Red Chili Lime Taco Cassarole
We like things pretty spicy in our home. Well, I should say most of us do. Our nearly 6 year old daughter does not, and we like to involve her in making our meals as well. This is a great recipe for the whole family, as it is mild enough for the little ones, and the spicy fans can dress up the dish at the end. Plus there are fun steps the in meal prep for the kiddos. Our Red Chili Lime adds a bright and subtle "taco" flavoring without thickeners, dyes, or preservatives- it takes the steps out for you of prepping and cooking onipns, garlic, and peppers. This recipe is also great for entertaining, as everyone can finish their serving with various fresh ingredients. Look, I just turned my cassarole into salad! How very healthy of me!
Red Chili Lime Taco Cassarole
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dish
1 pound 90% lean ground beef
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
½ cup Marshall’s Red Chili Lime sauce
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
1 tablespoon Marshall’s Red Chili Lime sauce
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Creamy Cilantro Sauce
1 cup tightly packed cilantro
1 green onion, roughly chopped
1 medium clove garlic, peeled
¼ cup sour cream
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Additional toppings: shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 2-quart (11x7x1.5) glass-baking dish with olive oil, set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beef, salt, and pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Place the contents of the skillet on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Once drained, return the beef to the pan and add the ½ cup red chili lime sauce, stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Place chips into the baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together refried beans and 1 tablespoon red chili lime sauce. Spread beans evenly over chips. Top with Monterey cheese. Top with beef mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over the top.
- Bake, uncovered until heated through, about 15 minutes.
- While the dish is baking, place all ingredients for the cilantro sauce into a food processor. Run until combined and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Serve with creamy cilantro sauce, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives.