Crispy Mexican Tortilla Pie
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A quick assembly of crispy flour tortillas layered with savory sauce, melted cheddar, and zesty toppings. Baked until edges turn crunch-browned, finished with a tangy cream dollop and bright cilantro. Swapped traditional enchilada sauce for smoky chipotle salsa, bringing a deeper smoky note. Cheese blend changed slightly, swapping in mozzarella for a bounce in texture. Focus on visual cues like cheese bubbling and tortillas crisping around edges rather than strict times. Ideal for casual dinners or snack feasts. Twelve generous portions, easy to scale. Prep and bake roughly 20 minutes combined but watch for color and scent. Salt finish chosen as flaky sea salt for a punch. Always have sour cream or crema on standby. Some fire, some cool—balance that.
Prep:
7 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
19 min
Servings:
12 slices
#Mexican inspired
#baked tortilla
#chorizo recipe
#chipotle salsa
#easy dinner
#snack recipe
#cheese melt
Crunch cracking edges. Cheese bubbling, melting low and gooey over chipotle tang. Tortilla sturdy but with bite. This layered tortilla version is a late-night obsession of mine—reminding me of Mexican street snacks yet easy enough for weekday dinner. Toss in chorizo for punchy spice instead of typical ground beef, swap enchilada sauce for smoky chipotle salsa that thickens, giving each bite a slow burn. A little onion crunch, roasted pepper sweetness, a sprinkle of cotija sharpness. Work quick, don’t drown the base in sauce or soggy lands appear. Flavor balance rides on salt finishing crisp flakes and dollops of cold sour cream. Feel the contrast in every forkful. Watch the cheese and edges carefully; timing depends on your oven quirks. Something you can watch, smell, and listen to as it crisps.
Ingredients
- 12 medium flour tortillas
- 1 cup smoky chipotle salsa (sub enchilada sauce for more depth)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (swap 1 cup for shredded mozzarella for stretchy melt)
- 1 cup cooked and crumbled chorizo (instead of ground beef, adds spice and texture)
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/2 cup diced roasted red peppers
- Sour cream for topping
- Handful fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Flaky sea salt (like Maldon or fleur de sel) for finishing
About the ingredients
Swap enchilada sauce with chipotle salsa for deeper smoky heat or store-bought red enchilada for milder. Mozzarella mixed in with cheddar gives stretch and mouthfeel, but all cheddar works too. Chorizo instead of beef adds spice and moisture, can be omitted for a vegetarian version—double the beans. Fresh cotija tops add saltiness and texture contrast; feta works as a backup but mellower. Use flour tortillas for a sturdy base; corn tortillas will break apart unless doubled or baked longer and handled carefully. Flaky sea salt on top is a crucial last step—don’t skip. For sour cream, crema or Mexican crema if available for smoother, thinner dollop.
Method
- Preheat oven to around 360 degrees F. You want it hot enough to crisp tortillas swiftly without drying toppings too fast.
- Lay tortillas flat on sheet pans—don’t overlap or they’ll steam not crisp. Baking sheet makes it easy to handle multiple at once.
- Spread a thin, even layer of smoky chipotle salsa across each tortilla. Thin is key—too much will sog the base. Sauce smells deep and smoky here.
- Sprinkle the sharp cheddar and mozzarella blend evenly. The mozzarella adds bounce and stringy texture, cheddar layers flavor and color.
- Scatter crumbled chorizo, diced red onion, roasted red peppers, and pinto beans on top. Use hands for even distribution; don’t clump ingredients in one spot.
- Finish layers with crumbled cotija cheese. It’s salty and crumbly—gives texture and sharpness against melty base.
- Bake in hot oven for 12-15 minutes. Watch edges for golden-brown crisping. Cheese will bubble and brown in spots—that’s the sweet spot. Listen for tiny crackles from tortilla edges drying and crisping.
- Remove from oven once edges are visibly browned and toppings look blistered slightly. Tortillas should hold structure but crisp with a light resistance when poked.
- Top immediately with a generous dollop of sour cream and sprinkle flaky sea salt all over to punch the flavors. Bright cilantro scattered to finish adds freshness and some bitter crunch that cuts richness.
- Serve hot. If reheating leftover slices, re-crisp in a dry skillet or oven to revive tortilla crunch. Avoid soggy microwaves.
- Don’t rush assembling—layering order matters to prevent soggy base. Sauce, cheese, protein and veggies, finishing cheese. Keep sauce light to crisp properly.
Cooking tips
Oven set near 360 degrees avoids drying toppings while still crisping tortillas quickly. Lay tortillas flat; overlapping traps steam and ruins texture. Thinly spread chipotle salsa—too much turns base to mush, watch the shiny wet areas after spreading as a guide. Cheese layer stabilizes toppings, mozzarella mixed in for that elastic lift. Scatter chorizo, beans, onion, peppers evenly with fingers, no clumps. Cotija tops finish layering and add salty crumble. Baking until edges turn golden-brown and slightly blistered is key—watch closely 12-15 minutes but rely on color not clock. You’ll hear subtle crackling from tortillas as they crisp; cheese bubbling is a must. Remove before tortillas get too dark; it keeps edges crisp but tender inside. Sour cream cools the spice heat and adds tang, flaky salt on top punches the whole thing. Leftovers re-crisp in oven or skillet. Avoid soggy microwave nuking. Layer order and sauce quantity affect success; less is more here for crispness.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Watch edges closely for browning—not exact minutes. Cheese bubbling means heat ready. When tortillas crackle faintly, that’s crisping happening. Spread salsa thin to avoid soggy base. Thick globs trap moisture; ruins crisp. Mozzarella stretches, cheddar adds depth. Mix carefully—too much mozzarella makes it floppy, too little loses that string pull. Barbecue smoked chipotle salsa punches flavor better than canned enchilada sauce—even when store-bought salsa varies in intensity. Adjust salt last. Flaky sea salt beats granular here—texture crunchy, flavor punch sharp. Sprinkle cold right after oven before cheese cools.
- 💡 Chorizo replaces beef well; adds grease, fat, spice. Cook ahead, crumble fine, cool before layering or cheese melts unevenly. Pinto beans rinse stops mushy smell, drain well—no liquid escaping. Roasted red peppers add sweet burst, no raw harshness that onion might bring. Dice onion small so it softens but still feels. Layer order critical—start sauce, then cheese, then protein/veggies, final cheese. Cheese on bottom traps moisture, prevents tortilla peeling apart. Light sauce means tortillas crisp, not steam-steeped and limp. Stir salsa before spreading; some sauces separate water—redistribute every time.
- 💡 Preheat oven fully—360 five to ten minutes before layering. Too cold oven wastes time, dries edges unevenly. Lay tortillas flat on rimmed baking sheets. Overlapping traps steam; tortilla rejects crisp texture, sticks like wet dough. Use fingers to spread protein and veggies evenly, no clumps else bites dry, others soggy. Wait for visible blistering on cheese—not waiting for full dark brown. Listen for faint popping, cracking noises from edges drying out. Remove early than late, tortillas toughen if overbaked. Dollop sour cream fast after removal; cold temp contrasts hot layers, cuts chili tones. If craving crunch later, reheat gently in dry pan or oven, avoid microwave sogginess at all costs.
- 💡 Substitutions common. Use feta if cotija is missing but milder notes, less salt punch—spring for more salt top or mix in salsa. Corn tortillas need double layering or soaked and baked longer—fragile otherwise. Mozzarella optional when cheese budget tight; all cheddar stacks flavor but no stringiness or bounce. Chipotle salsa swapped for red enchilada sauce with less smoke, milder heat—adjust topping volumes for thicker sauces or risks sogginess. Sour cream replaced by Mexican crema gives thinner finish, less tang but silkier. Flaky salts like Maldon preferred but sunflower or kosher coarse salt as backup still works.
- 💡 Layering technique demands vigilance. Sauce thin; keep salsa spread smooth with back of spoon or spatula—check shiny wet spots after spreading. Cheese layer solid but not clumpy. Dotting protein evenly makes every bite balanced, avoid salty pockets from cotija overuse—scramble some into cheese layer if needed. Baking time varies based on oven quirks and tortilla thickness—start checking at 12 mins but don’t wait to 15 max. Crisp edges signal timing more than clock. Smell of toasty cheese and roasted salsa hint done or near. Toss in cilantro fresh at end; too early leaves leaves wilted and flavor lost. Flaky salt crunch after oven creates burst—don’t skip or blend into melted cheese, this final touch matters.
Common questions
How to avoid soggy tortillas?
Spread salsa very thin. Overloading traps moisture. Use fully drained beans. No overlap on sheet pan. Watch bubbling cheese edges for timing; stops steaming. Oven temp hot but not burning—360 ideal. Use sturdy flour tortillas, corn needs adjustments.
Can I use ground beef instead of chorizo?
Yep, brown it well. Drain excess fat to avoid greasy edges. Add spices like smoked paprika or cumin to mimic chorizo notes. Bean amounts might balance richer beef. Texture and spice different but works fine for less punchy flavor.
What if cheese doesn’t bubble or brown?
Oven too cool or cheese layer too thick. Mozzarella blends easier for melt, all cheddar less stretchy. Thin cheese layers let heat through, activates bubbling and browning. Try putting cheese under toppings next time for better melt. Bake until you hear crackle near edges.
How store leftovers best?
Cool fully first before covering. Fridge wrapped tight or airtight container. Reheat in skillet or oven at medium heat to bring back crisp. Microwave makes soggy tortillas. Freezing not recommended—texture changes, sauces separate. For quick nights, slice and store in single layers with parchment to prevent sticking.
