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.
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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!
- Garnish options – I like to top mine with a dollop of sour cream and chopped cilantro, green onions, and tomato. Feel free to top it however you like.
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
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Chicken Tortilla Soup
Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
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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
1/4 cup corn kernels
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
- Optional garnishes:
sour cream
chopped cilantro
chopped green onions
chopped tomatoes
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, corn, 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 sour cream and garnish with chopped cilantro, green onions, and tomatoes. Enjoy!
50 Comments
It looks really tasty.
Took to church dinner, was all gone! ❤️❤️
Hi Margaret, I’m so happy everyone at the church loved the taco casserole! It’s one of my go-to recipes for potlucks as well. It’s quick, easy, and delicious!
Looks great
looks like a good recipe ❤️ I’m going to make it this weekend
Delicious, and very easy to follow!! Wasn’t sure about the mayo but it was an excellent addition. I added some canned fire roasted corn to mine.
Love it
im going to make it this weekend. looks so yummy
looks yummy
Magnificent.
Very good recipe. Will make it again but might add a little frozen corn or beans so it will go further. Only my husband and me and had very little leftover. Would be good leftover for lunch, I think.
Why do I see corn?
Hi, Cathy!
Sometimes, when we make the recipes, we add the “optional” ingredients or ingredients from the “Tips” or “Variations” sections. This one has corn and a few other things listed in the tips.
If you want to add corn, use a 15-ounce (15.25 maybe?) and add it after the beef mixture during the layering process. 🙂
YUMMY for my tummy!!
Delicious!! Before serving I topped it with fresh green onions. I diced a tomato and shredded lettuce, each person could top theirs with either or both. Also had sour cream if anyone wanted it. I had all the above on mine. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
I would like to make this using ground chicken can you help me with what I should add to the chicken to give it more flavor? also what if I used to Tortilla chips would that work?
Hi, Janet!
The cumin and chili powder in the recipe will dial up the flavor, as will the salsa and onions. For even more flavor, you could season your chicken with any of the following:
– garlic and onion powder
– paprika
– cayenne or red pepper flakes
– cilantro
And the recipe actually calls for crushed tortilla chips, so they’ll work perfectly!
This is a go-to for us. The only addition I make is a can of drained/rinsed black beans. Delicious! Beans make it more healthy.
I love beans in Mexican dishes, too. Black beans. Chili beans. Refried beans (they kind of take away the healthy bit, but….) Haha.
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. 🙂
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!
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.
Plan on making this later sounds great
Hope you enjoyed it, Marjorie!
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 🙂