This is an easy to make casserole that you can assemble ahead and air fry in about 20 minutes. The dish has all the required flavors, with plenty of onions, bell pepper, black beans, salsa, and cheese. I use lean ground turkey for the casserole, which is less expensive than beef and keeps the dish lower in fat and calories. I also like the mild taste of the turkey. Why is the dish diabetic friendly? It includes a decent amount of protein and keeps the carbohydrates in check with a limited amount of fiber-rich black beans (which also have protein) and only two small corn tortillas. You can use your own homemade salsa in the dish or use the jarred stuff. I generally opt for the jarred version because it's easier, but I also limit the additional salt I add to the recipe (the jarred salsa is salt heavy). This isn't a spicy/hot casserole. If you want to increase the heat, you can add spicy peppers when you're assembling the casserole or just top individual servings with jalapenos, etc.. We like the dish topped with a bit of light sour cream and cilantro, but you can adjust the toppings to your taste. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Mexican Casserole -- Serves 2-4
2-3 teaspoons of canola oil
1/2 - 3/4 pound of lean ground turkey
1/2 a medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped red, yellow, or orange bell pepper or a mixture
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried cilantro (or use a tablespoon of chopped fresh, if you have it)
2 teaspoons of chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups of salsa, divided
1/2 can (14-16 ounces) of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 six-inch soft corn tortillas
1/4 - 1/2 cup of shredded Mexican cheese blend
Sour cream, fresh cilantro, green onions, etc.
Spritz a 7-8-inch souffle dish with non-stick cooking spray (you can use a similar-size pan if you have it, but the pan needs to be several inches deep, at least). In a non-stick skillet over medium heat add the oil and then the turkey, onion, and chopped bell pepper. Saute the turkey and vegetables together for a few minutes, breaking up the turkey into small pieces. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and cilantro and mix them into the turkey mixture. Keep sauteing the turkey mixture for another 5-10 minutes or until the turkey is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Stir in the chopped garlic and saute it with the rest of the mixture for a minute or so. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa. Turn off the heat. This is your meat mixture. To assemble the casserole, put about 1/2 cup of salsa in the bottom of the dish. Top the salsa with a corn tortilla, and 1 tablespoon or so of Mexican cheese blend. Put half of the meat mixture on top of the cheese, then put on the black beans. Sprinkle another tablespoon or so of cheese on top of the beans. Place another tortilla on top of the beans and cheese. Spread the remainder of the meat mixture on top of the tortilla. Cover the meat mixture with the remaining 1/2 cup of salsa. At this point, you can cover the casserole and refrigerate it to air fry later or you can air fry it immediately. When you are ready to cook, put the filled dish in the air fryer basket and air fry the casserole at 320 degrees for about 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling (you'll need to add a little time if the casserole was refrigerated). Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the casserole and air fry it for another few minutes or until the cheese melts. Garnish the casserole with sour cream, cilantro, green onions, etc..
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