Mexican Tortilla Casserole (Gluten Free)

Mexican Tortilla Casserole — for those nights you’re feeling just a little bit spicy. Olé!
And also for those days you’re staring at that package of ground turkey (or beef or pork) and can’t come up with even one interesting idea for supper.

That was me as I looked around the kitchen for inspiration. I glanced in the direction of the toaster, imagining a genie rising from it in a waft of blue smoke. Maybe he’ll solve my dilemma?

Then he winked at me and inclined his head towards the bread basket ever so subtly.

Clever genie. Corn tortillas, of course! I’d bought a huge bag of them, thinking they’d be handy to have around for a quick gluten-free version of quesadillas, and surely they were. But there were so many in the bag, and now they’d been hanging around for more than a couple of weeks.

Time to use them up, Mexican Tortilla Casserole style!
I used torn up corn tortillas in another recipe ages ago. The tortillas added substance and some thickening to the otherwise brothy Southwestern Chicken Soup which I loved. It served a similar purpose here, softening up in the mixture while adding texture and thickness.
So, armed with a vague notion of a recipe, slightly old corn tortillas, and ground turkey, I headed to the kitchen con mucho gusto.

This tortilla casserole comes together in 3 steps:
→Sauté the turkey with a few spices
→Make a simple gravy from butter, flour, and broth
→Add tortillas, cheese, yogurt and store-bought salsa

Then all it needs is some baking in the oven til it’s bubbly and hot – about 25 minutes. Serve with a salad and you’ve got supper in a snap!

P.S. Don’t for a second think ‘I can’t make gravy from scratch’ because you totally can. I love this video by The Food Network which shows you how easy it is done.

4 from 2 votes

Print

Mexican Tortilla Casserole (Gluten Free)

Mexican Tortilla Casserole brings everything you love into one dish - a savory casserole with spiced ground turkey, corn tortillas, and cheesy goodness. A ready-to-use jar of corn and bean salsa makes this a snap to pull together. Ole!

Course Main

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword tortilla casserole

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Julia Robarts

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey or beef or pork
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour like Bob's Red Mill
• 1 cup chicken/turkey broth or stock
• 1 cup corn-and-black bean salsa like Newman's Own
• 6 corn tortillas (6" size), torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt or low-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• snipped fresh chives, for garnish optional

Instructions

1. Prepare the ground turkey: Heat a skillet treated with spray oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and break it up with a spoon. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne. Saute until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

2. Set out butter, flour, and broth, all measured and ready to go. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, and stir with a whisk or wooden spoon so that the ingredients blend together evenly. Continue to stir and cook for about 2 minutes until the mixture turns a light brown and is a little bubbly. 

3. Pour in the broth, and continue to whisk lightly over the heat. The mixture will begin to thicken as it heats to a simmer. Once it has gotten to a desired thickness, a total of 2-3 minutes, remove from heat.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, combine the turkey mixture and the gravy. Stir in the salsa, torn up tortillas, yogurt and mozzarella cheese. 

5. Spread in a 9" or 10" baking dish, and sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly and hot. 

6. Sprinkle with snipped fresh chives to garnish, if desired. Serve with chopped avocado and additional plain yogurt, if desired.

Recipe Notes

This recipe will work well with ground beef or ground pork also.

I used plain Greek yogurt in this recipe. You could try low-fat sour cream instead with very similar results.

As with any dishes using cayenne pepper or similarly spicy flavors, adjust as necessary to satisfy your own palate.