Taco Casserole

The only downside of taco night? It’s impossible to eat all that spicy goodness without making at least some mess. If your family loves taco night as much as mine does, I recommend this easy taco casserole recipe. It’s all the best parts of taco night layered in one dish, so it’s quick to assemble, cook and serve. (In other words, it has the best qualities shared with all our casserole recipes.)

For this recipe, we give ground beef a quick sear in a saucepan, then mix it with salsa, mayo and chili powder for a flavorful filling. The beef mixture is layered with cheese and crushed tortilla chips, then the casserole is baked until it’s perfectly crispy. Top off the homemade taco casserole with fresh tomatoes and lettuce before serving. No need to wait for taco Tuesday!

Taco Casserole Ingredients

• Ground beef: I turn to ground beef recipes when I need hearty meals that won’t break the bank. Shop in bulk, then separate the ground beef into 1-pound portions and freeze them to use later.
• Salsa: Use a jar of your preferred store-bought salsa, or make your own with one of our favorite salsa recipes. Keep it mild or use a spicy salsa if you’d like your easy taco casserole to have a kick.
• Mayonnaise: You won’t taste the mayo, but it acts as a binder so the meat doesn’t crumble apart. It also prevents the meat from drying out.
• Chili powder: Add a touch of smokiness to the ground beef with 2 teaspoons chili powder. Use a spicy chili powder if you prefer, or add a couple teaspoons taco seasoning for extra flavor.
• Tortilla chips: This is a great recipe to use up a bag of tortilla chips, especially if they’re already a bit crushed.
• Cheese: This taco casserole recipe calls for shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses, but pepper jack or a Mexican cheese blend will work too.
• Tomato: Freshly chopped tomato is added after cooking for a pop of color and flavor.
• Shredded lettuce: This is a classic taco topping. For fresh crunch, use iceberg lettuce, or substitute romaine, Little Gem or another leafy lettuce that will hold up to shredding.

Directions

Step 1: Make the beef mixture

TMB STUDIO

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan, cook the beef over medium heat until it’s no longer pink.

TMB STUDIO

Remove the pan from the heat and drain any liquid. Then, add the salsa, mayonnaise and chili powder to the meat and mix together.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t rinse the ground beef. Instead, pour most of the grease into a heat-proof container.

Step 2: Assemble and bake the casserole

TMB STUDIO

In an ungreased 2-quart baking dish, layer half the meat mixture, then half the chips and half the cheeses.

TMB STUDIO

Repeat the layers again. Bake the dish, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.

Before serving, top with freshly diced tomato and shredded lettuce.

TMB STUDIO

Taco Casserole Variations

• Use tortilla chips with flavor: Regular corn tortilla chips are great here, but add something extra to this taco casserole recipe by using Doritos, Fritos or, my favorite, hint of lime-flavor tortilla chips.
• Try a different protein: For something leaner than ground beef, try this recipe with ground turkey or ground chicken. You can also make it vegetarian by using plant-based meat.
• Add vegetables: Lots of veggies will work here, including frozen, canned or fresh corn, black beans or diced red peppers. You could also add diced jalapenos or a can of green chiles for heat.
• Offer other toppings: Use your family’s most-requested taco toppings! So many things work well: sliced black olives, sour cream, mashed avocado, fresh cilantro or homemade pickled red onions.

How to Store Taco Casserole

Store leftover taco casserole in an airtight container in the fridge. Unfortunately, the chips will lose their crunch over time, so plan to add more chips on top for some texture when you reheat a serving.

How long does taco casserole last?

Taco casserole lasts for up to three days when it’s stored properly in the fridge, but it’s really best the day it is made. You want all the chips at their crunchiest.

Can you freeze taco casserole?

You can freeze this taco casserole recipe, but since the chips will lose their crunch, we don’t recommend it. If you want to meal prep, assemble the casserole fully but leave out the chips. Then add all the crushed chips to the top of the dish once it’s already thawed, just before cooking.

How do you reheat taco casserole?

You can reheat your leftover taco casserole in the microwave or in the oven until it’s warmed all the way through and bubbling around the edges. Add some fresh, cool toppings after you reheat it for temperature contrast.

If you do freeze your taco casserole, let it thaw overnight in the fridge before heating it in the oven. If it’s still slightly frozen, it could take up to double the time to heat.

Can you make taco casserole ahead of time?

This dish can be partially prepared ahead of time, but since it’s best when the chips are still crispy, we recommend waiting to assemble the dish until you’re ready to cook it. Cook the meat and mix it with the seasonings, then have your other ingredients ready to go. When it’s almost time to eat, assemble the easy taco casserole recipe and have it ready in 30 minutes or less.

Taco Casserole Tips

TMB STUDIO

Can you make taco casserole with corn or flour tortillas?

You can make this easy taco casserole recipe with corn or flour tortillas instead of tortilla chips. It will be more like a taco lasagna, but just as delicious. Tortillas make a great base, so line the bottom of the casserole dish with them, in addition to putting them in the middle and on top of the casserole. The top layer will get slightly crispy along with the melted cheese.

What can you serve with taco casserole?

This dish is perfect as a stand-alone dinner because it’s filling all on its own. But it also goes great with Mexican side dishes like rice and beans or esquites, aka Mexican street corn salad.

Which type of beef should you buy for this taco casserole?

Go with a lean ground beef if you prefer a leaner, less greasy final product. If you like a fattier meat with a little more flavor, go for a higher fat percentage. I personally love a 70/30 blend, which is on the fattier side, but whichever ground beef you find best for burgers is what you’ll want to use here as well.