easy taco pie
Cinco de PIE-oh.
Happy Tuesday, friends, and happy Taco Tuesday y ¡felíz Cinco de Mayo! My apologies of my written Spanish isn’t perfect; I haven’t taken a class since high school, even though I enjoyed 6 years of the language. Still can’t speak a lick, but I can understand it somewhat if the speaker enunciates and slows his or her pace.
This recipe was a worm to create and I’m so glad I perfected it for sharing. Easy Taco Pie is a marriage between a flaky, savory casserole and a simple “beefy” taco filling. Buttery, crispy, cheesy, and filling, all the qualifiers for a solid weeknight dinner.
We’ve got here an accessible dinner that feeds a crowd, and meal preps beautifully for the week. No, you needn’t be a pro at working with pie crusts and making all sorts of lattices and patterns. I, in fact, am shit at it.
So, let’s be shit together and make a dish that is the shit, shall we?
Taco Taco Man
My first pass at this pie failed because of the filling’s texture, so I will start out with that very important note. Be sure to drain your black beans and fire-roasted tomatoes well. Get as much moisture to drip out as possible. I throw them into the sieve together and let them hang out while I prep the recipe up to the point of their additions.
With that out of the way, let’s talk pie crust. If you’ve a favorite homemade recipe, go ahead and use that – be sure to thaw it from the freezer first – otherwise you can channel your inner me and buy a premade crust from the store.
The main takeaway I gathered from my research was to be sure not to work the dough too much, else it’ll shrink and break and be generally weird. I used some of the second crust in the package to fill in the gaps on my plate. If you’re a better man than I, one crust may be enough, but I am not a better man than I, so I utilized my resources and patched up my pie with another.
No shame, no shame.
Form your crust around a pie plate, then pop the plate in the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
Heat some olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Brown your veggie ground and a diced onion with a bevy of tasty spices, my usual suspects: smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion powders, as well as some salt and pepper.
You can also use regular beef here. Leaner grounds are ideal!
Next, toss in your black beans and fire roasted tomatoes (did you drain them? Did you?) as well as a big handful of cheddar cheese. Simmer for a few minutes to incorporate.
I know I was a dick in the recipe card and said you’re SOL if your filling is too liquidy, but never fear. A way to save it from becoming slop is to whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and simmer it into the pan. The starch will help shit bind once the pie is baked.
Pour the pie filling into the crust. Drop spoonfuls of sour cream or Greek yogurt over the beef mixture, then top with a heap more cheese. Lots of cheese. So much cheese.
Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes or so until the cheese is caramelized, crispy, and gooey, and the crust nice and golden. Cool the pie on the counter for 15 minutes or so – very important, else it’ll crumble like Rome.
For garnishes, I like avocado slices, cilantro, and some lime, maybe a bloop more of Greek yogurt. Fresh tomato salsa would be rad, too. Mmm.
Leftovers? Taco pie meal preps great all week! Microwaving the crust may render it a bit soggy, so if you’ve the time, pop it in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until heated through. Add your choice toppings after reheating.
Freezing? YES! Taco pie freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Be sure not to freeze any toppings you use with it.
Accompaniments? Guacamole Salad is a perfect light and healthy side, or Chipotle Street Corn Dip Pasta Salad if you’re feeling extra festive.
Cheers, enjoy, and be safe if you’re celebrating on the town!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Taco ’bout practice:
Dill Pickle BBQ Blackened Salmon Tacos
Crispy Buffalo Ranch Shrimp Tacos
Crispy Baked Butternut Squash Black Bean Tacos
Barbacoa Jackfruit Tacos with Garlic Lime Crema
easy taco pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust, thawed
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 lb veggie ground beef, or regular
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 can black beans, drained well
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained well
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- sliced avocado and cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate. Form the crust as you please (and according to your ability level, which, if you're like mine, is pretty noob). Chill the crust in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Melt the butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the veggie ground, onion, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, cumin, garlic and onion powders. Cook until the beef browns, about 6-8 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Simmer a few minutes until thickened. The sauce should not be too liquidy – if it is, ya don goofed and didn't drain the beans and tomatoes well enough. Womp womp.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Dollop with spoonfuls of yogurt/sour cream. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake 12-15 minutes until the cheese melts and is gooey, and the crust is golden. Cool at least 15 minutes, then top with fresh avocado slices and cilantro before slicing and serving!
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