Karen made us this Taco Pie for lunch. She will make this for the community meal too. The Taco Pie is a very affordable dish. The most expensive ingredient in this recipe is the cheese.

The Taco Pie is a fusion of Mexican and American dish.

This one pot dish is good for potluck too. It’s a filing dish complete with beans, vegetables, chips and cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers (red & yellow), chopped
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 bag of corn chips
• 1 can mix beans (540ml)
• 1 bottle mild or medium salsa (250-350ml)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil, olive, canola or corn
• a few sprigs of cilantro and parsley
• 200g grated cheese for topping

Click on the link below for the instructions.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Crush a bag of chips, to 1/4″ pieces. Set aside.

Karen showed me how to cut sweet pepper. First slice the top off. Then slice the sides, leaving the stem with the seeds intact. No messy seeds all over the place.

Sweat the onions and peppers in a large pan with just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Increase the heat to med-high, Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook the beef until brown.

Season with a teaspoon of chili powder, stir to toast slightly. Add a bottle of salsa. You may use any salsa of your preference according to your heat tolerance. Bring to a boil.

Rinse the canned beans and add into the pan. Stir fry until the beans are heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

In a shallow bowl or pie plate, distribute a layer of the crushed chips. Top with the bean and beef mixtures. Fill to within 1″ of the top edge.

Cover filling with another layer of corn chips. Sprinkle with some chopped cilantro and parsley.

Lastly, top with a layer of shredded cheese. Bake in a preheated 350F-375F oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling. Alternatively, for smaller dish, you can heat it up in a microwave oven for 5-6 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with rice and a crispy salad. You may substitute the beef with more beans, or add barley or lentils for a vegetarian dish. Karen, thank you for making our lunch.