If desired, bake and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. (If you choose to freeze, bake and cool completely before freezing.)
Ingredients
1Tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
1zucchini, diced
1small red onion, chopped
1sweet white onion, chopped
1poundground beef, cooked and drained
Salt & pepper to taste, or add Mexican seasoning
15oz.Bush’s Black Beans, drained and rinsed
2cupssalsa
1/4cupwater
15oz.canned pumpkin
2Tbsp.cumin
2Tbsp.Chahlula hot sauce
12corn tortillas
3cupsgrated white cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1cupnonfat sour cream, for serving (optional)
Cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat; add the oil and cook zucchini and onions for 2 minutes. Turn heat down and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan into a bowl.
In the same pan, cook the ground beef; season to taste and drain off the fat. Add the beans and veggie mixture to the drained beef; gently stir and cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
Combine the salsa, water, and pumpkin in a blender; puree until smooth and creamy. (Add more water if too thick, depending on what type of salsa you use.) Add the cumin and hot sauce; mix well. Taste with your finger; adjust seasoning as needed.
Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish; spread evenly with a spatula. Top with 6 overlapping tortillas. Next add 1/2 the meat and veggie mixture, 1/2 the remaining sauce, and ½ the cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining tortillas, vegetable beef mixture, and sauce, ending with a layer of cheese.
(At this point you can cover and refrigerate the casserole for up to 24 hours, and bake later if desired.)
Spray a piece of foil, cover the dish with the sprayed side down, and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes; cut into squares to serve, topped with sour cream.