Mexican Tortilla Casserole (2024)

Mexican Tortilla Casserole is an easy-to-prepare, vegetarian meal that’s perfect for weeknights or a gathering of friends. You can easily add meat for a heartier dish! This tortilla casserole recipe is a great make-ahead meal; not only does it freeze and reheat well, but it’s especially great for guests. You can prepare the entire thing in advance and then bake 20 minutes before dinner.

For a meaty version of this dish, try my chorizo tortilla casserole!

At a work event I attended a few months ago, we were served an amazing Mexican tortilla casserole.

It was perfect, family-style comfort food for a gathering.

Luckily, the organizers were willing to share their recipe with me, and I prepared my version of it this weekend.

It was every bit as good as I remembered it.

It’s kind of like a taco casserole with corn tortillas.

I don’t know what took me so long; each bite felt like medicine for the soul.

Recipe Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Ground cumin
• Chili powder
• Canned fire-roasted tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Black or pinto beans
• Frozen corn
• Spinach
• Corn tortillas
• Monterey jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend cheese
• Optional: cilantro, jalapeños, sour cream, salsa

How to make Mexican Tortilla Casserole

I madea few minor changes to the recipe.

I used corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas.

I also swapped out regular canned tomatoes for the fire-roasted variety (but either will work).

The original Mexican casserole with tortillas recipe suggests shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, and I was lucky enough to find a 50/50 combo bag.

It adds some nice color.

You can also use a Mexican blend.

This has now become one of the most popular recipes on my blog, and I’m not surprised.

I make it all the time.

I love it; Jeff loves it, and guests love it.

It’s a guaranteed hit, even with picky eaters. Give it a try.

Recipe Notes

You can easily layer some cooked meat to this casserole for a heartier dish (though I’m never left hungry!). Doesn’t Mexican chicken casserole sound good?

Ground beef and pulled pork are also good options. There’s also my version with chorizo sausage!

When I serve this for dinner parties, I prep and layer the entire thing in advance but hold off on baking it.

I stick it in the oven soon after my guests arrive.

Serve corn tortillas with salsa and guacamole early on, then serve the salsa and guacamole as toppings during dinner.

The tortilla casserole will keep in the refrigerator for several days, making it a great weeknight dinner option you can quickly reheat in the microwave.

You can also wrap it into individual servings and freeze it.

How to Reheat

To reheat in the microwave: cover individual-sized portions using plastic wrap or a microwave lid cover, then heat in 60-90 second increments until hot in the center.

How to Freeze

Wrap in individual portions using plastic wrap, or store individually in freezer containers.

Serving suggestions

This casserole is one of my favorite meals at a small dinner party!

I start by serving tortilla chips with homemade guacamole and salsa (you can serve store-bought guacamole and salsa if you want). For drinks, you can serve margaritas and a beer like Negra Modelo.

Once it’s time for dinner, you can repurpose the leftover guacamole and salsa to serve as condiments alongside the casserole.

How to Chop an Onion

This recipe calls for chopped onions. Check out my fast and easy technique for how to chop an onion with step-by-step photos!

I highly recommend this casserole if you want an easy dish to serve at your next party.

Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Looking for more casserole recipes?

Check out my eggplant lasagna, zucchini lasagna, and baked macaroni and cheese!