This Tortilla Pie layers refried beans, taco beef, salsa, and melted cheese between tortillas. Layer, bake, and top with your favorite taco toppings!
Taco Tortilla Pie
This Tortilla Pie was a staple in my home growing up. My mom, known for this recipe, often made two or three to feed our family of nineโthere was never a bite left.
Though she didnโt create it, she put her own spin on it, switching between chicken, vegetarian, or beef (my favorite).
Why she made it so often:
- Everyone loved it (not always easy with nine people!).
- It uses fewer than 10 ingredients.
- Quick prepโassembling the pies takes minutes.
- Itโs versatileโadd toppings for extra flair, or keep it simple for a quick, tasty meal.
Quick Tip
Try some of my momโs other โfamousโ recipes:ย Carmelitas (chocolate, caramel, and oat bars),ย Ice Cream Pie, or this simple French Bread Taco Pizza!
Tortilla Pie Ingredients
Below are the main ingredients in this layered taco-flavored Tortilla Pie:
- Tortillas: TortillaLandยฎ unbaked tortillas are a favorite.
- Lean ground beef: 93/7 blend works well, but ground turkey also works.
- Taco seasoning: Old El Pasoโs seasoning mix is my favorite.
- Enchilada or tomato sauce: Enchilada sauce is the top pick.
- Cheese: Queso Quesadillaยฎ is the best for this pie, staying smooth. A Mexican cheese blend is a good alternative.
- Salsa: Use your favorite salsaโmild for less heat, or hot for more kick.
- Refried beans: Choose a brand you like or find fresh refried beans.
Shortcuts
- Garlic. We love Dorotโsยฎ cubes which have crushed garlic that you can keep handy in the freezer and pop into this (and other) recipes when needed. (Check if your local store carries them; theyโre usually found with frozen veggies in the grocery store.) Another option is to use refrigerated minced garlic.
- Pre-grated cheese: I will often advocate for freshly grating cheese as it usually turns out best, but this is one recipe where the already grated cheese works great โ lifesaver recipe lovers, rejoice!
- Microwaving: My mom would microwave the tortilla pie and then broil it at the end; I like to do a combination of this too! Because even though a recipe comes together quickly, who has time to wait for 30-45 minutes of baking?!
How To Make A Taco Pie With Tortillas
A few quick tips:
- Sear the beef for a few minutes before crumbling and browning completelyโthis adds flavor.
- If using unbaked tortillas, cook them in a skillet first (they wonโt cook through in the pie). Pre-cooked tortillas can be used as is.
- Gently compress the pie with each new tortilla layer.
Toppings To Choose From
Once the Tortilla Pie is baked, slice it out (like a pie) and serve with some creamy additions.
- Chopped cherry tomatoes, salsa,ย orย pico de gallo
- Mango salsa or a similar fruity salsa (my momโs favorite addition!)
- Freshly choppedย cilantro
- Freshย limeย wedges
- Avocadoย orย guacamole
- Tacoย sauceย orย hot sauce
- Sourย creamย (fat-free or low-fat works great!)
- Sliced blackย olives
Variations
Different Ways To Make Tortilla Pie
- Vegetarian: When my mom really wanted to make this quick, sheโd simply leave off the beef and just alternate layers of refried beans, salsa, and cheese. Sometimes sheโd add in drained and rinsed black beans with about 1/2 cup frozen corn in layers atop the refried beans.
- Chicken: To replace the beef with chicken, prepare the chicken from this Rotisserie Chicken Tacos recipe (feel free to replace all the individual spices with a packet of taco seasoning) and layer this saucy chicken in place of the beef.
- Use homemade ingredients: If you prefer to make your own seasoning mixes (and have a few extra minutes), try this homemade Taco Seasoning recipe; itโs our favorite! Or you if you happen to have some leftover homemade Salsa, use that in place of store-bought.
- Jazz it up some more: If you arenโt in a hurry, you can add more flavor to this pie by sautรฉing 1 cup of diced yellow onion with the beef. You could also add in 1-2 tablespoons diced jalapeรฑos or fire-roasted green chiles.
- Spice levels: For a lightly seasoned dish, use a mild salsa (one you know is mild, or taste it first to ensure mildness), mild enchilada sauce (or tomato sauce), and a mild taco seasoning packet. For a spicier Tortilla Pie, use medium or hot salsa, medium or hot enchilada sauce, and a medium or hot taco seasoning packet. You could also add 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper to the beef mixture.
More Mexican-Inspired Favorites
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladasย with rotisserie chicken
- Mexican Street Corn Chicken Saladย on tostada shells
- Sweet Potato Burrito Bowlย made in ONE skillet
- Mexican Chickpeasย with a delicious green sauce
- Turkey Picadilloย with golden potatoes
Tortilla Pie
Tortilla Pie is a deliciously simple dish! Layers of tortillas, refried beans, taco-seasoned beef, salsa, and melty cheese, baked to perfection. Just add your favorite taco toppings!
Video
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
- 1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic optional
- 1/2 cup red enchilada sauce or tomato sauce
- 4 flour tortillas 10-inch, see note 1
- 1-1/2 cups mild salsa
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- 8 ounces Queso Quesadillaยฎ or Mexican-blend cheese, see note 2
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructionsย
- Heat oven to 375ยฐF. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Once oil is hot, add in beef. Let beef sear (brown), about 1 minute per side, before crumbling with a wooden spoon and browning all the way through. Drain off any grease (if needed), then reduce heat to medium. Add taco seasoning mix and garlic. Mix through until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add enchilada sauce. Scrape the bottom of the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until nicely thickened, about 2โ3 more minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Place a tortilla into the pie pan. Spread with 1/3 can refried beans, 1/3 of the taco meat, 1/2 cup salsa (135g), and 1/3 of the cheese (just eyeball all these additions). Repeat these layers 3 times, finishing with a tortilla on top. Microwave for 2 minutes, then transfer to the oven and bake 10โ15 minutes or until cheese is gooey and melted.
- Remove from oven and cut into wedges. Serve with desired toppings (see note 3).
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I love these unbaked tortillas by TortillaLandยฎ (not sponsored). They are generally found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near shredded cheeses. Youโll need to quickly cook them up in a skillet before layering them in the casserole dish. Otherwise use pre-cooked tortillas.
Note 2: I have tried just about every single cheese in this pie over the years, and Queso Quesadillaยฎ wins by a landslide! Itโs also one of the few pre-grated cheeses that doesnโt get clumpy in the pie. A Mexican cheese blend is a good alternative if you arenโt able to find this specific cheese.
Note 3: Try some of these toppings: sour cream, guacamole, fresh cilantro, lime, and/or cherry tomatoes.
Storage: Store the tortilla pie by covering it with plastic wrap or placing it in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.6g | Protein: 28.4g | Fat: 18.4g | Cholesterol: 83.1mg | Sodium: 1494.3mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 3.1g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
