a baking dish and cooked in the oven at 350 if preferred. Next add the layer of rice and beans. Add 1 1/4 cups of cheese next, I used cheddar and mozerella that I had from pizza night. Add all of the shells and top with the remaining 1/2 of the enchilada sauce. Now top with the remaining 1/2 of the meat mixture.
- Put the lid of the crock pot and set it on low for 3-4 hours. Once cooked, top with the remaining cheese and recover the lid so it begins to melt. Serve with any remaining taco night toppings such as onions, sour cream, olives or lettuce.
- Enjoy!
Cream of chicken soup acts as the primary moisture engine in this dish. Its emulsion of fat and modified food starch coats the torn tortilla pieces. Without this barrier, the starches in the corn or flour shells would absorb liquids unevenly and turn gluey during the four-hour heating window. Mixing the soup directly into the cut shells ensures uniform hydration before any thermal energy reaches the slow cooker.
Thermal Phase and Cheese Integration
Slow cookers apply steady, low heat around 190 degrees Fahrenheit. This gentle warmth allows the gelatin in the refried beans and the proteins in the seasoned beef to relax and bind with the enchilada sauce. Adding the final 3/4 cup of shredded cheese only after the four-hour cycle finishes prevents the dairy fats from separating and oiling off. Trapping residual heat under the lid for five minutes melts the surface cheese without scorching the bottom tortillas against the ceramic insert.
- If using fresh ground beef instead of pre-cooked leftovers, brown the meat in a skillet to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and drain excess grease before mixing with picante sauce.
- Adjust the consistency of overly thick canned enchilada sauce by stirring in two tablespoons of water to improve capillary action through the rice layer.
- Store unbaked leftovers in an airtight glass container for up to 48 hours in a refrigerator set at 38 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
