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    Home » Dinners » Taco Casserole

    Taco Casserole

    Published: Mar 30, 2020 · Modified: Apr 14, 2021 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Best taco casserole recipe! This flavorful casserole is made with pantry staples. Includes vegetarian and freezer meal version directions.

    Taco casserole in a stainless steel skillet

    Taco casserole is one of my favorite quick and easy dinner recipes. This casserole takes about 30 minutes to make, and it's made with pantry staple ingredients.

    It's also really flexible and easy to change up to suit your tastes (check out the "tips" section for ideas).

    Taco casserole also freezes well. I double up and make one for dinner and freeze the second for another night. I've included directions to help you make this as a freezer meal, too.

    How to make taco casserole

    Cooked ground beef and onions in a silver skillet

    Cook the ground beef. Drain and set aside.

    Drizzle the olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic to the now-empty skillet. Cook until softened.

    Cooked tomato paste and spices in a silver skillet

    Stir in the tomato paste and seasonings. Add the ground beef back in along with the beans.

    Taco casserole with a black spoon in it

    Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the salsa and ¾ cup of the shredded cheese.

    Sprinkle with remaining cheese and cook until the cheese has melted and casserole has cooked through.

    Tips

    • Ground beef: I like to use 90% lean ground beef in this recipe. You can use ground beef that is leaner (or less lean) if you prefer. Also, feel free to sub ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the ground beef.
    • Beans: Other good choices are dark red kidney beans or pinto beans. If you're looking for a way to stretch this casserole, feel free to add a second can of beans.
    • Chili powder: I like to use ancho chili powder because of its smoky flavor. However, you can use regular chili powder instead.
    • Salsa: Pick a tomato based salsa that you like. You can use mild, medium, or hot.
    • Cheese: Feel free to use a little more or less cheese to taste. Also, other shredded cheese blends, like fiesta or Mexican, work well, too.
    • Skillet: If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, carefully transfer the mixture into a greased 9x13-inch casserole dish after step 11.
    • Spicy: The casserole is mild. To give it more heat, increase the amount of chili powder, use medium or hot salsa, or both.

    Vegetarian version

    To make this casserole vegetarian, skip steps 3-4. In step 9, stir in 1-2 additional cans of beans.

    Taco casserole on tortilla chipsHow to serve

    We eat it this casserole on top of tortilla chips. You can top it with your favorite taco toppings like pico de gallo, lettuce, cilantro, diced fresh tomato, guac or sour cream.

    How to freeze

    To freeze this casserole, prepare through step 11. Transfer to an oven and freezer-safe casserole dish. I like to use a disposable aluminum pan.

    Let it cool to room temperature. Press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the casserole, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

    Freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, thaw in fridge overnight.

    You may find that you need to increase the baking time. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top in the last 15 minutes of baking.

    Tortilla chip scooping up taco casserole More ground beef recipes!

    • Baked Meatball Recipe
    • Frito Chili Pie
    • Homemade Hamburger Helper

    If you’ve tried this taco casserole recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Taco casserole in a stainless steel skillet

    Taco Casserole

    Ground beef taco casserole is an easy, flavorful dinner that's made with pantry staples.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 28 minutes
    Total Time: 33 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 347kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Equipment

    • Oven safe skillet

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
    • 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2-15 ounce jars tomato salsa
    • 2 cups shredded cheddar or cheddar Jack cheese divided

    Instructions

    • Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350F.
    • Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat.
    • Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
    • Remove ground beef to a plate, and drain any remaining fat from the skillet.
    • Add the tablespoon of oil to the now-empty skillet, and heat until shimmering.
    • Add the onion and garlic.
    • Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
    • Turn heat to medium-low.
    • Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and tomato paste, and stir to combine.
    • Return the beef to the pan, and stir in along with the beans.
    • Cook for 2 minutes.
    • Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the salsa and ¾ cup of the cheese.
    • Sprinkle with the remaining 1 ¼ cups cheese.
    • Bake until the cheese is melted and casserole is heated through, about 15-20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    • Ground beef: I like to use 90% lean ground beef in this recipe. You can use ground beef that is leaner (or less lean) if you prefer. Also, feel free to sub ground turkey or ground chicken in place of the ground beef.
    • Beans: Other good choices are dark red kidney beans or pinto beans. If you're looking for a way to stretch this casserole, feel free to add a second can of beans.
    • Chili powder: I like to use ancho chili powder because of its smoky flavor. However, you can use regular chili powder instead.
    • Salsa: Pick a tomato based salsa that you like. You can use mild, medium, or hot.
    • Cheese: Feel free to use a little more or less cheese to taste. Also, other shredded cheese blends, like fiesta or Mexican, work well, too.
    • Skillet: If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, carefully transfer the mixture into a greased 9x13-inch casserole dish after step 11.
    • Spicy: The casserole is mild. To give it more heat, increase the amount of chili powder, use medium or hot salsa, or both. 
    • How to freeze: To freeze this casserole, prepare through step 11. Transfer to an oven and freezer-safe casserole dish. I like to use a disposable aluminum pan. Let it cool to room temperature. Press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the casserole, and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To cook, thaw in fridge overnight. You may find that you need to increase the baking time. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top in the last 15 minutes of baking.
    • Nutrition values are estimates. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 681mg | Potassium: 585mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 804IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!
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    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Samra

      October 04, 2021 at 11:04 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for dinner a couple nights ago. We each had seconds and there was just enough left for me to have some for lunch today, lucky me! The recipe was easy and satisfying. Will make it again.

      Reply
      • Kate

        October 09, 2021 at 9:19 pm

        Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it!

        Reply
    2. Jen

      September 16, 2021 at 11:43 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner tonight and it was a success. The kids loved it and my husband had seconds. The only thing we were sad about is there were no leftovers for lunch the next day. Next time I’ll double the recipe.

      Reply
      • Kate

        September 19, 2021 at 9:11 am

        I'm so glad that it was a hit! =) Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Kristina

      October 16, 2020 at 5:48 am

      My friend dropped off this freezer meal as a gift and it was a hit! She added some bell peppers and we ate it with tortillas. We didn’t have leftovers so I had to text her for the recipe so I could make more!

      Reply
      • Kate

        October 16, 2020 at 4:50 pm

        Yay!! What a nice friend! Freezer meals make such a good gift. =) I'm glad that you enjoyed it, and thank you for taking the time to come on and leave a comment! =)

        Reply
    4. Delores

      July 01, 2020 at 9:44 am

      5 stars
      I was looking for a recipe to use what I had in the house and came across this recipe. We loved it! I added an extra can of beans and followed your picture and put it over chips. The kids want this one again.

      Reply
      • Kate

        July 03, 2020 at 11:28 am

        I'm so glad! My kids love this, and I love how easy it is to make! =)

        Reply

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