This may sound like some kind of Dr. Frankenstein, vegan magic that breaks culinary rules and concepts. That's because it is! Madness, pure madness!!!
I LOVE casseroles. Sometimes an unhealthy love when I just want to shove everything that looks good into a baking dish and hope for the best. This night was a night I got it right and this recipe has been repeated many, many times. I had gotten home from work and was tired. I had all the makings for fajitas, and was craving them, but the idea of several plates and shoveling things back and forth was just too much. Simplicity was the game. This needs 1 cutting board, 1 bowl, 1 pan, and one baking dish. Plus a pot to make rice.
I have pictures of each step, but will run it down for you. First I lightly greased the baking dish - size to your liking and laid 2 tortillas down. The tortillas should cover the bottom of the dish because they'll need to support everything when you dish it out. Then I poured in beans and rice with a couple spoons of salsa. Tortilla layer. Next is sauteed peppers, onions, and mushrooms. This layer is great because omnis can add meat easily. Though the chopped mushrooms gave a nice, meaty texture to it. Tortilla layer. The top let me fulfill my red cabbage addiction but you can add cheeze (Daiya) or really anything of your liking. Just make sure to pour that lovely salsa all over it.
I LOVE casseroles. Sometimes an unhealthy love when I just want to shove everything that looks good into a baking dish and hope for the best. This night was a night I got it right and this recipe has been repeated many, many times. I had gotten home from work and was tired. I had all the makings for fajitas, and was craving them, but the idea of several plates and shoveling things back and forth was just too much. Simplicity was the game. This needs 1 cutting board, 1 bowl, 1 pan, and one baking dish. Plus a pot to make rice.
I have pictures of each step, but will run it down for you. First I lightly greased the baking dish - size to your liking and laid 2 tortillas down. The tortillas should cover the bottom of the dish because they'll need to support everything when you dish it out. Then I poured in beans and rice with a couple spoons of salsa. Tortilla layer. Next is sauteed peppers, onions, and mushrooms. This layer is great because omnis can add meat easily. Though the chopped mushrooms gave a nice, meaty texture to it. Tortilla layer. The top let me fulfill my red cabbage addiction but you can add cheeze (Daiya) or really anything of your liking. Just make sure to pour that lovely salsa all over it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 package tortillas (I used 6 tortillas in total) 1 package fajita seasoning 1 jar salsa (I used a 16 oz jar of salsa verde) 1 cans beans (I used pink, but pinto or black should work. Make it 2 cans if you want it beanier!) 2-3 cups rice, cooked 2-3 bell pepper, any color 1/2 red onion (sweet onion should work) 2 cups (about 1 package) mushrooms (I used baby bella, but portobello would be good also) Optional: 2 cups shredded red cabbage 2 cups cheese (or vegan cheese) Meat if desired (sorry I can't approximate measurements anymore!) What’s great about this is that it’s really just assembly. Cook the rice, chop and sauté the vegetables, and layer. That’s it! So easy that I’m thinking exactly how to write this! I’ll explain the layers and then what order will keep you in the kitchen the least. Here's the low-down of the layers and I'll put a slideshow at the end. Layer 1 – Beans and Rice COOK THE RICE FIRST. I like to make beans from dry, but canned works J Drizzle oil in the dish, flop a tortilla down, and use it to coat the bottom (and sides!) of the dish. You want it to be able to come out cleanly. Spoon a little bit of salsa onto the tortilla before the beans and rice. Just enough to keep the bottom moist. Layer 2 – Veggies Chop the peppers, dice the onions, and mince the mushrooms. You want them a little small so when you’re cutting the finished product you don’t also have to cut through a long pepper! Put all the veggies in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add about ½ of the seasoning pack and toss. This will distribute the seasoning more easily and you won’t have to add too much oil in the pan. Cook them “al dente”, how you’d find them with fajitas. They should have a little bite. Put the mushrooms in at the end so they keep that nice, meaty, texture. Layer 3 – TOPPING Shred some cabbage on top. This last time I shredded half a zucchini and squash with it and it was great. Dump the rest of the salsa over it. Just drown it. And let it soak down in the breaks between the tortillas. **If you are putting either cheese or cheeze as a topping I’d put the salsa on the veggie or rice/bean layer. I’ve never done cheese, but I’m not sure how a ton of salsa and a ton of cheese would mix. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Look for the salsa to bubble and the veggie topping either browning or wilting. And, best part, this is AMAZING as leftovers. Just put some wrap over it and nuke it when you’re hungry again! Get a little salsa on there… Be sure to press the tortillas into the corners so things will spread evenly |