Taco Casserole makes the best weeknight meal to gather around and even better leftovers! Loads of your favorite ingredients make this a hit with everyone!
If you love Mexican food, then you’ll want to give this recipe a try. Taco Casserole is nothing but a deconstructed taco made into a delicious casserole. Ground beef, beans, cheese and an endless option of toppings make this a perfect meal to feed a crowd. It also makes for the ideal assemble ahead and freeze for later type of meal for those busy or lazy weeknights! When I have all the ingredients on hand but I’m in the mood for something slightly different I whip up my favorite Taco Soup, you’ll love it as much as the taco bake casserole.
TACO CASSEROLE
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We are major fans of Mexican food at home. I often try different recipes because we love it so much, like this Chicken Taco Soup or these Honey Chipotle Tacos for Taco Tuesdays. Taco seasoning has quickly become a staple in my kitchen. I have found so many ways to use it beyond just for taco meat; I highly recommend tossing it on hot potato wedges or into cooked rice.
What I love about this taco casserole recipe is that it’s a complete meal in itself. On busy days when I am tired of multitasking, a casserole is a real savior. Tacos are one of our favorite dinners, and there is no doubt that this easy taco casserole is a big hit in the family.
Taco Casserole Ingredients
- Ground beef is the base of this casserole. The key is good quality lean meat, it can be fresh or frozen whichever you can get your hands on. Start with browning the meat as it adds a lot of flavors.
- You can use store-bought or homemade Taco seasoning. The amount of seasoning depends on how intense you prefer the flavor. The recipe calls for one package of taco seasoning, but for extra depth, I add one and a half packets.
- To make it more filling, I like to add a can of black beans or kidney beans. You can also add a handful of corn kernels. The idea is to add fiber and help stretch the ingredients a little further. However, if you are not a fan of beans, you can certainly skip them.
- There are a few different ways to add the Tortilla chips; some like to layer them throughout. Although, I prefer adding tortilla chips as a topping for that extra crunch.
- Shredded Mexican Cheese blend is the preferred cheese in this casserole. I use a combination of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar when I don’t have Mexican cheese on hand.
- When it comes to the toppings, add lots of chopped tomatoes, sliced olives, and tortilla chips. Other toppings could be shredded lettuce, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, avocados, and the list goes on…
How to make Taco Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Heat a heavy cast iron pan. Add ground beef. Brown meat until it is no longer pink and caramelized brown bits start to appear. Drain any extra liquid and return to the stove.
- Add minced garlic, chopped onion, and chopped red bell pepper. Cook until onion has softened, for about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, jalapeno, taco seasoning, chili powder, and black pepper. Mix everything well. Check the seasoning and add salt if required. Add half of the cheese to the beef mixture.
- Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 minutes more until the cheese is bubbly.
What to serve with Taco Casserole
I prefer just a nice cold salad with lots of the ingredients I used as the toppings for the casserole. Things like olives, tomatoes, jalapenos, avocados and a little sprinkle of cheese. However, Mexican rice and black beans are always a nice traditional option.
Keep dinner easy with these yummy casserole recipes!
- Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
- Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole
- Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Skillet Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
- More dinner recipes…
Tools used to make this Taco Casserole recipe
Casserole Dish: This simple and elegant serving dish goes from oven to table! It’s a staple at our dinner table and I know it will be at your table too!
Cast Iron Skillet: This cast iron skillet is one of my most treasured pieces of cookware. I’ve had mine for years and make everything from breakfast to dinner and dessert in it!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 package taco seasoning
- ½ teaspoon chili powder optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno seeded and diced
- 15 ounces black beans or kidney beans (1 can)
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 2 cups Mexican blend cheese or sharp Cheddar
Toppings
- 2 cups tortilla chips
- ½ cup tomato chopped
- ⅓ cup sliced black olives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Prepare a 3-quart casserole dish and set aside.
- Heat a heavy cast iron pan. Add ground beef. Brown meat until it is no longer pink and caramelized brown bits start to appear. Drain any extra liquid and return to the stove.
- Add minced garlic, chopped onion, and chopped red bell pepper. Cook until onion has softened, for about 1 minute.
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, jalapeno, taco seasoning, chili powder, and black pepper. Mix everything well. Check the seasoning and add salt if desired. Add half of the cheese to the beef mixture.
- Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake covered for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and add remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 10 minutes more until the cheese is bubbly.
- Top with chopped tomatoes, olives and tortilla chips. Serve.
Nutrition
Co-co A says
Is it just me or did we not use the rest of the cheese?
Real Housemoms JK says
Sorry about that! I will fix the recipe. After the 20 mins of baking you should uncover, then top with remaining 1 cup cheese, and bake for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling.
Helen says
Couldn’t the cast iron pan just be placed in oven instead if transferring to casserole dish?
Jennifer Kimmel says
Hey Helen! Yes! That cast iron pan would be great in the oven!
Wilma says
Should the tin of tomatoes and beans be drained?
Aubrey Cota says
Yes, you’ll want to drain the can of beans completely. However, for the tomatoes that is a personal preference, I like to keep some of the liquid for flavor and to help “water down” the recipe just a little bit.