This easy taco casserole recipe gives you all the yumminess of a taco in one convenient dish.
It’s perfect for busy weeknights and great for kids.
Easy Taco Casserole
As much as I love all things taco, I don’t always have the time to prepare everything.
That’s why I love this dish.
It’s as easy as cooking the beef and layering it up with chips and cheese – kind of like a Mexican lasagna.
Trust me, if you’re on the hunt for a crowd-pleaser that’s packed with flavor, this easy taco casserole recipe is for you!
Ingredients
The ingredients here are what you might expect from a good beef taco. That said, you can change this up as you like!
- Ground Beef – I love the rich flavor you get from beef, but you could use pork or chicken if you want something leaner.
- Salsa – You can’t have Mexican food without good salsa! I like it spicy but use your fave.
- Onions – They’ll cook during baking, but feel free to add them to the beef to infuse the flavor.
- Mayonnaise – This might not be a typical taco ingredient, per se, but it works well to add a creamy note to the beef.
- Seasonings – You’ll use chili powder and cumin, which you can adjust to your own taste.
- Tortilla chips – Some will soften, and some with crisp up in the oven for a pasta-like layer.
- Cheese – You’ll use cheddar and Monterey Jack, a great pairing that will melt beautifully. But again, go with your faves!
How to Make Taco Casserole
This taco casserole bake is super straightforward, and you’ll find detailed instructions below.
But for now, here are the highlights:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C).
2. Cook the beef and add the extras. The meat should be browned and no longer pink. Stir everything until it’s well combined.
3. Assemble the casserole and bake. Layer it like a lasagna: meat, chips, cheese, repeat. Then cover and bake for 30 minutes until it’s bubbly.
4. Serve and enjoy! Let is cool a little, then dig in.
Tips & Tricks
When kept simple, this is excellent for the entire family. But go ahead and make it your own!
Need some inspiration? Here are a few tips and tricks to make this a stunner:
- Serve with toppings. Things like pico de gallo, sour cream, and plenty of guac make this casserole even better. Plus, it’s more taco-like with the extras.
- Mix up the cheeses. For example, Mozzarella will give you a nice cheese pull, and Gouda will give it a smoky finish.
- Shred your own cheese. I know those bags are convenient, but they don’t melt as well.
- Use taco seasoning for ease. Go for any brand you like at any spice level.
- Make it extra filling. Simply mix in some beans or corn. These ingredients will also add a bit more protein and color to the meal.
- Dial up the heat. Use spicy seasoning or salsa. Or throw in chopped jalapeños for a boost of heat.
- Add extra crushed chips. Toss them on top immediately before serving the casserole. They’ll give you a lovely crunch.
- No ground meat? No problem. Substitute with shredded chicken or pulled pork instead. Use leftover rotisserie chicken or make your own pulled pork with BBQ for a fun flavor contrast.
Substitutions and Variations
If you enjoy this taco casserole and want to make it more often with a few tweaks, I’ve got you covered!
- Make it vegetarian/vegan. Instead of ground meat, use chopped mushrooms or tofu crumbles in taco seasoning. Also, use vegan cheese.
- Add extra veggies. Beans and corn or great, but you could easily add a blend of diced peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and even sweet potato,
- Use salsa verde and shredded chicken. This’ll make a whole new meal, but it will be the same basic layers.
- Vary the chips. Try flavored of spicy chips for a bolder taste. Doritos are my go-to. As long as they’re tortilla chips (regular potato chips will turn to mush), they’ll work.
- Add rice. This dinner will go even further with some tasty Mexican rice in the mix. Or serve it on the side, of course.
- Use cream cheese instead of mayo. Doing so will give you a thicker filling. It’ll also keep the chips from softening too much. Make sure it’s at room temp, and beat it in a bowl until smooth before mixing into the recipe.
- Drain the salsa. If it’s too watery, the chips could go soggy. Simply drain off most of the excess liquid. You’ll still have all the flavor without watering down the casserole.
- Opt for chili instead. Using chili instead of the meat mixture will save you prep time. It should still give you similar results/flavors.
Storing the Leftovers
This meal is best made and served on the same day because the chips will turn soggy if you store them for too long.
That said, you do have a few options.
To store. Keep leftovers in an airtight container overnight for the next day. Add extra chips before serving to make up for the lack of crunch.
I don’t recommend keeping this for longer or making it ahead.
Though you could make the meat mixture ahead and store that in the fridge. Then assemble the layers the day you want to eat it.
More Tex-Mex Recipes You’ll Love
Chicken Fajitas
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Air Fryer Quesadillas
Quick and Easy Nachos
Easy Taco Casserole
6
servings15
minutes35
minutes482
kcalThis easy taco casserole recipe gives you all the yumminess of a taco in one convenient dish. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and great for kids.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups crushed tortilla chips, divided
4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C) and lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Chop the onion into small pieces and shred the cheese. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the beef. Stir frequently until browned and crumbly, around five to seven minutes.
- Drain and discard any excess liquid when the beef is no longer pink. Then add the salsa, diced onion, mayonnaise, chili powder, and cumin, and stir to combine.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and spread half of the mixture over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top the meat with half of the chips, followed by half of the shredded cheese.
- Repeat the layers once more, starting with the beef mixture and ending with the other half of the cheese.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is bubbling at the sides.
- Serve with a dollop of guacamole and the toppings of your choice.
I’ve made this recipe twice now and I love how versatile and delicious it has turned out. Thank you for posting it! Terry D. Gresham, OR.
Had it last night. It was quick, easy and delicious. This will be my new favorite.
Hi Denise, I’m so happy you liked it! I make it all the time, too. 🙂
I wanted to try this recipe but my grocery store had run out of ground beef, so I ended up with ground turkey instead. Let me tell you this is probably one of the best recipes I have ever made in a very long time! It came out so good! this is a new family favorite of our house! 🤗❤️👌
Hi Jean, it’s one of my favorites, too! I have never tried it with ground turkey, but I imagine it’s just as delicious.
I’d like to print this recipe without the entire explanation of it. It would be nice if there was a “print recipe” at the top like many other recipes .
Hi Dianne, if you scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post, you can click “print” on the photo, and you’ll be able to print the recipe on one page. Hope this helps!
I can’t get it to print either! I tried downloading Shift and it would not load.
Hi Hal!
You’ll find the PRINT button on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
It’s in the bottom right corner of the image, above where you see the prep/cook times
Dear Kim,
I love your recipes!
Very colourful and special!
Well done!
Have best 2024 year!
Thanks so much Zivile! Happy 2024 to you as well!
You don’t state when to add the mayonnaise
Hi there! You add the mayonnaise after browning the beef, when you add the salsa and other ingredients. Hope this helps!
Can you make this ahead and freeze it? Do the tortilla chips get soggy?
Hi Kim!
Yes, unfortunately if you freeze and thaw this dish, the chips will go soggy.
But you can make it as instructed, minus the chips, then wrap and freeze.
Let it thaw in the fridge when you want to eat it, then bake as instructed.
Then, serve it with fresh chips crushed on top 🙂
Good tip. Thanks
If substituting cream cheese for mayo, do I need to use a hand mixer to soften it before adding to the ground beef?
Hi Janice!
Yes 🙂
Make sure it’s at room temp, and beat it in a bowl until smooth before mixing into the recipe.
I’ve added this to the post, so thanks for asking!
I plan to try this one. It looks delicious!
The recipe does not call for beans or corn, but that is in the picture…do you add those and if so how much.
Hey, Patricia. The beans and corn are optional in this recipe. I always add them. I like whole kernel corn and chili beans, though some people prefer black beans or even refried beans.
I use the closest thing to a 15- or 16-ounce can that I can find for both. (I think the exact measurements are like 15.25 ounces or something.) Add them in after the beef layer when layering. Hope that helps! 🙂
Can Fritos be substituted for the Doritos? If so, I will use Chili Cheese Fritos.
Hi BJ!
Yes, you can totally use Fritos instead.
I think your choice will make this extra tasty 🙂
Plan on making this later sounds great
Hope you enjoyed it, Marjorie!
I made this about 10 days ago. It was so good I am making it again right now. I have made several different taco casserole recipes and just could not quite get what I was looking for. The taste just wasn’t there no matter what I did. I’m pretty sure it was the taco seasoning packets. The mayo cumin and chili powder! That was what was missing. It is terrific. Hubby went for seconds, but wait, he snuck in thirds too. He never does that. That’s how good it is. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I love this one, too, Melanie! And you’re absolutely right. The cumin and chili powder are the key.
I just made this taco casserole and it was absolutely the bomb! I’ve tried a lot of taco recipes but this is the best! I only made 2 deviations. I needed to add some leftover red peppers and I cut the amount of Chile pepper by just a little! loved it and it will be even better tomorrow!
Can I use Miracle Whip (salad dressing) instead of the mayo?
Hi, Terri.
Yes, you CAN substitute Miracle Whip for mayo. However, it will slightly change the taste of the overall dish. Mircale Whip is sweeter and a bit tangier than mayo, and you may notice those changes in the final product.
It should work just fine in all other respects, though. 🙂