Take your Taco Tuesdays to a new level with this layered Taco Casserole Bake! An easy, affordable family favorite that’s always a winner!
This tempting turkey Taco Casserole Bake turns classic tacos into a mouthwatering recipe for Mexican lasagna! Starting with a base of lean ground seasoned turkey, this delicious dish is layered with cheddar cheese, tortillas, and all the taco veggies like corn, onion and pinto beans. Customize with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!
Taco Casserole is Flavorful and Flexible!
This tasty taco bake is SO full of flavor, SO easy to make and comes out perfectly every single time!
Mexican casseroles are also flexible! Just Google “How to make a taco casserole” and you’ll find cornbread and crescent rolls…Fritos and Doritos…queso and cotijo…ground beef and turkey…or simply corn and beans for a vegetarian option!
Plus, the spice level can be altered from mild to medium to “smoke coming out of your ears” spicy hot! And, of course, taco casserole can be topped with everything from jalapenos or habaneros to fresh cilantro and green onions—whatever makes you happy!
Other Recipes to Make the Best Taco Casserole Ever
- Forget the store-bought seasoning packet and make your own Taco Seasoning – it’s exactly what you need!
- This recipe for Restaurant Style Salsa is fresh, fabulous, and super easy to make!
Ingredients
Protein: This taco casserole uses ground turkey and pinto beans as the proteins, but you can use ground beef, black beans, or whatever combo works best for you!
Veggies: A yellow onion gives this casserole a rich, deep flavor, and frozen or fresh corn adds great texture and taste!
Tortillas: Since this is a layered lasagna-like recipe, soft corn tortillas work great to absorb the juicy flavors!
Cheese: I love the flavor of cheddar cheese in this taco dish!
Seasoning: Taco seasoning and salsa bring all the Mexican flavors!
Garnish: Top this Mexican casserole with sour cream, cilantro, tomatoes, jalapenos…or whatever you love the most!
How to Make Turkey Taco Casserole
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brown the ground turkey and chopped yellow onion in a large skillet.
STEP TWO: Once the meat is cooked, add the taco seasoning and water as directed on the package and cook for 5 minutes.
STEP THREE: Line the bottom of a casserole dish with half of the corn tortilla halves. On top of the tortillas, add half of the ground turkey, beans, corn, 1 cup of salsa, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar. Then, repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
STEP FOUR: Bake the casserole for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove the dish from the oven and rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Top with the taco fixings! With this all-in-one meal, there’s no need for side dishes!
Tips for Success
- Pinto beans can be substituted with black beans or even kidney beans.
- You decide the spice level, so choose your seasoning packet and salsa type to suit your preferences. To kick it up a notch, toss in some green chilies or jalapenos!
- After cooking the ground turkey and onion, leave some liquid in the pan to keep the finished casserole moist and juicy.
- If you use taco seasoning and corn tortillas that don’t contain gluten, this casserole can be completely gluten-free!
Can I Make Taco Casserole Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! Simply cook the turkey and onions according to the recipe, then layer the ingredients (without the garnishes or toppings). Do not bake. Seal tightly with a casserole lid or plastic wrap and foil. This will keep nicely in the fridge for a couple of days! When you’re ready, just pop it into the 350 F oven according to the recipe instructions and dinner’s ready in minutes!
How Long Will Taco Casserole Leftovers Be Good?
Allow the casserole to cool, then seal the leftovers in as air-tight a container as possible. Taco casserole will keep like this in the refrigerator four days and in the freezer for a month. Keep in mind that fresh garnishes like cilantro and chopped tomatoes and creamy toppings like sour cream should be removed before freezing.
Other Tasty Non-Traditional Taco Recipes!
- Taco Spaghetti
- Taco Pizza
- Crescent Roll Taco Ring
- Taco Lettuce Wraps
- Slow Cooker Taco Chili
- Taco Mac & Cheese Pasta Bake
*This post originally posted on 10/24/2016.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
- 1 small yellow onion peeled and diced
- 1 ounce taco seasoning (1 packet)
- 8 corn tortillas cut in half
- 15 ounces canned pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups salsa
- 10 ounces frozen corn thawed
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Toppings
- Sour cream
- Tomato diced
- Jalapeno sliced (seeds optional)
- Fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey and onion over medium heat, until cooked through. Be sure to break up the meat as it cooks.
- Add the taco seasoning and water as listed on the package and cook according to the package directions.
- Line the bottom of a casserole dish with half of the tortillas halves. Top the tortillas with half of the ground turkey, half of the pinto beans, half of the corn, 1 cup of salsa, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
- Bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top each portion with your favorite taco toppings.
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