This is one of my favorite family recipes and my kids always adored it.
It’s really easy to make, looks very impressive with all the layers, tastes divine and serves like a cake!
To be honest there is no limit to how many layers you can have and everything sticks well together with the cheese so it’s worth playing around with this recipe.
Serves 4
2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
1 1/2lb lean ground beef
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 oz package taco seasoning mix (El Paso or Lawry’s)
1 1/2 – 2 cans (14oz) refried beans
8 flour tortillas
3 heaped cups grated sharp cheddar
1 good bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
16 oz jar salsa
1 cup sour cream
2 avocados diced
Preheat the oven to 350F
Grease a deep 9″round loose-bottom cake tin
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the ground beef and cook for 5 mins or until brown, breaking up the lumps with the back of a spoon.
Drain off the excess oil.
Add the seasoning packet and crushed garlic and cook for a further 5 mins until heated through.
Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the cake tin then spread 1/3 cup of refried beans on the bottom, then 1/2 cup of the beef mixture on top. Top with some chopped cilantro then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese and 1 tbsp salsa.
Continue layering with the remaining tortillas, refried beans, ground beef, cilantro, cheese and salsa, ending with a tortilla sprinkled with cheese- it should end up looking like a dome shape.
Bake for 20 – 30 mins or until the cheese is melted and browned.
Cool slightly in the tin, then turn out onto a plate and cut into wedges. Top with a dollop of sour cream and the diced avocado.
** To be honest, after making this so many times, I use far more of each ingredient than the recipe asks for and really go to town, adding crushed garlic to the ground beef and black beans or corn.
The cheese is the glue and who doesn’t love lots of cheese so go for it!