Description
A comforting, crowd pleasing Mexican inspired beef and bean bake made with simple pantry ingredients, bold seasoning, and a cheesy oven baked finish that is perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a medium baking dish.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the diced onion until softened.
- Add garlic and red bell pepper and cook until fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until browned and cooked through.
- Drain excess fat if needed and stir in cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Add tomato paste, tomato passata, black beans, and kidney beans and simmer briefly.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Adjust the spice level to taste and let the bake rest briefly before serving so it holds together better.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican