Reinvented Mexican-Style Pizza Casserole

This casserole is a bit of a reinvented Taco Bell-style Mexican pizza. You can switch up the vegetables based on what you have on hand and how spicy you want to make it. You could also add a “cheese” layer using a recipe like this eggplant-based one from Minimalist Baker or this cashew-based one from Sideways Cottage.

Bean layer:

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 poblano pepper, minced
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 c vegetable broth

Vegetable layer:

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms (optional)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp ancho chile powder
• 4 cups spinach (optional)

Sour cream:

• 2 cups cashews, soaked
• 1/4 c nutritional yeast
• 3/4 c water
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• juice of one lemon

Other:

• 10 corn or flour tortillas (you could also use brown rice)
• optional toppings: salsa, green onion, cilantro, tomato, radishes, black olives

Instructions:

1. Saute onion for bean layer until soft and slightly caramelized.
2. Add remaining bean layer ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Saute onion and red bell pepper for vegetable layer until soft and slightly caramelized.
4. Add remaining vetable layer ingredients (except spinach, if using) and saute for around 10 minutes or until soft.
5. Add spinach (if using) and toss until wilted (about 3 minutes).
6. Add all sour cream ingredients to blender and blend until creamy.
7. Mix half of the sour cream mixture with the vegetable mixture.
8. Blend bean mixture in either the blender or with an immersion blender.
9. Heat oven to 350.
10. Add a small amount of the bean mixture to a 9×13 pan.
11. Cut tortillas in half and place one layer in pan. (Consider heating tortillas first until slightly crispy.)
12. Add all of the vegetable layer.
13. Add another layer of tortillas
14. Pour the rest of the bean mixture over the top.
15. Bake for 20 minutes.
16. Top with toppings and reserved sour cream.