Servings: 6
Start to finish: 50 minutes (40 minutes active)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
2 (10-ounce) cans Ro-tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained with 1/2 cup juice reserved
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
6 ounces colby jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
12 taco shells, broken into 1-inch pieces
2 scallions, sliced thin
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 F. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, garlic, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in half of tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to simmer and cook until mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, combine remaining tomatoes, refried beans, and cilantro and spread evenly into 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup colby jack over the top. Spread beef mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 cup colby jack. Scatter taco shell pieces over top, then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup colby jack.
Bake until filling is bubbling and top is spotty brown, about 10 minutes. Let casserole cool slightly, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.
Nutrition information per serving: 499 calories; 215 calories from fat; 24 g fat ( 10 g saturated; 2 g trans fats); 95 mg cholesterol; 1383 mg sodium; 36 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 37 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Spicy Beef Taco Bake in “The Complete Make-Ahead Cookbook .”
