This hearty frozen burrito casserole takes just 5 minutes to throw together, is customizable to fit your family's needs, and elevates simple frozen burritos to a delicious dinner! It is perfect for busy weeknights or can be doubled to feed a crowd.
At the end of a busy day, a dinner that can be prepped in 5 minutes and then cook in the oven while we get homework done is a blessing. If it's a kid-friendly option that guarantees full bellies at the dinner table? I'm all in. You're looking at this unicorn of a recipe right here.
This recipe essentially delivers a whole dish of wet burritos, sauced up with a sour cream sauce and dressed with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro just like at your favorite Mexican restaurant.
A good hearty casserole will always be a family-friendly option. Try the Broccoli and Chicken Divan with Curry or Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas next!
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Ingredients
Grab your favorite frozen burritos plus a few toppings and you are well on yor way to a delicious dinner.
I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!
- Frozen Burritos - Our crew favors a basic bean and cheese burrito that we buy in bulk at Costco, but this ingredient is very flexible. Choose whichever burrito fillings your family will enjoy.
- Green Enchilada Sauce - Choose a brand you are familiar with as spice levels vary wildly in canned enchilada sauces. We keep things mild for the kiddos, but if your crew likes things spicy choose a brand and variety labeled "hot".
- Sour Cream - Just a bit of sour cream transforms one can of enchilada sauce into two different burrito toppings. Stirred into the green sauce, sour cream creates a tangy and creamy casserole.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Sharp cheddar is bold enough to stand up to all the delicious flavors going on here and melts into a dreamy texture.
- Iceberg Lettuce - The fresh crunch of shredded iceberg is a perfect contrast to the cheesy and saucy burritos. Don't skip it!
- Tomato - A diced tomato is another fresh contrast to the casserole, but your favorite salsa would be a good choice as well.
- Cilantro - Chopped cilantro adds that perfect herbal note to garnish the casserole.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9" x 13" baking pan or 3-quart casserole dish. Gather your ingredients and have this frozen burrito casserole oven-ready in 5 minutes. This oven baked, one pan wonder is prepped in a flash.
Pour 10 ounces of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish.
Unwrap the burritos and lay them in the dish in any way that they will fit in a single layer.
Whisk the remaining 5 ounces of enchilada sauce and the sour cream together in a small bowl.
Spread the sour cream mixture over the burritos.
Top the burritos with the cheese. Cover the casserole with a sheet of foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden and melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Remove the frozen burrito casserole from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Top it with the shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and chopped cilantro.
Substitutions and Variations
This recipe has plenty of flexibility to make it suit your family's tastes. Try any of these substitutions or variations:
- Change the Sauce - Using canned or bottled red enchilada sauce instead of the green enchilada sauce will change the flavors up significantly. If you have the time, make my Mole Sauce for a rich and extra-flavorful spin.
- Choose Your Favorite Burritos - This recipe can be made vegetarian with bean and cheese burritos, but beef, chicken, or bean and rice burritos would be equally delicious. You can even use your frozen stash of Chicken Avocado Burritos!
- Swap Sharp Cheddar - Choose a Mexican blend of cheeses, Monterey Jack, or Quesadilla cheese instead of the sharp cheddar.
- Add Your Favorite Fresh Toppings - Pick and choose any additional toppings you love, like sliced black olives, salsa, avocado, jalapeno rings, or green onions to make your frozen burrito casserole perfect.
Double the Recipe to Feed a Crowd
If you use an extra large baking dish, you can double this recipe to feed a crowd. Simply double the green enchilada sauce, sour cream, and burritos. As long as the burritos can sit in the pan in a single layer the casserole will cook evenly. Add 15 minutes to the covered baking time to ensure that the burritos in the center of the casserole are cooked through.
Serve the frozen burrito casserole buffet-style with a big variety of fresh toppings. Each guest can customize their plate with a selection of lettuce, avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, salsa, olives, jalapenos, green onions, and more!
Serving and Storage
If you anticipate having any leftovers, it is best to keep the frozen burrito casserole separate from the fresh toppings. Serve the toppings alongside the casserole and store leftovers separately in airtight containers.
Add sides of seasoned rice, refried beans, salad with Cilantro and Pepita Dressing, or a simple fruit salad to round out the meal.
FAQ
You should use the burritos frozen, directly from the freezer when putting this casserole together. What a time saver!
The frozen burrito casserole should reach 165°F in the center to ensure safe consumption.
The casserole should be prepared and baked in the oven right away for food safety. Prep is only 5 minutes, so there's no need to make it ahead of time.
Related Oven Baked Recipes
An easy oven-baked meal is great to have in your back pocket for busy nights. Here are some with minimal prep:
Try It and Share
I hope you love this frozen burrito casserole and that is as much as a weeknight staple in your home as it is in ours! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Recipe
Frozen Burrito Casserole with Green Enchilada Sauce
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" casserole dish or 3-quart casserole dish
Ingredients
- 6 frozen burritos
- 15 oz. green enchilada sauce
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 3 oz. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 2 cups iceberg lettuce (shredded)
- 1 cup tomato (diced)
- ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Pour 10 ounces of green enchilada sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Arrange the burritos over the enchilada sauce.
- Combine 5 ounces of enchilada sauce with the sour cream and whisk until combined. Pour over the burritos.
- Top the burritos with the shredded cheddar and cover the casserole with a sheet of foil.
- Bake the casserole, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.
- Cool the casserole for 5 minutes. Top with the shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts caculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says
I'd love to hear how you top your frozen burrito casserole. Comment and share!
Allison says
Curious what kind of frozen burritos you used (if you can be specific without saying a brand)?
Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says
Hello! I used bean and cheese burritos I found in bulk at Costco. I believe they are Red's brand!