Quick Ground Lamb Casserole (Enchilada Style)

Yes, this flavorful ground lamb recipe can be part of your healthy diet! Quick Ground Lamb Casserole (Enchilada Style) layers tortillas with nutrition-rich ground lamb, salsa verde, spinach, and avocado in a super tasty casserole perfect for weeknight suppers!

Tamara Talks

For years my tagline was "healthy global," but I realized that left me in a vulnerable spot: I had to defend any recipes that didn't qualify. 😯 My indulgent Mexican Chocolate Trifle with Orange Curd and Pomegranate Pudding immediately comes to mind. Cocktails were a little sketchy as well!

At 60 years of age, I am able to trek for days at high elevation in the Peruvian Andes. Even with a myriad of health issues (I have autoimmune disorder), physical fitness and maintaining a healthy weight has never been a problem for me personally. I feel my approach has merit, and I share that approach with my readers through Beyond Mere Sustenance.

How Do I Stay Fit and Healthy?

This list is not all-inclusive, and probably over-simplified. "Diets" cannot be sustained, and rarely work. We practice "all things in moderation" at Andersen casa... we do enjoy occasional desserts, wine, beer, and cocktails (again in moderation), occasional but infrequent red meat, fried foods, and processed grains.

Is Ground Lamb Healthy?

Yes and no. Lamb is classified as "red meat," but red meat contains vital nutrients that can be difficult to get from other sources. It is a rich source of iron, and mostly heme iron that is absorbed more efficiently than plant-based iron. Lamb contains a good amount of vitamin B12, important for brain function and blood formation. A lack of either iron or B12 may result in anemia.

While the fat content is somewhat high (17-21% depending on how much is cut away), and much of that is "saturated," studies are mixed on whether the fat is linked to heart disease and stroke or not.

All things in moderation. Our bodies need iron, B12, and fats to function optimally. I would submit that eating lamb occasionally can be part of your healthy diet. Yay! For more, see Lamb 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Effects.

In conclusion, my Quick Ground Lamb Casserole (Enchilada Style) can be part of your healthyish meal plan. I added a generous cup full of fresh spinach to the green sauce. The "macros" per serving with 6 servings come in at 430 calories, 31 grams of protein,

About Quick Ground Lamb Casseroles

Ground meat (aka mince) is by definition "quick." While a lamb roast or cubed lamb benefits from slow cooking methods, it is not necessary with ground lamb.

For people that turn up their noses at a lamb chop or a leg of lamb, I would suggest trying ground lamb in a casserole or stew. The gaminess is greatly reduced (I like gaminess okay?), and its bold flavors pair well with spices.

Casseroles by definition are cooked somewhat slowly in an oven - as opposed to high heat searing or roasting. A casserole that is baked 25 minutes needs to have the ingredients at least partly broken down and cooked.

Making Quick Ground Lamb Casserole (Enchilada Style)

Step 1: Brown the ground lamb. While the lamb is cooking, prep the sauce.

Step 2: Make the Sauce. Combine salsa verde, avocado, and spinach leaves in the bowl of a large food processor. Purée until smooth.

Step 3: Arrange components to assemble the casserole: Tortillas, salsa verde mixture, cooked ground lamb, cheese, scallions.

Step 4: Layer the casserole. Layer sauce, tortillas, more sauce, ground lamb, cheese, and scallions.

Repeat step 4, ending with a thin layer of sauce and a little bit of cheese. Place casserole in a 375 degree oven. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and scallions, and crumbled cotija.

Tips and Suggestions

• I recommend corn tortillas. They have more flavor and better texture, and hold together better.
• My preference is to use my Roasted Tomatillo and Hatch Chile Salsa recipe as I often make a large batch and have some in the refrigerator or freezer. There are many excellent commercial green salsas like this one that provide excellent flavor!
• Use a potato masher to break up the meat.
• Make the sauce and brown the lamb ahead if that's helpful, but the tortillas will absorb the sauce. For this reason, I would not recommend making more than a couple of hours ahead.
• I like my 12" cast iron skillet for this, but any similarly sized casserole dish will be fine. The cast iron skillet can be wiped out, sprayed with cooking spray and used for the casserole. Less clean up!
• Leftovers are great, and you can freeze it, but keep in mind the texture will be softer than when it is freshly made.

Have I convinced you yet to give my Quick Ground Lamb Casserole (Enchilada Style) a try? The bold flavors are sure to have you asking for more! Remember: ALL. THINGS. IN. MODERATION. 😊

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