Traci McConnell’s Beefy Enchilada Casserole is a Carolina Eats Makin’ Meals Under $20 finalist

Traci McConnell of Hendersonville, NC is the fourth finalist in the Carolina Eats Makin’ Meals Under $20 Recipe Sweepstakes presented by Ingles, submitting her Beefy Enchilada Casserole.
“I used to fix this when the kids were smaller and living with us and this was a hit with them,” McConnell says. “Casseroles are always good under the $20 limit and they make a great one-dish meal.”
As a finalist in the Carolina Eats Makin’ Meals Under $20 Recipe Sweepstakes, McConnell received a $250 Ingles gift card and will be entered in a drawing to win the grand prize, an LG microwave from Bob Burnett’s Appliance & Bedding Center in Spartanburg.
BEEFY ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
- 10 small tortillas cut in half (corn or flour)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (Traci uses 93%)
- 1 package Taco Seasoning mix
- ¼ cup water
- 1 15 oz. can black beans (drained & rinsed)
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 1 10 oz. can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar and Monterey jack cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
- ¼ cup green onions, for garnish (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sour Cream (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray
- Heat oil in large pan over medium heat, add ground beef breaking up meat and cook for about 6-8 min. until browned
- Turn down heat to low, add taco seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, water, black beans and tomatoes, stir until thoroughly combined, remove from heat
- Spread ¼ cup enchilada sauce over bottom of baking dish
- Layer 1/3 tortillas over sauce
- Add ½ meat mixture, then add ¾ cup of cheese on top of the meat
- Pour ½ cup of enchilada sauce over the cheese
- Repeat the process with 1/3 of tortillas, rest of meat mixture, ¾ cup of cheese and ½ cup enchilada sauce
- Add final 1/3 of tortillas on top of casserole, pour on remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with rest of cheese
- Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 30 min
- Uncover and bake an additional 10 min or until cheese is melted and browned
- Let casserole sit for 5 min before serving
Optional garnishes: green onions, cilantro and sour cream, or whatever you like.