5.0 from 156 votes
Cheesy baked Mexican beef and beans
Recipe video above. A bubbly casserole of sorts, this Mexican beef and bean is like a baked version of chilli con carne with lots of melty cheese - but faster to make. Think of it like your ultimate all-purpose Mexican beef - stuff in tacos, DIY burrito wraps, dunk with corn chips - like nachos!
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings: 5 - 6
Calories: 440 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion , finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 green capsicum / bell pepper , cut into 1cm / 1/2" cubes (or other colour)
- 500g/ 1 lb beef mince (ground beef) (Note 1)
- 400g/ 14oz can red kidney beans or black beans , drained (or other beans)
- 1 cup tomato passata (Note 2)
- 1/3 cup pickled sliced jalapeño (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 cups colby cheese , shredded (or other cheese, Note 4)
Mexican spice mix:
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (sub normal paprika)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (sub onion powder)
- 1 tsp onion powder (sub garlic powder)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (sub black pepper)
- 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan).
- Sauté - Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium high heat (or other oven-proof pan). Cook onion, garlic and capsicum for 3 minutes.
- Cook beef & spices - Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see raw meat. Add spices, then cook for 1 minute.
- Beans & tomato - Add kidney beans and passata. Stir, then bring to a simmer.
- Cheese it! Scatter the jalapeño across the surface, top with cheese.
- Bake 15 minutes (no lid) then remove from the oven.
- Serve! Scoop into bowls and serve with corn chips or tortillas with your favourite Mexican fixings (guacamole or avocado sauce pico de gallo or restaurant style salsa, fresh coriander/coriander, sour cream). Dunk like nachos, make DIY burritos or tacos!
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Servings - This will serve 5 to 6 people depending on how you serve it. As a burrito or taco stuffing, it will easily serve 6 if not 7 people, once you factor in the toppings. If served with corn chips for dunking, it will probably serve 5 (because corn chips is less bulk than tortillas).
- Meat - Recipe will work great with chicken, turkey or pork. Actually,even lamb!
- Passata - this is a thick smooth tomato puree, see here for more information. Substitute with crushed tomato or what's called "tomato sauce" or "tomato puree" in the US (eg. Hunts).
- Pickled jalapeno is terrific here for something a little tangy and a bit of spiciness. Feel free to omit.
- Cheese - any good melting cheese can be used here, except if using mozzarella I'd add a handful of parmesan on top because mozzarella, while an excellent melting cheese, doesn't actually have that much flavour (this recipe relies on cheese for extra flavour boost for a quick recipe).
- Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
- Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings, beef and bean only (ie not toppings).
Nutrition Information
Calories
440cal
(22%)
Carbohydrates
19g
(6%)
Protein
28g
(56%)
Fat
28g
(43%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
12g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
88mg
(29%)
Sodium
994mg
(41%)
Potassium
702mg
(20%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
1492IU
(30%)
Vitamin C
32mg
(36%)
Calcium
294mg
(29%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 5- 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 440
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 440cal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 88mg | 29% |
| Sodium | 994mg | 41% |
| Potassium | 702mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 1492IU | 30% |
| Vitamin C | 32mg | 36% |
| Calcium | 294mg | 29% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.