Taco Casserole Recipe

If you follow trends, you know all about Taco Tuesday, right? What a wonderful excuse to eat one of my favorite meals ever. There’s just something about stuffing a tortilla with meat, salsa, and cheese that makes my tummy happy.

I know it is not authentic Mexican cuisine, but it has all the right ingredients: meat, salsa, beans, cheese, and corn tortillas.

All layered together to make the most wonderful concoction ever! Really one of the easiest and yummiest taco casserole recipes I’ve made.

How To Make Taco Casserole?

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. This is a layered casserole. We will be making two layers of each component. First, brown the beef with the onion. Once the beef is fully cooked, add the enchilada sauce, green chilies, and cream cheese and cook until well combined. Simmer for 5 minutes.
2. While the meat sauce is simmering, layer a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with half of the corn tortillas. This is the first layer.
3. Second layer: place half of the ranch-style beans over the tortillas.
4. Third layer: scoop half the meat mixture over the beans.
5. Fourth layer: sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar over the meat.
6. Fifth layer: repeat the layer of tortillas
7. Sixth layer: add the other half of the beans.
8. Seventh layer: scoop in the other half of the meat mixture.
9. Eighth layer: pour the salsa over the meat mixture.
10. For the top and final layer, sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheddar. Bake, the casserole for 20 mins or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Make-ahead and Storing Leftovers

You can assemble the whole casserole in the morning, cover it with plastic wrap, refrigerate it and bake it for dinner. You can also freeze the assembled casserole for up to 4 months, thaw it overnight in the fridge and bake it in the morning.

If you have any leftovers, put them in an airtight container and into the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 4 months.

Cooking Tips

1. When doing the layers, add each component evenly on top of the other and cover as much space as possible.
2. Before serving, let stand the casserole for at least 5 minutes to let the juices settle.
3. Shred your cheese. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as perfectly as freshly shredded cheese. The pre-shredded one has anti-caking ingredients added that prevent it from melting properly.

Taco Casserole Recipe

Yield: 6 - SERVINGS

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 1- 10 oz can enchilada sauce
• 1- 4 oz can green chilies
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 1- 15 oz can ranch style beans
• 16 medium corn tortillas, cut in half
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1- 8 oz bottle of salsa
• Toppings of your choice, I used:
• Shredded lettuce
• Sour cream
• Sliced black olives

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. Pour in the enchilada sauce, green chiles, and cream cheese, and cook until bubbly
3. Use half of the corn tortillas to line the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish
4. Add half the can of beans on top of the tortillas
5. Scoop half the meat mixture on top of the beans
6. Sprinkle one cup of shredded Cheddar on top of the meat
7. Repeat these layers: tortillas, beans, and meat. Pour the salsa on top of the last meat layer
8. Top with remaining cup of Cheddar cheese and bake for 20 mins or until cheese is melted and bubbly.