Make Ahead Cheese Enchilada Casserole Recipes

ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain. Stir in enchilada sauce and salsa; set aside. , Place 2 tortillas, overlapping as necessary, in the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover with a third of the meat mixture. Top with 1 cup corn; sprinkle with 1-1/3 cups cheese. Repeat layers once, then top with remaining tortillas, meat and cheese. , Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until bubbly., Freeze Option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

CHEESE ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Arrange 3 tortillas in bottom of 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread half of cheese mixture over tortillas. Repeat procedure with 3 tortillas and remaining cheese mixture; top with remaining tortillas.
• Pour taco sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

MAKE AHEAD LAYERED ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Combine ground meat, onion, pepper and seasonings. Cook until meat is brown. Drain fat.
• Mix soup with enchilada sauce and water until well blended and add to the ground meat mixture. Simmer for about 10 minutes and reserve.
• Grease 9x13" baking pan. Layer six tortillas, half meat mixture with the sauce and half grated cheese.
• Repeat another layer with the remaining ingredients. Cool completely. Cover with foil and refrigerate 24 hours.
• Bake at 350ºF. for 45 minutes covered with foil until heated through before serving.
• Serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa and guacamole if you like.
• VARIATION: this casserole can also be made filling each flour tortilla with the ground meat and rolled up, then covered with the enchilada sauce and soup mixture, and the grated cheese on top. Refrigerated and heated before serving.

MAKE AHEAD CHEESE ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Mix Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, onion, sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper; Set aside.
• Combine tomato sauce, water, green pepper, chili powder, oregano, cumin and garlic and heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes; Pour into a 9-inch ungreased pie pan.
• Dip each tortilla into sauce to coat both sides.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture onto each tortilla.
• Roll tortilla around filling.
• Arrange the rolled tortillas seam-side down in a 13 x 7 inch baking dish.
• Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheddar cheese.
• Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.
• Garnish with sour cream and sliced black olives.
• **NOTE: After sprinkling with cheese, you may cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours then bake uncovered in 350°F oven for 35 minutes.

BRUNCH HAM ENCHILADA CASSEROLE (MAKE AHEAD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Spread each tortilla with 2-3 tablespoons of the soft cheese to within 1/2 inch of edges. Combine ham and onions, place about 1/3 cup down the center of each tortilla and add about 2-3 tablespoons cooked hash browns.
• Roll up and place seam side down in greased 9x13-inch pan.
• In a bowl, combine flour, cream, eggs and salt until smooth. Pour over tortillas. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking.
• Cover and bake 25 minutes.
• Uncover, bake for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese, bake 3 minutes longer or until cheese melts.
• Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in chicken, pimentos, and cream cheese. Season with salt and set aside.
• Heat 1/8 inch oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Use tongs to dip 1 tortilla into the hot oil just until it blisters and turns limp, about 3 seconds; do not fry until firm or crisp. Continue with remaining tortillas, stacking them on a plate between paper towels when heated.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup filling down the center of each tortilla, then roll to enclose. Place enchiladas, seam-side down, in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Remove enchiladas from the refrigerator. Spoon cream over top and sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.
• Bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes longer.

EASY CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, mix uncooked rice and sauce mix (from Hamburger Helper box), 1 cup of the milk and the hot water. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and most of liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.
• In medium bowl, mix chicken, chiles, black beans and 1 cup of the cheese. In small bowl, mix topping mix (from Hamburger Helper box) and remaining 3 tablespoons milk; cover and refrigerate.
• Layer 3 tortillas in baking dish, overlapping as necessary and placing slightly up sides of dish (cut third tortilla in half). Top with about half the chicken mixture, half the rice and half the enchilada sauce. Layer with 3 more tortillas and remaining chicken mixture and rice. Place remaining 2 tortillas over chicken mixture, overlapping slightly (do not place up sides of dish.) Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.
• Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling around edges. Drizzle with topping mixture. Serve with remaining ingredients.