Christmas Breakfast Casserole a la Mexicana
This Christmas Breakfast Casserole a la Mexicana is replete with Mexican flavors – lean chorizo, Mexican cheese, green chiles, tomatoes – layered with tortillas enchilada style. It’s a great make-ahead breakfast casserole perfect for holiday gatherings and lazy weekend brunch!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – What is “a la Mexicana?”
“A la mexicana” is a Spanish culinary term meaning “in the Mexican style.” In practice, it refers to a preparation that prominently features the colors and flavors associated with the Mexican flag:
- Red: typically tomato or red chile
- White: onion
- Green: fresh green chiles (such as jalapeño or serrano) and/or cilantro
These ingredients are usually finely chopped and sautéed together, forming a simple, aromatic base that highlights freshness and balance rather than heaviness or spice alone.
A la Mexicana Recipes Include
- Huevos a la mexicana: scrambled eggs cooked with tomato, onion, and chile
- Carne a la mexicana: beef or pork stewed or sautéed with the same trio
- Vegetables a la mexicana: zucchini, potatoes, or green beans prepared with tomato, onion, and chile
A less traditional but healthy and tasty recipe is my quinoa a la Mexicana. It features tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño, along with cilantro and fresh lime juice.
About This Enchilada-Style Breakfast Casserole
This make-ahead Christmas breakfast casserole combines two methods:
- custard – Like a quiche, I have combined eggs, cream (half and half), and cheese.
- enchiladas – Like my green chile enchiladas, I layered the custard mixture with corn tortillas, and the “a la Mexicana” ingredients of tomatoes, onion, and green chiles. The addition of the chorizo adds plenty of protein and tons of flavor!
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- tortillas – I ALWAYS use corn tortillas for an enchilada style casserole. I cannot speak to the results if you substitute flour tortillas.
- cheese – I use half aged cotija, and half Mexican melting cheese (pepper jack on photo day). I really like asadero, but I couldn’t find it locally.
- cream or milk – I use half and half. You can use a combination of heavy cream and milk, a plant-based non-flavored creamer, or milk. I would not use a reduced fat milk as it needs the body for the best texture.
- green chile – On photo day, I was fortunate enough to have Hatch green chile in my freezer! YAY ME! You can substitute roasted and peeled poblano peppers, canned or frozen green chile, or minced jalapeños or serranos. If you choose to use fresh green peppers, you may want to reduce the amount.
- chorizo – I love my homemade chorizo, and since moving from Texas to North Carolina, I keep it in my freezer. When we lived in Texas, I could find high quality, lean chorizo at my local markets. Avoid the “tube of orange grease” that some supermarkets carry. Latino foods markets likely have a good chorizo in the meat market. Look for a chorizo that looks firm like ground beef.
- tomatoes – I always have tiny tomatoes on hand, and find them perfect for this enchilada style casserole. I just slice them lengthwise. You can chop regular tomato(es) if you prefer.
- garlic
- onion
- ground cumin
- garnishes – As shown in the photos, we like chopped cilantro and scallions. Consider crumbled cotija, lime wedges, avocado, etc.
NOTE: I assume you have have salt, pepper, and basic oils (olive, vegetable oil) in your kitchen, and usually don’t include them in this section.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 375℉/191℃.
- Step 2 – Sauté the veggies. Add a drizzle of olive or vegetable oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Starting with the onions, sauté them until translucent – about 2-3 minutes. Add the chorizo, tomatoes, the green chiles (if fresh not roasted), and garlic and cumin. Sauté an additional 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and chorizo is browned. If using roasted green chile, stir them in now.
- Step 3 – Finish the prep. Whisk the eggs and cream together. Quarter the corn tortillas, and shred the cheese.
- Step 4 – Layer the casserole. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with non-stick spray (or lightly coat with oil). Start with a single layer of corn tortillas. Next, spread half of the chorizo and vegetable mixture, and a third of the grated cheese. Repeat with another layer.
- Step 5 – Finish the casserole with the remaining tortillas and a generous amount of cheese. Bake in the oven 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly to allow it to set before cutting to serve. Enjoy! NOTE: I have a convection oven (cooks faster by about 20%), and 20 minutes is usually sufficient for me.
scallions, cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, etc.
❓FAQ
YES! I highly recommend making it ahead, and refrigerating until ready to bake and serve. Try to get it out to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes), or add an additional 15 or 20 minutes to your cooking time if you start with it cold.
Yes! You can use whatever type of cheese you love. You will want a melty cheese for the top of the casserole.
💡 Tips
You can keep leftover casserole in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently (about 300°F/149°C). Be sure to cover the casserole dish with foil or a lid.
‘Tis the season for hearty meals around the table with loved ones… Try this breakfast casserole “a la Mexicana” for breakfast, brunch, or breakfast for dinner next time you’re looking for an easy make ahead meal!
Christmas Breakfast Casserole Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons oil - olive oil, canola, vegetable
- 1 small onion - chopped
- 5 ounces tomatoes - chopped
- 6 ounces lean chorizo
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 6 ounces roasted and peeled green chile - chopped; see Ingredients Notes in post for substitutions
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 4 eggs - whisked
- 1 cup half and half - see Ingredients Notes in post for substitutions
- 4 ounces cotija - grated or crumbled
- 4 ounces melting cheese (asadero, jack, cheddar) - grated
- 12 tortillas - cut in quarters
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉/191℃.
- Add a drizzle of olive or vegetable oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until translucent – about 2-3 minutes. Add the chorizo, tomatoes, the green chiles, and garlic and cumin. Sauté an additional 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and chorizo is browned.
- Whisk the eggs and cream together. Quarter the corn tortillas, and shred the cheese.
- Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with non-stick spray (or lightly coat with oil). Layer the tortilla triangles, ½ chorizo mixture, ⅓ of the cheese, and ½ of the eggs/cream. Repeat.
- Finish the casserole with the remaining tortillas and a generous amount of cheese.
- Bake in the oven 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly to allow it to set before cutting to serve.
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
I love this recipe. It’s an interesting (and tasty) variation on New Mexico style stacked enchiladas. The creamy filling really makes it stand out.