Loaded Taco Squares Casserole

A few years ago, I shared my recipe for taco squares, which I always used to make when I worked in a camp kitchen. I was blown away by how many people loved it, so I’ve upped the recipe’s flavor and made “loaded” taco squares casserole. You’re going to love it as much (if not more!) than the original!

INGREDIENTS

- 2 lb ground beef

- 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced

- 1 onion, diced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tsp kosher salt

- 1 tbsp chili powder

- 1 1/2 tsp cumin

- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 1 4-oz can hatch chiles

- 1 cup canned or frozen sweet corn

- 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

- 12 corn tortillas

- 12 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS

- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set it aside.

- In a 4-quart saucepan, brown the ground beef. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and salt. Cook until the onion is soft, 4-6 minutes. Add the chili powder and cumin. Stir and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.

- Add the hatch chiles, sweet corn, black beans, and diced tomatoes with their liquid. Stir and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then remove from the heat.

- Spread one cup of the meat mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. It will be a thin layer. Add six corn tortillas, overlapping and going up the sides of the baking dish slightly. Spread half of the remaining meat filling over the tortillas, followed by half of the cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the remaining cheese.

- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the filling is hot throughout and the cheese is browned, 35-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.