Healthy Mexican Casserole

Name: Healthy Mexican Casserole
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground turkey; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon cumin; 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (1/8 tsp if you don’t like it too spicy); 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/8 teaspoon coriander; 1 15 ounce can organic black beans (rinsed thoroughly and drained); 1 15 ounce can organic pinto beans (rinsed thoroughly and drained); 4-5 plum tomatoes (chopped and seeds removed); 1 teaspoon chopped chili peppers (add more or like to your taste); 1/2 cup frozen corn; 1/4 cup reduced fat mexican blend cheese; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for topping (optional)

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This Healthy Mexican Casserole is simple to prepare, packed with lean protein, light and nutritious with all of your favorite flavors. It's also gluten free and will be ready in just 30 minutes!

Picture of this healthy Mexican casserole in a white baking dish and a close up of a fork filled with some of the casserole and the title of the recipe up top.

This is one of my family's favorites and I have been making this for YEARS!

We all have those recipes that we keep making. Maybe your mother used to make something similar or you once found the recipe in a magazine and you've just continued making it all the time?

That is this Mexican Casserole for me.

It was one of those recipes that I always threw together and never wrote down the ingredients and instructions until now.

*EDITED TO ADD:

I have since started a low carb diet and yes, I still make this casserole! You can omit the beans and corn altogether and added some cauliflower rice or broccoli rice instead.

Also, you can add some more full fat shredded cheddar cheese and sliced avocado. Let me tell you I was in low carb heaven.

This recipe is so customizable!

If you are looking for some other easy healthy dinner recipes, you need to try this Eggplant Parmesan, Zucchini Ravioli, Cheesy Stuffed Chicken Breasts and this Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup. These would be even more yummy with some Spiked Apple Cider!

Why You Should Make This Healthy Mexican Casserole

This is super easy and healthy, and most importantly DELICIOUS! It's also a great dish for entertaining because it's simple to prepare (you can easily make it ahead of time) and it's also very colorful.

I like when food looks good too. It's always an added bonus.

The best thing about this recipe is how versatile it is! You can wrap it up in a tortilla, eat it over a bed of greens, add avocado or sour cream, or crush tortilla chips on top (my kids love that!)

Any way you eat it, it is delicious!

Also, if you are lucky enough to have leftovers (which probably won't be very often) then they taste great the next day too.

I love repurposing leftovers into lettuce wraps or even quesadillas. Sometimes I add a little more cheese when I reheat it, because....cheese....

You can customize this to whatever you have in the house and whomever might be eating this that night. It's so easy to do and this way I don't have to make 5 different meals.

Check out my video to show you just how easy it is to make...

See? I told you it was ridiculously easy.

Recipe Ingredients

Ground turkey - You can use whatever ground meat you'd like in this healthy Mexican casserole. I used extra lean ground turkey to lower the fat content.
Extra virgin olive oil - You must know by now the millions of reasons why I love my EVOO. Some of those benefits are that its anti-inflammatory, it may help prevent heart disease and diabetes and may even help to lower cholesterol levels.
Cumin - Might just be my favorite seasoning! It also contains some antioxidants and has been shown to help control blood sugar and may help fight bacteria.
Chili powder - Is a blend of ground dried Chile peppers and seasonings. It has also been shown to possibly increase fat burning and metabolism.
Red pepper flakes - Another one of my favorites, but I like hot and spicy foods. I used to leave this out when my kids were little and didn't like spicy foods.
Coriander - I feel like coriander is often forgotten. Did you know that cilantro is actually the leaves from a coriander plant? If you like cilantro, you will love coriander.
Black beans - Packed with fiber, protein and antioxidants, black beans are a wonderful addition to meals and have a soft, creamy texture.
Pinto beans - Also loaded with fiber, protein and antioxidants and have a creamy, nutty taste.
Tomatoes - Loaded with antioxidants and has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease and cancer.
Chili peppers - I told you I love the heat! They're packed with vitamins A, B, C and E. Some studies suggest they act as an antioxidant to protect your cells and prevent inflammation.
Corn - A little corn goes a long way in this casserole recipe. But this is customizable so if you want more or less, go for it!
Mexican cheese - You can use whatever cheese you'd like in this healthy Mexican casserole recipe. I used Mexican cheese which is a blend of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla and Asadero cheeses.
Cilantro - What can I say, I love cilantro! I do know some people think it tastes like soap which if that's the case, you can absolutely leave it out.

Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips

Can you make this healthy Mexican casserole ahead of time?

Absolutely! Simply prepare everything up until you place in a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Then, I just pop it in the oven for 20 minutes and it's done! It should be fine in the refrigerator for 1-3 days before cooking.

I am vegetarian, can I leave out the ground turkey and replace with something else?

Definitely! You can easily use another can of beans (whatever variety you choose) or you can use ¾ cup cooked quinoa in place of the ground turkey.

What if I only have taco seasoning, can I use this instead of the seasonings in here?

Yes! You can use 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning in here instead of the cumin, chili pepper and red pepper flakes.