What’s better than a quesadilla or beef taco? Five layers of beefy, cheesy goodness all stacked on top of each other.
What’s better than a quesadilla or beef taco? Five layers of beefy, cheesy goodness all stacked on top of each other. This taco pie is composed of 5 layers of a seasoned ground beef mixture and shredded cheese, all stacked between flour tortillas. The pie is then baked until the cheese is melty and the tortillas are warm, resulting in a towering, Tex Mex-inspired dish that we’d happily eat as a weeknight dinner or a filling midnight snack. If you’re looking for a cheap and easy dinner that still delivers on those comforting flavors, keep reading on for all of our top tips on how to make this taco pie:
How to make taco pie:
— The tortillas. We use 6 medium flour tortillas in this recipe to create our towering layers. We recommend using flour tortillas instead of corn here—they’re a tad sturdier and won’t break while building.
— The beef. Our seasoned ground beef mixture is the star of the show here. It’s simple to make and season, but feel free to switch it up based on what you have on hand (our taco seasoning would work great). We think a ground beef filling is completely classic, but you can fill this taco pie with any of your favorite fillings, from chicken quesadillas to ground chicken to Instant Pot carnitas.
— The cheese. We used shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack here, but you can use any melty cheese you please. For maximum meltiness, we recommend freshly shredding your cheese if possible.
— The toppings. Like chili or most tacos, the toppings are one of the best parts of this taco pie. We used pico de gallo, sour cream, and fresh cilantro, but feel free to load this pie up with all your favorites: avocado salsa, hot sauce, corn salsa, or homemade salsa, guacamole, or salsa verde.
Serving taco pie:
This taco pie is filling and hearty all on its own, but if you’re looking for ideas for what to serve this pie with besides chips and salsa, we’ve got a few ideas for you. Black bean and corn salad, Mexican rice, elote, and refried pinto beans would all be welcome additions here.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 tbsp.extra-virgin olive oil
- 1large yellow onion, chopped
- 2cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp.chili powder
- 1 tsp.ground cumin
- 1 lb.ground beef
- 2tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp.tomato paste
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6medium flour tortillas
- 1 c.shredded cheddar
- 1 c.shredded Monterey Jack
- Pico de gallo, sour cream, and fresh cilantro, for serving
Directions
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- Step 1Preheat oven to 400° and grease an 8″ or 9″ springform pan with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat.
- Step 2Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3Place a tortilla on bottom of prepared pan. Top with a layer of beef mixture and a handful of cheddar and Monterey Jack. Repeat for 5 layers total, ending with cheese.
- Step 4Bake taco pie until cheese is melty and tortillas are warmed through, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes.
- Step 5Garnish with desired toppings before slicing.
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