This Beef Taco Casserole recipe is an easy, one dish meal. Everything is made right in the same skillet, then it’s popped in the oven. It is beefy, crunchy, and cheesy. What a winning combo!
If you’re like me, ground beef is a freezer staple. I always have a couple pounds of it in there. And, you probably already have a lot of the ingredients for this dish on hand.
Everyone loves layered bean dips, right? Well, this casserole is just like that with layers of cheesy goodness baked right in the same skillet.
Beef Taco Casserole is layered with seasoned ground beef on the bottom, then refried beans, covered by tortilla chips, and topped in cheesy goodness.
Before serving, top the casserole with your favorite taco toppings
Garnishes like chopped tomatoes, green onions, olives, guacamole, sour cream, or jalapeño peppers all look perfect atop this dish. What a presentation it makes!
Making Beef Taco Casserole is easy, and the kids can help assemble the layers before baking.
Plus this can be a make ahead meal. Just pop it into the oven just before serving. The instructions for this are right in the recipe.
If this sounds like your kind of tasty dish, the recipe is below. Make it tonight and any night is truly a Taco Tuesday kind of night.
The Recipe
Beef Taco Casserole
This Beef Taco Casserole is the perfect easy dinner. Plus, it's delicious with seasoned ground beef, stewed tomatoes and chiles, and cheesy goodness. And, its gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz can refried beans
- 2 10 oz cans Ro-tel tomatoes, drained with 1/2 cup juice reserved
- 1/4 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce (can substitute 1/2 tsp chili powder)
- 8 oz Colby Jack cheese, grated
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1½ lbs lean ground beef
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 cups corn tortilla chips, broken
- 2 green onions, green parts sliced
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the refried beans, half of the drained tomatoes, cilantro, and hot sauce together in a bowl, set aside.
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Heat the oil in a 11 – 12-inch skillet over medium 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, coriander, 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.
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Stir in the remaining tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture is thickened and nearly dry, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Smooth down the ground beef with a spatula until level. Spread the refried beans mixture over the ground beef. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Scatter the tortilla chip pieces over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
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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 your choice of toppings. Serve.
Recipe Notes
If you can’t find Rotel tomatoes, substitute one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes and one 4-ounce can chopped green chiles. Save 6 tablespoons of the tomato juice and 2 tablespoons of the chile juice. You can substitute 4 ounces each of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses for the Colby Jack cheese.
TO MAKE BEEF TACO CASSEROLE AHEAD: Prepare the ground beef filling, then let cool to room temperature before continuing to assemble the casserole. Reserve tortilla chips, 1/2 cup cheese, and green onions. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Remove the plastic wrap, top with tortilla chips, cheese, and green onions and bake as directed, increasing the cooking time to 20 minutes.
Amazing Beef Taco Casserole – ready to serve
Save this recipe! You’ll be glad you did the next time you’re wondering what to make for dinner.
I can’t wait for you to try this tasty, Beef Taco Casserole. It is soooo good. And it’s something that everyone likes.
As I’ve mentioned before, ground beef is my main go-to for dinner. So, creating recipes that use it are a priority. If you love recipes that use ground beef, too, here are a few others you’ll like: https://thefeatherednester.com/chili-cheeseburger-soup-recipe/ https://thefeatherednester.com/italian-meatball-casserole-dinner/
Have a beautiful day and make something special!
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