Taco Casserole

Get ready for a really Out Of This World Delicious ground beef casserole. This 9×13 dinner is a real crowd pleaser. Go the casserole way for your next Taco Tuesday dinner night, or any weeknight dinner, actually. It’s that GOOD… Tacos are huge thing at the Beisers’. We love them in all shapes and forms. Our Tacos Gobernador and Birria Tacos are quite Epic. And then there are Shrimp Tacos and Ground Turkey Tacos, that can be whipped up in no time. We’re always thinking of new ways to try to hold that tortilla in our hands. Then we thought, how about baking them quick in the oven? How about making something like Taco Lasagna, where layers of tortillas are laden with beautifully seasoned ground meat along with some Mexican fixings and plenty of ooozy, cheesy goodness. That’s when this Taco Casserole was born…

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Making your own taco seasoning is so simple, and can be done in minutes. It’s a secret for delicious taco meat.  We swear by our simple Taco Seasoning recipe, that we use in so many of our recipes. All you need is a few simple ingredients, which you probably already have in your pantry:

Chili powder Cumin Garlic powder Onion powder Paprika – we use smoked, but regular is fine. Red chili flakes Oregano Salt Pepper

Just measure everything according to the amounts in the recipe card, mix it up and you are all set for some great tacos, as always!!

Taco Casserole Ingredients

Ground Meat – Today we used lean ground beef. Feel free to use another ground meat of your choice. Mexican fixings – Onion, bell pepper, garlic, corn, diced fire roasted tomatoes, black beans. Seasonings – Taco seasoning, salt, pepper. Cheese – We’re using a cheddar jack mix. Oil Corn tortillas Toppings – Red onion, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeños, sour cream, cilantro.

How to Bake Taco Casserole:

1. Prep for Casserole: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Make Ground Beef Mixture: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add in ground beef and brown the meat, breaking it with a spatula. Drain any excess fat. Add in prepared taco seasoning and combine well. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Stir in corn, black beans and tomatoes. Mix well. Add in 1/4 cup water and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Assemble Taco Casserole: Layer 10-15 tortilla halves in the bottom of the baking dish (try to cover as much of the bottom surface as possible). Spoon and spread 1/3 of the beef mixture over the tortilla layer. Next, spread 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the beef layer. Repeat this layering with tortillas, beef filling and cheese two more times.
4. Bake the Casserole: Bake this taco casserole, uncovered, in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted all over. While it’s cooking, check out our favorite Ground Beef Recipes and top Casserole Recipes. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Garnish it with toppings. Serve warm with sour cream and Refined Beans.

Taco Casserole Variations :

1. Make it with another protein. As mentioned earlier, this taco casserole is fantastic with ground turkey, too. Ground chicken or ground pork, or a mix of two ground meats can be used. Alternately, you can use a plant based ground beef substitute for a vegetarian option.
2. Use tortilla chips or Doritos or Fritos instead of tortillas for layering.
3. Add in more veggies like diced zucchini, diced mushrooms or diced carrots to the mix.
4. You can totally forget the layering and mix the meat mixture with rice, or cauliflower rice for low carb option. This is similar to our Mexican Rice Casserole.
5. Make it spicier by adding other Mexican chilis like chipotle chilis in adobo sauce. Or add Chili Verde or hot salsa, like our Salsa Taquera, to the beef mixture.

Make Ahead Taco Casserole Method

Simply assemble the casserole as mentioned above. Let it cool completely. Cover with wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let it sit out at room temperature at least 35-40 minutes before baking. Follow the same baking instructions.

Storing and Leftovers

This is a great make ahead meal for future meals, as it refrigerates and freezes well. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container, and are best eaten within 3-4 days. Simply reheat it in a microwave, or in pre heated oven at 350°F, until heated through. The cooked casserole can be frozen unto 3 months. We recommend removing the toppings when you freeze this casserole. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating it up. Make this fantastic Taco Casserole for your friends and family, and let them get dazzled by the looks and taste of this innovative ground beef casserole. Tacos can be so much more, and they always bring joy. Make them more cozy, more cheesy and more fun… Go the casserole way… Taco Casserole way!

Taco Casserole, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other cozy casserole recipes!Chicken Pot Pie CasseroleJohnny MarzettiGreen Rice CasseroleSausage Potato CasseroleCorn CasseroleMoussaka For Taco Seasoning:1.5 Tbsp chili powder2 tsp cumin1.5 tsp garlic powder3/4 tsp onion powder2 tsp oregano2 tsp paprika1/2 tsp red chili flakes1.5 tsp salt1 tsp pepper Mix everything together in a bowl and use all of this taco seasoning in the meat mixture.