Leftovers. Some people love them, others not so much! I always like to try to reinvent leftovers into something else. Like when I repurpose old sheets into weaving strips for rag rug weaving. I have always been a big proponent of not wasting anything, especially food. I don’t like letting them sit in the fridge until whatever becomes a green, fuzzy science experiment.
In the freezer I had some leftover taco beef in one container, and refried beans in another. Instead of reaching for the hard taco shells to make tacos, I thought, what if I transformed these humble, but yummy ingredients into a casserole? The result would be way less messier than if I had tacos, where you try to take a bite of an overstuffed taco and the filling and toppings scatter all over your plate or roll off onto the floor, which would be fine if you had a dog I guess.
So this casserole idea is what I came up with. Pretty easy to put together with ingredients you most likely already have on hand. It’s ok to be creative!
Ingredients *
Previously prepared ground beef in taco seasoning (I had about 1 cup left)
Refried beans (1 to 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tomato, diced and divided (reserve half for garnish)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (reserve a few sprigs for garnish)
Taco Sauce
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese with jalapeno
3 small soft tortillas
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a small casserole dish with cooking spray, set aside.
Saute onions and peppers in a little olive oil until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes, cilantro and leftover ground taco meat. Mix well.
Place a few tablespoons of taco sauce on bottom of casserole dish.
Place one tortilla on top of sauce. Spread beef/vegetable mixture on top of tortilla.
Place another tortilla on top, spread refried beans over tortilla.
Top with remaining tortilla. Add another 2 or 3 tablespoons of taco sauce over top, spreading around to edges. Top with shredded cheese.
3. Bake (uncovered) at 350°F oven for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top with reserved tomatoes and cilantro. Serve immediately with sour cream or avocado slices. Makes 2 servings.
Buen Provecho!
*Measurements are approximate, this recipe is one where you can add as little or as much ingredients as suits you.
Taco Refried Bean Casserole
This looks like a delicious casserole.
Would it be possible to send it to my email to print, as the way this is set up I cannot print it.
Thank you!
Fran K.
Fran, I can send it to you, your email is displayed on my screen here, I will forward it to you. Thank you! 🙂