Tortilla casserole is super easy and delicious. It’s a perfect make-ahead meal for busy weeknights, and the ingredients are customizable based on what you like. With only four ingredients, this tortilla casserole recipe is full of flavor and makes for a hearty dinner!
This Mexican tortilla casserole is a satisfying meal with layers of tortillas, chili, and cheese. It can be assembled the night before, and it’s easy to warm up and serve the next day. No oven required! The leftovers are even better – I like this recipe for meal prep because it tastes good for several days after it’s made. Although there are many variations, one thing remains the same… It’s easy, comforting, and delicious!
How to Make Tortilla Casserole
- The chili mixture is so simple, just stir together your favorite chili and tomato sauce and spread it on the bottom of a microwave safe baking dish.
- Layer the tortillas on top of the chili mixture. Add more chili, then sprinkle some shredded cheese.
- Continue the layering process – tortilla, chili, cheese, repeat! You’ll end up with 8 layers of deliciousness.
- Top the casserole with the remaining cheese and then cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the casserole for at least three hours or, ideally, overnight.
- When you’re ready to warm up the casserole, just heat it in the microwave until the tortilla casserole is hot and the cheese is melted. No oven required!
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Storing Tortilla Casserole
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- For easy lunches and dinners, refrigerate individual portions in separate containers for convenient individual servings.
Mel’s Expert Tips
- Make sure you use a microwave-safe baking dish for this recipe.
- Fajita tortillas are the perfect size for an 8×8” dish. You can also use soft taco tortillas, but you will need a 9×9” baking dish.
- After you take the casserole out of the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before heating.
- The microwave cooking method is faster than the oven, but if you would rather bake the casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot.
- If you like this recipe, be sure to try our Mexican chicken casserole! It’s like chicken enchiladas in a casserole dish.
Tortilla Casserole Recipe
This Tortilla Casserole has just four ingredients and makes for a great, hearty dinner! You can even make it ahead for busy weeknights.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 3 hours
Ingredients
- 8-10 flour tortillas – Fajita size or soft taco size
- 1 15 ounce can Turkey chili
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Stir the chili and tomato sauce together in a mixing bowl.
- Take an 8”x8” microwave safe pan (you will need a 9”x9” pan if using the soft taco sized tortillas) and put a large spoonful of the chili mixture in the bottom of the pan. Add a tortilla on top. Place more chili mixture on the tortilla and spread it around. Sprinkle cheese on top. Add another tortilla on top and repeat with chili mixture and cheese and repeat this process until you are out of the chili mixture. You should get at least 8 layers. Take some leftover cheese and sprinkle it on top of the last tortilla.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator and let sit for at least 3 hours. If you can leave it over night that is best and allows the flavor to really come through.
- Prior to cooking take the pan out of the refrigerator and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Place 4 toothpicks in the top so they are sticking out. Cover with parchment paper. The toothpicks will keep it from resting directly on the top tortilla.
- Heat in the microwave for 5 minutes at a time. Let sit for 2 minutes each time. It should take 15-20 minutes or 3 or 4 times in the microwave. You want the cheese melted and the casserole hot. Serve while hot. Makes great leftovers.
Recipe Notes
- You can bake this in the oven. You can cover with foil and cook for 30-40 minutes at 350°F. Remove the foil after about 20 minutes.
- As noted above you will need different sized pans depending on the size of tortilla you get. 8”x 8” for a Fajita sized tortilla and 9”x 9” for a soft taco sized tortilla.
- We used turkey chili but you can choose any chili you like!!
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1243mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1005IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 491mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Add-ins & Variations:
- I like this casserole with flour tortillas, but corn tortillas are great too.
- Any kind of chili will work for this recipe, canned or homemade. We used ground turkey chili. You can use chili with or without beans but we love the beans in this!
- You can add additional ingredients to your chili mixture like green chiles, bell peppers, tomatoes, or mushrooms.
- Switch the cheddar cheese for Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a mexican blend.
- Feel free to add some toppings (think of toppings you would add to tacos) – salsa, sour cream, fresh cilantro, or green onions.
One of my favorites.