Preheat your oven to 350°F. While it heats, lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or similar size casserole with oil or cooking spray. Cut your 3 flour tortillas into 1/2-inch wide strips and set aside on a plate—this gives you time to brown the beef while the oven reaches temperature.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil, then add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it's fully browned with no pink remaining (about 5-7 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed. Add the taco seasoning and water, stirring well to combine, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly and the flavors meld. Remove from heat and stir in the salsa con queso until evenly combined. I like using freshly shredded cheese in the layers because it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded, and the same goes for quality queso—it makes a noticeable difference in the final texture.

Start by arranging half of the tortilla strips on the bottom of the greased baking dish to form a base layer. Spread one-third of the beef mixture from Step 2 over the tortilla layer, then sprinkle one-third of the shredded cheddar cheese on top. Add another layer of the remaining tortilla strips, followed by half of the remaining beef mixture and half of the remaining cheese. For the final layer, arrange the last tortilla strips, top with the final third of beef mixture, and finish with the last third of cheese. Make sure the cheese reaches the edges—I like to press the layers down gently as I go to help everything stay compact and cook evenly.

Place the assembled casserole in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving—this allows the layers to set slightly and makes serving cleaner.

Slice the casserole into portions and serve warm with sour cream on the side for dolloping. Guests can customize their servings based on their preference for the creamy tang it adds.