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Layers of tortillas, saucy taco meat, beans, cheese and even some veggies bake together to create this delicious Mexican Pie!
Any food that can be categorized as “Mexican” is my favorite. This includes really Americanized dishes, authentic dishes, Tex-Mex recipes…you get the idea. Mexican Pie (or maybe you’d call it Taco Pie) takes layers of goodness and bakes them together to make a family favorite.
Ingredients for Mexican Pie:
- ground beef
- taco seasoning
- onion
- garlic cloves
- vegetable oil
- flour
- milk
- beef broth
- Mexi-corn (canned corn mixed with red and green peppers)
- enchilada sauce
- refried beans
- shredded cheese
- flour tortillas (make sure you get them large enough to fill your pie plate or souffle dish)
- Green onions and/or cilantro for garnish
In a skillet, brown the beef with the taco seasoning, onion, and garlic. Drain the fat and set aside. Add oil to the skillet with the flour and on medium heat, slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened.
Add the meat mixture, beef broth and Mexi-corn back into the skillet with the sauce. In a separate bowl, mix the refried beans and enchilada sauce until blended well.
In a deep pie dish, souffle pan or oven safe skillet, layer tortilla, meat mixture, tortilla, bean mixture, tortilla, etc. until the pan is full. Top the last tortilla with cheese and then bake.
After the Mexican Pie is removed from the oven, be sure to let it set for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This will keep it from turning into a gooey mess that’s difficult to serve in slices. Garnish with green onions or cilantro and serve with your favorite salsa!
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?
Absolutely! Use 1 pound of ground turkey in place of the ground beef, or try a half and half mixture. Another great option for a flavorful taco pie is chorizo. It’s a seasoned pork sausage with a bright red color, and it tastes great in all kinds of Mexican food.
I don’t like spicy food. What can I use instead of enchilada sauce?
If you are sensitive to spice, look for a mild enchilada sauce. It’s still a red sauce with that unique “enchilada” flavor, but it won’t leave you sweating after dinner. 😉 If you really can’t handle any spice at all, then you can replace the enchilada sauce with plain tomato sauce.
Tomato sauce isn’t nearly as flavorful as enchilada sauce, so you may want to amp up the flavor by adding some cumin or salt and pepper at the very least. It’s a good option for kids who won’t tolerate spicy food. And grown-ups, too, I suppose. You’re just missing out. 😉
Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas?
You can use corn tortillas, but it will require a little bit of puzzle work to make them fit. Because corn tortillas are smaller than flour tortillas, they won’t fill up the pie plate. You can add several corn tortillas and overlap them to fill in the layer.
Just be careful when it’s time to slice and serve the pie. Your tortilla layer might be a little less stable because it’s made of smaller pieces. But the flavor is excellent!
What should I serve with Mexican Pie?
I like to serve this with a light side salad and either my Crockpot Express Mexican Rice or Crockpot Express Cilantro Lime Rice. If you want to keep it simple, just put some chips, pico de gallo and guacamole on the table. This meal is a crowd-pleaser no matter how you serve it!
Mexican Pie
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey-I use a mixture of both)
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning (1 packet)
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 can (11 oz.) Mexi-corn canned corn with green and red peppers
- 1 cup enchilada sauce
- 1 can (15 oz) refried beans
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Mexi-blend, cheddar, Colby Jack)
- 5 flour tortillas 9"-10" tortillas
- green onions and/or cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1 lb ground beef, 2 tbsp taco seasoning, 1 medium onion, 4 garlic clovesPreheat the oven to 350ยฐ. In a skillet, brown the beef with the taco seasoning, onion, and garlic. Drain the fat and set aside.
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp flour, 1 cup milkAdd the tbsp of oil to the skillet with the flour and on medium heat, slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened.
- 1/2 cup beef broth, 1 can (11 oz.) Mexi-cornAdd the meat mixture, beef broth and Mexi-corn back into the skillet with the sauce.
- 1 cup enchilada sauce, 1 can (15 oz) refried beansIn a separate bowl, mix the refried beans and enchilada sauce until blended well.
- 5 flour tortillasIn a deep pie dish, spring-form pan or skillet, layer tortilla, meat mixture, tortilla, bean mixture, tortilla, etc. until the pan is full.
- 1 cup shredded cheeseBake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and top with cheese. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted. (30 minutes total bake time)
- Remove from the oven and allow to set for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with green onions and/or cilantro and serve with sour cream and salsa!
Notes
- If the flour mixture isn't thick enough to create a sauce, dissolve 1 tsp of corn starch in 1-2 tsps of cold water and add that corn starch slurry to the sauce. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken.
- For lower fat/calories, use ground turkey instead of ground beef or replace the meat with black beans
- For less spice, look for mild enchilada sauce. For NO spice, use plain tomato sauce
- For extra flavor and a little kick, use Pepper Jack cheese
- Toppings: fresh avocado slices, guacamole, Mexican crema, sour cream, olives, green onions, cilantro, salsa, diced tomatoes, pico de gallo
Nutrition
If you like the Mexican Pie, you really LOVE this Tamale Pie. It’s one of my menu regulars now! Or try this really Americanized recipe- Sour Cream Enchiladas. I’m not going to apologize for it. We love it. I know it’s really only Mexican food-adjacent. 😉
Originally published 2014; Updated 2022
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Trish says
Made this for dinner and it was pretty good but the Tortillas were soggy except the bottom and top. Flavor is great hubby had 2ndsso I’ll make it again and omit the Extra tortillas in the middle.
Nicole Burkholder says
I actually like the soft/soggy tortillas in the middle-it reminds me of a lasagna, basically ๐ But I totally get it if you prefer to just have the flavors and not that extra layer in the center. The kind of tortilla you use also makes a big difference. The soft Mission tortillas are too thick and they get gooey and too soft. We have a thin local brand (probably made with extra lard) that I really like to use in layered dishes. Experiment with it to see what you prefer ๐
Ecstasy says
The layered Mexican Pie was a unique concept with rich filling in the centre. Savory and wholesome, I made this dinner for tonight. Thank you so much for the idea.
Pam Wiseman says
How does this reheat?
Nicole Burkholder says
For best results, reheat in the oven, but you can also easily microwave individual slices.
Linda says
I love the ingredients WITH the instructions no need to go back and forth!!!โค
Nicole Burkholder says
Yes! That’s a relatively new feature available-all my new recipes are formatted that way and I’m working on updating the older ones. It’s SO nice if you don’t want to print out the recipe-makes it much easier to avoiding scrolling up and down multiple times ๐
Kim says
Nicole, I also love Mexican food. This looks like a great way to incorporate the flavors of Mexico into an easy meal. Cannot wait to enjoy this!
Anita at Hungry Couple says
I’m happy you enjoyed my recipe!
Nicole Burkholder says
Very much so, thanks! ๐
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
Definitely up my alley! We love anything Mexican! Pinning!
Chrystal @ YUM eating says
I love Mexican Pie! Your’s looks really yummy!
Kecia says
I love a layered Mexican casserole! This is MY comfort food. Yum!
Nicole Burkholder says
I’ve made another one we call Mexican Lasagna that uses black beans. They all taste good to me ๐
Kim @ 2justByou says
OK. My mouth is watering now! Yum.
Nicole Burkholder says
Something about a tortilla always calls my name… ๐