Tex-Mex Squash Bake

Name: Tex-Mex Squash Bake
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1/4 cup olive oil, divided; 4 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 red bell pepper, chopped; 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 4 green onions, chopped -- white and green parts separated; salt and pepper to taste; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 4 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste; 2 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste; 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained; 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained; 1 cup frozen corn, thawed; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

16 ingredients

5 steps

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
4 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped -- white and green parts separated
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1

Cook and stir the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crumbly, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Set the beef aside.
2

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spread the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
3

Pour the remaining olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir the zucchini, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, garlic, and the white parts of the green onions until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and mix in the tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin. Allow the mixture to simmer until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
4

Stir in the browned ground beef, black beans, kidney beans, corn, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese until well combined. Adjust salt and pepper if necessary, and spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, and cover the dish with foil.
5

Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling in the center, 20 to 25 minutes; remove the foil, return to oven, and bake until the cheese is browned, 5 to 10 more minutes. Sprinkle the remaining green onions (green tops) and cilantro over the top.