This Easy Enchilada Casserole Will Soon Be A Family Favorite Dinner Recipe

If you’re looking for quick, easy and delicious dinner ideas, your search ends here! This baked enchilada casserole is a whole lot of fun to make for the family, and even your picky eaters will dig in. There’s something so exciting to me about all of these simple ingredients mixed up together and then baked to perfection. It may look like a mess, but it tastes just like enchiladas!

The tortilla chips get nice and soft after baking in enchilada sauce and cheese. My family likes to top it with sour cream and fresh veggies like diced tomato, chives, jalapeño and avocado. You can also serve it with a side of Spanish rice or beans, because why not?

This easy family dinner recipe definitely feeds a crowd; It’s perfect for large families, but don’t worry if your household is on the smaller side because it’s just as good leftover for lunch or dinner the next day.

Start off by sautéing the onion and browning the ground beef in a skillet (no need to drain the juices from the beef). Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9×13 baking dish.

Now, dump everything into your dish (reserving at least 2 cups of cheese to add to the top later), and mix everything together with your hands, breaking up the chips and ensuring they are well saturated in the sauce.

Flatten the mixture with your hands so that it’s evenly distributed on the bottom of your pan, and then top with your remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Voila!

It really is that simple. I know it may sound a little strange to bake tortilla chips this way, but once they are cooked with the rest of the ingredients they have the taste and texture of tortillas. Now that’s all you have to do is add your favorite toppings!

Lazy Enchiladas (super easy dinner idea!)

Looking for quick and easy dinner ideas for the family? This unique Mexican casserole is made with just 6 simple and cheap ingredients, and tastes just like enchiladas. It's always a hit with the family! Even my picky eaters love it. It's perfect for busy weeknights or last minute dinners.

Course: Main Course

Keyword: budget friendly, casserole, easy dinner, enchiladas, family meal, main dish, mexican

Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion (chopped)
1 (12oz) bag tortilla chips
1 (28oz) can red enchilada sauce (the big one)
1 cup salsa
1 (32oz) bag Mexican cheese blend (the large bag)

Instructions

In a large skillet, sauté the onion until soft. Add the ground beef and brown (no need to drain the grease).
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Break up the chips a bit (while still in the bag), and place everything except for 2 large cups of reserved cheese (for topping later) into your baking dish.
Use your hands to mix everything together until well combined. Make sure the mixture is evenly distributed on the bottom of the pan, and then top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. Top with sour cream, diced tomatoes, avocado, jalapeño, chives or anything else you'd like!

Recipe Notes

If it's easier, you can mix everything together in a separate large bowl before adding it to your baking dish. I just don't like the extra dirty dishes. 🙂
Don't be afraid to customize this recipe to your own liking. You could use green enchilada sauce instead of red, or add in a few veggies like bell pepper or zucchini to the ground beef.