Dinner | Main Dish | Recipes
ByAllison Lancaster
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Last Updated on January 29, 2024 by Allison Lancaster
Taco Casserole Recipe with Tortillas is an ideal weeknight dinner for busy families and a fun twist on traditional taco night. It’s so easy to put together, and the whole family will love it. You can even put it together the night before, throw it in the fridge, and bake it the next day. Your entire family will beg you to make this layered taco casserole recipe for them weekly.
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Making dinner for your family doesn’t have to be difficult or sacrifice flavor. Whether you want to whip up an effortless casserole dish on a soccer practice night or you’re hosting guests, this easy cheesy taco casserole is the perfect recipe for you.
While this casserole doesn’t require pasta or heavy carbs, if you want to try a carb-rich casserole with taco flavor, head on over to mytaco potato casserole!
Get your tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and beef ready because this simple and budget-friendly dish is going to blow your mind. Add your favorite taco toppings and you’re ready to go!
Taco Casserole Recipe Ingredients & Substitutions
Ground beef– I’ve used lean ground beef for this casserole, but you could use regular ground beef instead. Another ground meat can also be used as a substitute, such as ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
Can of Nacho Cheese – I usually use Casa Mamita Salsa Con Queso from Aldi. It’s inexpensive, plus, its blend and texture is just delicious!
Can of diced tomatoes and chipotle peppers– Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chiles is a great option for added spicy heat.
Corn tortillas– Flour tortillas can also be used.
Shredded Mexican cheese– Use your favorite cheese. Cheddar cheese works well in this dish. You can even use cheese leftovers from preparing other meals in the week.
Taco seasoning– 1 package will be sufficient for this Taco Casserole Recipe with Tortillas. Easily increase the heat of this dish with cayenne pepper, chili powder, or red pepper flakes.
How To Make This Taco Casserole Recipe
- This easy dinner casserole is made by layering the ingredients on top of each other.
- Start by greasing the bottom of your large skillet or casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Tear your tortillas into pieces and put them on the bottom.
- Place ½ of the ground beef on top of the tortillas, followed by ½ of the tomatoes, and ½ of the nacho cheese.
- Use a spatula to spread the nacho cheese evenly over your casserole.
- Repeat your layers starting with the tortillas, and for the very top of your casserole add your shredded Mexican cheese.
- Now slide it into your oven and bake until the Mexican cheese on top is melted and bubbly.
- Now you have a delicious new take on Taco Tuesday that is perfect for any night of the week!
Serve
I love to top this dish with sour cream and a bit of homemade salsa or Pico de Gallo for the perfect mix of creaminess with a little bit of spice. Of course, you can add any toppings you want.
That’s the best thing about this recipe: it’s so diverse!
You could even add frozen or canned corn (drained) or black beans (rinsed & drained), pinto beans, sliced black olives, green onions, crushed tortilla, or corn chips to kick up this casserole a notch!
There are so many ways to serve this dinner to make it your own. Pair it with a side of refried beans, Spanish rice, or Mexican rice for a complete Mexican-themed meal.
If you’re looking for something a little lighter, try serving it with a side of grilled vegetables or a chopped salad with lettuce, diced tomatoes, and cucumbers.
How To Store This Taco Casserole
I place the casserole in our glass storage containers with airtight lids and place it in the fridge. If you don’t have a casserole dish with a lid, try wrapping it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Smaller-sized leftovers can also be stored in an airtight container.
The trick is to avoid as much air exposure as possible to prevent the casserole from drying out.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use homemade taco seasoning?
Yes, if you have your own recipe for homemade taco seasoning you can use that instead of thestore-bought taco seasoning packet.
All you need to make taco seasoning at home is chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Some people also like to add paprika, or oregano to it, but it is all up to your personal preferences.
Can I make this cheesy taco casserole ahead of time?
Yes! One of the best things about this dish is that you can make it ahead of time. Just follow the recipe up until you would place it in the oven.
If you want to keep it as a meal for another day, cover it tightly with tin foil or plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.
The next day, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking so the dish can come up to room temperature before baking it.
Can I make cheesy taco casserole with Fritos?
Absolutely! If that’s what you have available at home then you sure can use it to make this dish.
You can also make the dish without the tortillas and spoon the beef mixture over the corn chips when you serve it for an extra crunch.
How do I make this low-carb?
To make this recipe low-carb, simply use a low-carb tortilla instead of corn tortillas. They taste great and you can find them at most grocery stores.
You can also leave the tortillas out completely and use plain Greek yogurt as a topping to add more protein. You might also decide to serve this beefy taco mixture over riced cauliflower.
What else can I add to the ground beef mixture?
Green pepper, red bell pepper, yellow onion, or red onion can be added to your ground beef mixture when cooking it.
What if I don’t like casseroles?
No problem! Use this ground beef recipe to serve the ground beef mixture over corn chips or tortilla chips, like a nacho platter! You can also leave the tortillas out of this recipe, and serve the ground beef mixture rolled up into flour or corn tortillas like a burrito.
Another idea is to top the ground beef mixture with lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and cheese just like you would a burrito or soft taco. As a matter of fact, this ground beef mixture would make an amazing filling for enchiladas too! Spoon a couple of tablespoons into the tortillas and roll them up in a casserole dish, then spoon the rest of the mixture on top of the rolled enchiladas.
More Casseroles You’ll Love
- Ravioli Casserole Recipe
- Taco Potato Casserole
- Leftover Chicken Fajita Casserole
- Christmas Breakfast Casserole
- Slow Cooker Cracker Barrel Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
I hope you’ll enjoy making this delicious cheesy taco casserole baking dish at home for your family and friends! Try it this Friday for an easy end-of-the-week dinner and let me know what your family thinks.
Do you love cheesy taco casserole as much as we do? Share your thoughts in the comments with me and let me know your favorite toppings!
Taco Casserole Recipe with Tortillas:
Taco Casserole Recipe With Tortillas
Yield: 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Taco Casserole Recipe with Tortillas is an ideal weeknight dinner for busy families and a fun twist on traditional taco night. It’s so easy to put together, and the whole family will love it.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 15 oz. can of Nacho Cheese
- 8 oz. can of diced tomatoes and chipotle peppers
- 6 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 package of taco seasoning
Instructions
- Brown your ground beef - you can use any meat you like or if you prefer, you could also use black beans in the place of meat. I also prefer to cook my meat in the slow cooker.
- Add taco seasoning to meat or beans.
- Place 3 corn tortillas, torn into small pieces, in the bottom of a greased 8" round pan.
- Add 1/2 ground beef mixture over tortillas.
- Add 1/2 can of diced tomatoes and peppers over beef.
- Add 1/2 can of Nacho cheese over beef/tomato mixture .
- Spread cheese out as much as possible over dish.
- Add 3 remaining corn tortilla, torn into small pieces, over mixture.
- Repeat beef/tomato/cheese layering.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes in 350 degree oven.
- Remove from oven, add shredded cheese to top of dish.
- Bake until cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
Notes
You can use diced tomatoes without chipotle peppers if you prefer a less spicy dish.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 379Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 644mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 28g
