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This Beef Taco Casserole recipe is an easy, one-dish skillet meal. Everything is made right in the same pan, then it’s popped into the oven. It is beefy, crunchy, and cheesy. I can’t wait for you to try this tasty, Beef Taco Casserole. It is so delicious and everyone loved it.
If you’re like me, ground beef is a freezer staple. I always have a couple of 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.
Taco Bake INGREDIENTS
- refried beans
- Ro-tel tomatoes
- cilantro
- hot sauce
- Colby Jack cheese
- olive oil
- onion
- salt & pepper,
- garlic
- chili powder
- cumin
- dried oregano
- lean ground beef
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- corn tortilla chips
- green onions
How to Make Baked Taco Casserole
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the refried beans, half of the drained tomatoes, cilantro, and hot sauce together in a bowl, and set aside.
Heat the oil in an 11 – 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 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, 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.
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.
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.
Garnish with your favorite toppings and serve.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Let the dish thaw overnight in the refrigerator before placing it back into the freezer for a quick thaw. Baking at 350 degrees for 45 minutes using the foil. While the top of the oven is nice and brown, remove the foil.
If you want to keep it classic, the best taco toppings are cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. But you can also add in caramelized onions, jalapenos, green chiles, beans, and more!
Beef Taco Casserole Recipe
Beef Taco Casserole
Equipment
- 10"-11" Skillet
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
- 1/2 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
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the refried beans, half of the drained tomatoes, cilantro, and hot sauce together in a bowl, set aside.
- Heat the oil in an 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, 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, 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Save this recipe! You’ll be glad you did the next time you’re wondering what to make for dinner.
Absolutely delicious!
Made exactly as directed! Perfect! Thank you.
I’m so glad this came out well for you. We love this one pot casserole.