Name: Tortilla Pie at Home
Yield: 6

This Tortilla Pie layers refried beans, taco beef, salsa, and melted cheese between tortillas. Layer, bake, and top with your favorite taco toppings!

Taco Tortilla Pie

This Tortilla Pie was a staple in my home growing up. My mom, known for this recipe, often made two or three to feed our family of nine—there was never a bite left.

Though she didn’t create it, she put her own spin on it, switching between chicken, vegetarian, or beef (a reliable).

Why she made it so often:

Everyone loved it (not always straightforward with nine people!).
It uses fewer than 10 ingredients.
Quick prep—assembling the pies takes minutes.
It’s versatile—add toppings for extra flair, or keep it simple for a quick, tasty meal.

Quick Tip

Try some of my mom’s other “famous” recipes: Carmelitas (chocolate, caramel, and oat bars), Ice Cream Pie, or this simple French Bread Taco Pizza!

Ingredient shot-- image of all the ingredients used in this dish

Tortilla Pie Ingredients

Below are the main ingredients in this layered taco-flavored Tortilla Pie:

Tortillas: TortillaLand® unbaked tortillas are a favorite.
Lean ground beef: 93/7 blend works well, but ground turkey also works.
Taco seasoning: Old El Paso’s seasoning mix is a reliable.
Enchilada or tomato sauce: Enchilada sauce is the top pick.
Cheese: Queso Quesadilla® is the best for this pie, staying smooth. A Mexican cheese blend is a good alternative.
Salsa: Use your favorite salsa—mild for less heat, or hot for more kick.
Refried beans: Choose a brand you like or find fresh refried beans.

Process shots of Tortilla Pie-- images of the beef being browned and then garlic and seasonings being added and it all being cooked together

Shortcuts

Garlic. home cooks enjoy Dorot’s® cubes which have crushed garlic that you can keep handy in the freezer and pop into this (and other) recipes when needed. (Check if your local store carries them; they’re usually found with frozen veggies in the grocery store.) Another option is to use refrigerated minced garlic.
Pre-grated cheese: I will often advocate for freshly grating cheese as it usually turns out best, but this is one recipe where the already grated cheese works great — lifesaver recipe lovers, rejoice!
Microwaving: My mom would microwave the tortilla pie and then broil it at the end; You can do a combination of this too! Because even though a recipe comes together quickly, who has time to wait for 30-45 minutes of baking?!

Process shots-- images of the tortilla, refried beans, and ground beef layers going on the pie

How To Make A Taco Pie With Tortillas

A few quick tips:

Sear the beef for a few minutes before crumbling and browning completely—this adds flavor.
If using unbaked tortillas, cook them in a skillet first (they won’t cook through in the pie). Pre-cooked tortillas can be used as is.
Gently compress the pie with each new tortilla layer.

Process shots of Tortilla Pie-- images of the salsa and cheese being layered in and then the layers being repeated

Toppings To Choose From

Once the Tortilla Pie is baked, slice it out (like a pie) and serve with some creamy additions.

Chopped cherry tomatoes, salsa, or pico de gallo
Mango salsa or a similar fruity salsa (my mom’s favorite addition!)
Freshly chopped cilantro
Fresh lime wedges
Avocado or guacamole
Taco sauce or hot sauce
Sour cream (fat-free or low-fat works great!)
Sliced black olives

Image of the dish fresh out of the oven with the skippable toppings

Variations

Different Ways To Make Tortilla Pie

Vegetarian: When my mom really wanted to make this quick, she’d simply leave off the beef and just alternate layers of refried beans, salsa, and cheese. Sometimes she’d add in drained and rinsed black beans with about 1/2 cup frozen corn in layers atop the refried beans.
Chicken: To replace the beef with chicken, prepare the chicken from this Rotisserie Chicken Tacos recipe (feel free to replace all the individual spices with a packet of taco seasoning) and layer this saucy chicken in place of the beef.
Use from-scratch ingredients: If you prefer to make your own seasoning mixes (and have a few extra minutes), try this from-scratch Taco Seasoning recipe; it’s a reliable! Or you if you happen to have some leftover from-scratch Salsa, use that in place of store-bought.
Jazz it up some more: If you aren’t in a hurry, you can add more flavor to this pie by sautéing 1 cup of diced yellow onion with the beef. You could also add in 1-2 tablespoons diced jalapeños or fire-roasted green chiles.
Spice levels: For a lightly seasoned dish, use a mild salsa (one you know is mild, or taste it first to ensure mildness), mild enchilada sauce (or tomato sauce), and a mild taco seasoning packet. For a spicier Tortilla Pie, use medium or hot salsa, medium or hot enchilada sauce, and a medium or hot taco seasoning packet. You could also add 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper to the beef mixture.