Short on time but still craving a delicious weeknight dinner? Try this Frozen Burrito Casserole uses ready-to-go burritos as the base layered with enchilada sauce and cheese. Plus, you get to add any toppings of your choice! This convenient and super simple recipe using frozen burrito is one that the whole family will love.
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Table of Contents
Why you'll love it
- Time-Saving: With just 5 minutes of prep time, this casserole is a lifesaver on busy days. Simply pop it in the oven and you'll have a scrumptious meal ready in no time.
- Customizable: Whether you're a fan of fiber-filled beans, creamy guacamole, or zesty corn salsa, this recipe lets you personalize the toppings to suit your taste buds.
What is a frozen burrito casserole?
This recipe with frozen burritos is sort of like a simplified take on enchiladas. Let's be clear: we are by no stretch saying it's an authentic enchilada. However, it is a way to "hack" it and create a similar concept in just a matter of minutes.
Are frozen burritos healthy?
Frozen burritos can be a convenient and nourishing option, depending on the brand. Opt for burritos filled with veggies, beans, and/or lean meats to get a good dose of protein and fiber. I love grabbing burritos from Red's All Natural in the frozen section. In fact, this is the brand we've used in these photos. Boost the nutrient content by adding chopped veggies on top like green or sweet peppers, tomatoes, green onions or even any type of chopped lettuce you have on hand. Make it your own!
What ingredients do you need?
You really only need 3 simple ingredients to create the base for this recipe.
- Burritos: Choose your favorite burritos, be it bean, cheese, or meat-filled. They are the star of this dish.
- Green Enchilada Sauce: This brings a tangy, slightly spicy flavor to the casserole.
- Monterey Jack Cheese: Melts beautifully, adding a creamy, gooey texture.
How do you make this take on frozen burritos enchiladas?
- Prep the Oven and Dish: Preheat your oven to 425°F and lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray and a bit of enchilada sauce.
- Layer the Ingredients: Place the burritos in the dish, pour over the enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake to Perfection: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Add Toppings: Serve hot with your choice of toppings like salsa, avocado, or a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Recipe tips and tricks
- Serving Tips: Pair with a side of Spanish rice or a simple green salad for a complete meal. A watermelon lime mocktail would make a great drink to have with it too!
- Troubleshooting Tips: This recipe often cooks up a bit faster if you let the frozen burritos set out in the fridge overnight to partially thaw before cooking.
- Scaling Tips: You can double the recipe but you'll want to use two separate pans or one extra large pan.
Customize it your way
Like all of our recipes, this Frozen Burrito Casserole is completely customizable. You get to choose which toppings and burrito fillings you want to use. Here are some ideas to try:
- Burrito of your choice: Choose a smaller frozen burrito around 4 ounces as this will cook quicker. Feel free to pick bean, cheese, chicken, beef, sausage, or any flavor that's calling your name! We often like to grab Red's All Natural burritos with high quality ingredients!
- Toppings of your choice: The sky's the limit! Try black beans, diced avocado, guacamole, diced tomatoes, salsa, fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, or lime slices. These toppings are identical to ones we recommend in our nacho bar guide!
- Sauce of your choice: Feel free to use either red enchilada sauce or green enchilada sauce. We're tested this recipe with both and can't decide what we like better.
Can you prepare this burrito casserole ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare this frozen burrito casserole in advance by prepping everything without baking it. Cover it with foil and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours. Yes, it's okay if the burritos start to thaw slightly.
When you're ready to serve it, bake it according to the recipe instructions.
How do I store leftovers?
Since we're using frozen burritos for this recipe, the tortillas can often become a bit harder when they cool off. That's why this casserole is best enjoyed right away if possible. If you do end up with leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Then, reheat in the microwave for 1 minute before enjoying.
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Frozen Burrito Casserole
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Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 15 ounce can red or green enchilada sauce
- 5 frozen burritos of your choice (When testing this, I used Red's All Natural Burritos which are ~4 ounces in size)
- 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (cheddar cheese, mozzarella, monterey jack, pepper jack, Mexican blend, etc.)
Toppings of your choice:
- Guacamole
- Diced avocado
- Salsa
- Queso
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced jalapeños
- Chopped green onions
- Sliced black olives
- Corn kernels
- Diced onion
- Pickled red onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced radishes
- Shredded lettuce
- Fresh limes, for squeezing over
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray a 8x8 or 7"x11" (2 quart) pan baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add a thin layer of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the pan.
- Unwrap frozen burritos and place in the dish over the thin layer of sauce. Then, evenly cover with the rest of the can of enchilada sauce. Top with shredded cheese.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes, until cheese is golden and burritos are cooked through. (The internal temperature should reach ~165ºF.)
- Serve casserole with any toppings of your choice.
Notes
- Green enchilada sauce + Cilantro lime chicken burritos + Monterey Jack cheese
- Red enchilada sauce + Bean and cheese burritos + Cheddar cheese
- Green enchilada sauce + Steak burritos + Pepper Jack cheese
Nutrition
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