Walking taco casserole is a fun, family-friendly twist on classic tacos that’s ready in just 30 minutes! It combines all your favorite Tex-Mex flavors—seasoned beef, melty cheese, and crunchy chips—baked into one easy dish. Perfect for busy weeknights, Taco Tuesdays, or a festive Cinco de Mayo celebration, this casserole is always a hit. It’s everything you love about tacos, no shells required!
If you’ve ever been to a county or state fair, you might’ve seen people eating tacos straight from a snack-size bag of chips. That fun treat is called a walking taco, and it’s typically made with Fritos, taco-seasoned ground beef, cheese, and toppings—served right in the chip bag. It’s portable, delicious, and totally customizable!
This fritos taco casserole takes that fair food favorite and transforms it into a family-sized baked dish that’s just as fun, but way more filling. Instead of an individual snack, this recipe makes a taco casserole with Fritos that can serve the entire family. You still get all the great flavor and crunch from the chips, plus plenty of room to add your favorite toppings or extra ingredients like black beans, green chiles, or pepper jack cheese for some extra kick.
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Why We Love This Fritos Taco Casserole
- Quick, easy, and fun!
Making this recipe is easy, and if you have kids or grandkids, they can help assemble the layers into the pan. - Can be made ahead for busy nights.
If your family is constantly on the go, this beef taco bake will save you a lot of time on busy nights.
Make it when you have a few spare minutes. Then, pop it in the freezer (without the chips) and it will keep for up to 4 months!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Lean ground beef or Ground Turkey: To prevent this dish from being greasy, we recommend using a lean blend of hamburger meat. 85/15 is a great choice because there is some fat (which adds flavor), but not so much that the grease soaks into the other casserole ingredients.
- Shredded Mexican-blend cheese: Because this is a Tex-Mex dish, we use a blend of Mexican cheeses.
- Mild Ro-Tel Tomatoes: Ro-Tel adds a great mix of diced tomatoes and green chilies. You can use the original or hot version if you like it spicier. If Ro-Tel isn’t available, substitute with canned diced tomatoes and a small can of diced green chilies.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds a bright, herby flavor. If you’re not a fan, feel free to skip it or substitute with flat-leaf parsley.
- Olive oil: Used for sautéing the onion and garlic. You can also use canola or vegetable oil.
- Spices: Chili powder adds warmth and depth. For a milder version, reduce to 1 tablespoon. Cumin adds earthy and essential for taco flavor. Mexican oregano is ideal, but regular oregano works fine too.
- Fritos or Other Corn Chips: Classic choice for that crunchy chips texture! Doritos or tortilla chips can also be used.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Pre-shredded cheese is the most convenient, but if you can afford it, buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. Freshly shredded cheese melts better than packaged shreds, and it tastes better, too!
Recipe Variations
- Add beans: Mix in black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans for extra protein and fiber.
- Switch the meat: Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
- Make it spicy: Stir in chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
- Top it off: Add guacamole, salsa, diced tomatoes, or more shredded cheese.
- Try different cheeses: Swap cheddar for Monterey Jack or pepper jack for more heat.
- Go vegetarian: Omit the meat and use extra beans and veggies instead.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Cast iron skillet
- Wooden mixing spoon or spatula
Need other make-ahead dinner ideas?
If you are short on time, set your slow cooker in the morning and come home to a fabulous Crock Pot chuck beef roast.
One of our popular freezer meals is chili cheese tots. Kids love it!
How to Make Taco Casserole with Fritos
- Break up the ground beef as it cooks.
If you have big clumps of beef in the casserole, you’ll end up with pieces that don’t have enough spices. Once cooked, drain excess grease as needed.
- Let the mixture simmer until the pan is almost dry.
When you add the canned tomatoes to the large skillet, there will be a lot of liquid. Simmer the mixture long enough for that liquid to cook off. This will prevent your Frito casserole from being wet and runny.
- Don’t be shy with the cheese!
Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over the ground beef mixture. Scatter the Fritos over the that, then top it off with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
- Bake until the filling is bubbly and golden brown.
It’s important to cook your taco casserole with fritos long enough to melt all of that wonderful cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your walking taco casserole straight from the baking dish, and let everyone add their favorite toppings. Think sour cream, guacamole, diced tomatoes, green onions, or even extra cheddar cheese for a super cheesy version. Craving more spice? Add sliced jalapeños or hot sauce on top. For added crunch, sprinkle more crunchy chips just before serving. You can also portion this fritos taco casserole into bowls for individual portions—perfect for serving kids or guests buffet-style!
Recipe FAQs
Unlike a traditional walking taco, which is taco seasoned beef and toppings eaten from a bag of corn chips, both Frito pie and walking taco casserole are baked dishes.
The ingredients are nearly identical, but some versions of Frito pie include a crust.
Use your favorite taco toppings to jazz up the casserole. Good choices are diced avocado, pico de gallo, jalapenos, and sour cream.
Fritos (and similar corn tortilla chips) quickly soak up any liquids that are nearby, and then they become mushy.
So, to make the walking taco bake ahead for a freezer meal to bake later, it’s important to assemble the casserole without chips. Make the recipe up to step 4, as written in the recipe card, below.
Then, a couple of days before you want to cook the meal, transfer the dish to the fridge so it can thaw out.
When it is thawed, add the chips and cheese. Then, cover the dish and bake the Frito casserole at 350°F. oven for 45 minutes, removing the foil for the final 15 minutes of cooking time.
It’s best enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze the meat mixture separately and assemble before baking for best texture.
Store leftovers in an airtight container and use within 5 days.
Need other Tex-Mex dinner ideas?
Our simple creamy chicken enchiladas taste fantastic, and are low-carb!
Another favorite Cinco de Mayo meal is Dutch oven carnitas recipes.
More Taco Recipes To Love…
If you tried this walking taco casserole recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Walking Taco Casserole
Equipment
- skillet
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cans (10 ounces) Mild Ro-tel tomatoes drained with 1/2 cup juice reserved *see Notes
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt to taste
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese grated
- 2 cups Fritos or other corn chips
- 2 green onions just green portion, thinly sliced
optional
- 1 cup iceberg lettuce shredded
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped or petite diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Mix half of the drained tomatoes and hot sauce together in a bowl, set aside.
- Heat the oil in an 11 – 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the beef and lightly brown, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining tomatoes and reserved tomato juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture is thickened and nearly dry, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Smooth down the ground beef with a spatula until level. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Scatter the Fritos corn chips over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
- Bake until the filling is bubbling and the top is spotty brown, about 15 minutes. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the green onions and shredded lettuce, along with your choice of toppings. Serve with a side of salsa for a nice kick of flavor!
Notes
- Add beans: Mix in black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans for extra protein and fiber.
- Switch the meat: Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
- Make it spicy: Stir in chopped jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce.
- Top it off: Add guacamole, salsa, diced tomatoes, or more shredded cheese.
- Try different cheeses: Swap cheddar for Monterey Jack or pepper jack for more heat.
- Go vegetarian: Omit the meat and use extra beans and veggies instead.
- Make Ahead Instructions: Fritos (and similar corn tortilla chips) quickly soak up any liquids that are nearby, and then they become mushy. So, to make the walking taco bake ahead for a freezer meal to bake later, it’s important to assemble the casserole without chips. Make the recipe up to step 4, as written in the recipe card, below. Then, a couple of days before you want to cook the meal, transfer the dish to the fridge so it can thaw out. When it is thawed, add the chips and cheese. Then, cover the dish and bake the Frito casserole at 350°F. oven for 45 minutes, removing the foil for the final 15 minutes of cooking time.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and use within 5 days.
Nutrition
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Cathy Thelen says
I confused where is the hot sauce coming from?
Bec @ The Feathered Nester says
Hi Cathy,
I’m sorry for the confusion. What we’re referring to are the reserved juices from the can of Rotel tomatoes. Some people are unable to find that product in their area, so in the notes,we mention using hot sauce as a substitute.
Carolyn Lewis says
I’m making this recipe tonight. I love taco’s so this is just for me
Susan Stephenson says
Absolutely delicious!
Made exactly as directed! Perfect! Thank you.
Renae says
I’m so glad this came out well for you. We love this one pot casserole.