Ranch Style Bean Casserole
I made this on a night I hadn't planned or thawed anything. I just tossed some stuff together that I had in the fridge, freezer and pantry and decided to write it down in case I liked it. Well, it's a keeper! Serve with sour cream and salsa if desired. This recipe can be made with cooked corn tortillas as well.
I made this on a night I hadn't planned or thawed anything. I just tossed some stuff together that I had in the fridge, freezer and pantry and decided to write it down in case I liked it. Well, it's a keeper! Serve with sour cream and salsa if desired. This recipe can be made with cooked corn tortillas as well.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 cup bell pepper diced
- 1/2 pound ground beef 93/7
- 1 can ranch style beans drained
- 1 can tomatoes diced, and drained
- 1 1/2 cup onion diced
- 6 medium jalapeno peppers chopped
- 2 cup cheese (taco blend) , finely shredded (coburn farms)
- 90 corn tortilla chips (calidad brand)
- 1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- Carbohydrate 203.680672924012 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.90060030432027 g
- Fiber 38.2352960073414 g
- Protein 26.2988932669279 g
- Saturated Fat 0.969735026415459 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2175g)
- Sodium 692.76615696355 mg
- Sugar 165.445376916671 g
- Trans Fat 0.774341842401874 g
- Calories 890 calories
Step-by-step
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium non-stick pan, brown and drain the ground beef. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and salt. Cook until onion is translucent. Add all remaining ingredients except the chips, cheese, and sour cream. Simmer on medium-low for about 10-15 minutes; stirring occasionally.
- Coat a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray. Add the meat mixture and top with the cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve with 15 corn tortilla chips per serving (crumbled or whole) and sour cream.
Pantry-reliant dishes like this carry a long history born from necessity, stretching modest cuts of meat across multiple servings by leaning on shelf-stable beans and bulk aromatics. Originally developed as a way to utilize leftover staples without requiring a dedicated grocery trip, this style of baking melds Tex-Mex flavors into a cohesive, highly scalable hot dish.
- Brown the ground beef in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until fully rendered, then drain excess fat to prevent a greasy final texture.
- Dice the onions and bell peppers to a uniform quarter-inch size so they soften evenly during the initial sauté phase.
- Simmer the meat and bean mixture on medium-low for 10 to 15 minutes to concentrate the liquids before transferring everything to the 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 10 minutes, pulling the casserole from the oven the moment the finely shredded taco cheese melts completely.
Assemblies built on corn chips and melted dairy generally do not freeze well after baking because the starches release moisture and turn soggy upon thawing. Prepare the meat and bean base up to two days ahead in the refrigerator, but layer the chips and cheese just before baking to preserve their structural crunch.
