Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Jenna · This post may contain affiliate links · 53 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This Weight Watcher's Mexican Casserole is going to be your favorite new casserole recipe. It's packed with ground beef, tomatoes, corn, tortillas, and black beans. It's pretty much a taco that is stacked inside a casserole dish.

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (1)

Love easy casserole recipes like this one try Baked Spaghetti and Meatball Casserole, Bubble Up Meatball Sub casserole, or Bubble Up Breakfast Casserole.

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients Needed
  • How to Make Mexican Casserole
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Great Weight Watcher Recipes to Try
  • Mexican Casserole

Why You Will Love This Recipe

I managed to cut back the sodium content down on this casserole to about 200 mg by using no salt-added canned food. I've been on this low-sodium kick lately and I found no salt added corn, black beans, and tomatoes at the grocery store. I even found low sodium taco seasoning. The only ingredients that had sodium in it were the cheese and corn tortillas.

This casserole is made in only 1 or 2 dishes for easy clean up.

It's loaded with a ton of all your favorite Mexican vegetables like beans, corn, and tomatoes.

Ingredients Needed

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (2)
  • Extra lean ground beef (drained or rinsed!) - Is considered better than higher fat options for several reasons. First, it has less saturated fat, which can contribute to heart disease and other health issues. Additionally, it tends to have fewer calories per serving, making it a good option for those watching their weight. The 96% lean ground beef from Aldi is my favorite.
  • Onion (chopped) - use minced onion or onion powder if you don't like onions
  • Canned jalapeno slices, chopped
  • Fresh tomatoes, chopped or 1 (15 oz) can diced canned tomatoes
  • Can kernel corn (drained) - refers to corn that has been harvested, cooked, and preserved in a can. It is a popular food item due to its convenience and long shelf life. However, some people prefer fresh or frozen corn for its taste and texture.
  • Black beans (rinsed and drained) - are a convenient and versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. They are a great source of protein and fiber, and can be added to salads, soups, stews, and even dips.
  • Taco seasoning mix - Is a blend of spices used to flavor ground beef or other meats for use in tacos. It typically includes a combination of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and sometimes salt and pepper. It can be purchased pre-mixed, or made at home using individual spices. I usually buy the Lower Sodium Taco Seasoning packets such as Mrs Dash.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make Mexican Casserole

Step 1: Brown ground beef and chopped onions in large skillet; brown 10 to 12 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring constantly. Drain all fat from skillet and return beef/onions to skillet.

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (3)

Step 2: Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, chilies/jalapenos, and taco seasoning mix; mix well. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.

Step 3: Meanwhile spray a 12x8-inch (2-quart) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut each tortilla in half; place 8 halves in the bottom of the sprayed baking dish, overlapping slightly.

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (5)

Step 4: Spoon half of the beef mixture evenly over the tortillas. Spoon sour cream over beef mixture; spread evenly. Top with the remaining 8 tortilla halves and remaining beef mixture. (Cover tightly with foil & Freeze for later OR cook as directed below…).

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (6)

Step 5: (Thaw overnight if frozen) Heat oven to 350ºF. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh chopped lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, black olives, etc…

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (7)

Serving Size: Slice the casserole into 6 equal portions. Serving size is 1 slice.

I hope you like this casserole dish just as much as I did! Serve with your favorite taco condiments such as sour cream, avocado, etc....

Recipe FAQs

What are the five components of a casserole?

In a standard casserole recipe, there is protein, vegetables, starch, sauce, and cheese. Sometimes there will be dairy added to the casserole. This recipe can be made into so many new recipes just by changing the 5 components of a casserole! Instead of tortillas add cooked pasta!

How do Americans make casseroles?

Casseroles are usually layered dishes and they get slowly cooked in the oven covered in foil.

What is the difference between a hotdish and casserole?

Casserole is the name of the dish used to cook with, whereas hot dish is the meal itself

More Great Weight Watcher Recipes to Try

  • Weight Watchers Chicken Salad with Grapes
  • Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars
  • Weight Watchers Meatloaf Muffins
  • Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Taco Soup (Low Sodium)

If you tried this Mexican Casserole Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries

Print

Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (12)

Mexican Casserole

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

4.4 from 7 reviews

  • Author: Jenna
  • Total Time: 35 min
  • Yield: 6 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Weight Watcher's Mexican Casserole is going to be your favorite new casserole recipe. It's packed with ground beef, tomatoes, corn, and black beans.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 lb extra lean ground beef (drained or rinsed!)
  • ½ cup onion (chopped)
  • ¼ cup canned jalapeno slices, chopped
  • 2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped or 1 (15 oz) can diced canned tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz) can kernel corn (drained)
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 (1 ¼ oz) package taco seasoning mix
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • ¾ cup nonfat sour cream
  • ⅓ cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend, shredded
  • bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste (or less (or more)

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef and chopped onions in large skillet; brown 10 to 12 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring constantly. Drain all fat from skillet and return beef/onions to skillet.
  2. Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, chilies/jalapenos and taco seasoning mix; mix well. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile spray 12x8-inch (2-quart) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut each tortilla in half; place 8 halves in bottom of sprayed baking dish, overlapping slightly.
  4. Spoon half of beef mixture evenly over tortillas. Spoon sour cream over beef mixture; spread evenly. Top with remaining 8 tortilla halves and remaining beef mixture. (Cover tightly with foil & Freeze for later OR cook as directed below…).
  5. (Thaw overnight if frozen) Heat oven to 350ºF. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh chopped lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, black olives, etc…
  6. Slice the casserole into 6 equal portions. Serving size is 1 slice.

Notes

My WW Personal Points: 7 Click here to see in recipe builder (will have to log in)

Instead of tortillas add some cooked pasta.

  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 25 min
  • Category: Easy
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ⅙th of the pan
  • Calories: 355
  • Sugar: 8.2
  • Fat: 5.9
  • Saturated Fat: 2.2
  • Carbohydrates: 52.3
  • Fiber: 10.4
  • Protein: 26.7
Mexican Casserole - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

Where did the Mexican casserole come from? ›

The first version of a Mexican casserole seems to have been the muk-bil (literally, “to put in the ground”). Made by the Mayans on the Yucatan Peninsula since pre-Hispanic times, it is the King Kong of tamales.

What temperature should a casserole be heated to? ›

Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
ProductMinimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time
Eggs160 °F (71.1 °C)
Fish & Shellfish145 °F (62.8 °C)
Leftovers165 °F (73.9 °C)
Casseroles165 °F (73.9 °C)
6 more rows
May 11, 2020

What is in casserole dish? ›

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

What is the oldest traditional Mexican food? ›

3. Tamales are One of the Oldest Mexican Foods. As you learn fun facts about Mexican food, you'll see how the influence of ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures is still seen today, and tamales date back over 8,000 years.

What Mexican dish was invented in America? ›

Fajitas were invented in the USA by Mexicans that were working on ranches in Texas. This was in the 1940s. Fajitas can be considered part of the genre of Mexican cuisine, but known more as Tex-Mex, or northern Mexican cuisine.

Should you cover casserole when baking? ›

The primary reason for covering a casserole as it bakes is to trap moisture inside the dish. This will not only keep the casserole itself moist, but it will also help get the casserole up to cooking temperature.

Can you put raw meat in a casserole? ›

Using raw chicken in a chicken casserole will add an extra 30-40 min to your cooking time. If you do opt for raw meat, be sure to leave out the extra veggies. Vegetables like carrots, onion, broccoli, peas, etc. will end up overcooking and turn to mush which will cause them to lose their crispness and taste.

How long should a casserole be cooked for? ›

The time a casserole takes to cook will vary from 2-2½ hours for chuck, blade and thick flank, up to 4 hours for shin, leg and neck. Pork cuts for braising and casseroling normally take 1½ hours, and lamb much the same.

What is the oldest known casserole? ›

Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

Why put foil on casserole dish? ›

It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal. Loosely covering your dish with foil can prevent uneven browning while baking. However, tightly sealing your bakeware with foil is the way to go for more steam.

What are 5 components of a casserole? ›

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

What culture invented casserole? ›

Casserole history

The word casserole is derived from a French word that means 'saucepan'. Apparently, casseroles originated as communal pots that people shared for meals. The oldest recipe for a casserole, around 1250, consisted of pasta sheets cooked in water, layered with grated cheese and spices.

Who made the first Mexican dish? ›

In fact, we have the Mayans to thank for inventing the earliest form of the tortilla, a food that is central to Mexican cuisine today. The Mayans often ate tortillas with a paste made from beans given that meat was scarce in the region where they lived.

Who made the first casserole? ›

And a piece by Langdon Reid in a Staunton, Virginia, newspaper says: “History tells us that a French Canadian immigrant Elmire Jolicour is credited with inventing the casserole, this wonderful dish of culinary breakthrough, in Berlin, New Hampshire, in 1866.”

Where does authentic Mexican food come from? ›

Authentic Mexican food dates back to the times of Mayan Indians and the Aztec Empire. Both cultures collided, combining foods like corn tortillas, beans, chili peppers, wild game, and fish. When Spain invaded Mexico in the 1500s, foods like pork, dairy, garlic, and other herbs and spices became popular.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: The Hon. Margery Christiansen

Last Updated:

Views: 6414

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: The Hon. Margery Christiansen

Birthday: 2000-07-07

Address: 5050 Breitenberg Knoll, New Robert, MI 45409

Phone: +2556892639372

Job: Investor Mining Engineer

Hobby: Sketching, Cosplaying, Glassblowing, Genealogy, Crocheting, Archery, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.