A friend told me about Enchilada Pie and I have to admit, I rolled my eyes. It sounded like some chef needed to invent something in a hurry: “What do Americans like? Mexican food? And pie? Easy, I’ll throw something together!”
But I have to admit, this is really good. It’s more like lasagna than pie, really, with the layers of tortillas. Plus it’s deeply tasty and satisfying, like most Mexican food. Need more? It’s simple to make, as well! I’m a total convert. Stick with me to find out how it’s done.
What is Enchilada Pie?
Just as the name suggests, it’s an enchilada in pie form. Essentially, instead of using a tortillas to wrap or fold around a filling, you layer the tortillas in a pie dish, with the filling in between them. It’s like a lasagna, but using tortillas instead of pasta and with Mexican flavors instead of Italian. Of course, just like an enchilada, you can use whatever fillings you like – vegetarian or meat, go wild with lots of cheese, or even try a vegan version with extra beans, nut cheese and coconut sour cream.
How to Make Enchilada Pie
The exact filling is really up to you, and the dish is very flexible. You could easily skip the meat for a vegetarian version; however I had some leftover BBQ Beef from the crockpot, so I put that in. You could also use pulled pork here. I haven’t tested it, but I’m pretty sure it would be good. I do think the sour cream and the cheese are important additions, to keep everything creamy and you’ll need a tomato sauce or similar.
One important note about the tortillas: I have tried making this before with corn tortillas, which I usually prefer to wheat. However, for this dish, wheat tortillas are definitely the way forward. Corn tortillas disintegrate much quicker when they get wet. My version with corn tortillas still tasted great, but it wasn’t a pie so much as a mess…
The Filling
If you have leftovers from a Tex-Mex meal – fajitas, for instance – you can use those, rather than cook something especially. Or swap the whole pinto beans for refried beans. But if you’re starting out from scratch, simply sauté the onions and bell peppers until softened and just starting to color. Then add the beans and tomato sauce and season to taste. I like to use a lot of Southwest seasoning in this to perk the flavor right up. If you find store-bought Southwest seasoning too salty, try making your own. I’ve got a great recipe for it right here: Southwest Seasoning.
Assembling Enchilada Pie
This will be a familiar job to anyone who’s ever made a lasagna. Oil your pie pan, or line it with pparchment paper. Then we layer the carbohydrates – in this case, the tortillas – with the meat and vegetables, smearing over a creamy sauce and scattering with cheese as we go. I find it easiest to spread each tortilla with sour cream before adding it to the pan. Keep a nice balance of each layer, so that every slice has a good mix of beans, vegetables, meat, and cheese. And I wouldn’t recommend using any fewer than six tortillas, otherwise you risk your pie becoming too sloppy and you won’t be able to slice it neatly.
Finishing and Baking
Finish off with a final sour-cream-smeared tortilla and a sprinkling of grated cheddar cheese. At this stage, you can store it in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight if you’re not ready to bake quite yet. Bake in a medium oven until golden-brown on top and piping hot throughout. If you’re baking it immediately after assembling, it will be ready in about 15 minutes. If cold from the fridge, it will take a little longer to become hot. You may need to put a layer of aluminum foil to stop it burning on top if it browns before it’s hot throughout.
Slicing and Storing the Enchilada Pie
Leave the pie to rest in the pan for at least five minutes before slicing it. This is to give it time to settle and firm up a little. If you slice it when hot from the oven, it will be much softer and harder to slice neatly. That said, it won’t affect the flavor at all and it will still taste great even it looks a bit messier on the plate!
If you don’t eat it all in one sitting, it also keeps very well for at least two days in the fridge. You can reheat it in the microwave if you like, but it’s also very good cold. You can even pack a slice into a lunchbox to take to school or work and make all your colleagues jealous.
And More…
Looking for more Mexican or Mex-fusion dishes? Those’re some of my favorite dishes! Check out some of these:
Conclusion
I admit it, I was skeptical at first, but it turns out that Enchilada Pie is the Mexican-Italian fusion dish I never knew I needed in my life. If you’ve got some leftovers lying around – especially BBQ meat – I strongly recommend giving it a try. It’s relatively easy, a real crowd-pleaser, you can make it in advance, and it keeps great! Let me know what you decide to fill your enchilada pie with.
Ingredients
- 1 onion peeled and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and sliced
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and sliced
- 12 oz pinto beans or refried beans
- 12 oz marinara sauce
- 1 tbsp Southwest seasoning
- 8 small wheat tortillas
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 lb BBQ beef
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease or line a round cake pan or pie dish.
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook for about 8-10 minutes until softened.
- Add the beans, marinara sauce, and Southwest seasoning. Stir to combine, and season to taste.
- Spread the tortillas with the sour cream. Layer them in the cake pan with the bell pepper-bean mixture, and the BBQ beef, sprinkling over about half of the cheddar cheese as you go. End with the final tortilla, and scatter over the remaining cheese.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until piping hot and golden brown on top. Leave to settle and cool for about 5 minutes before turning out of the pan and slicing. Serve with green salad and/or guacamole.
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