This cheesy and delicious taco casserole is a fun new twist on an old favorite! It’s packed with flavor, and so easy to make!
If you like tacos as much as we do, be sure to check out a few of our favorite taco recipes – Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps, Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells, and Easy Navajo Tacos.
An Easy Mexican Casserole
Tacos are one of my absolute favorite foods! I could probably eat them every day and never get sick of them. They’re one of my go-to dinners when nothing else sounds good, and I love that I can whip them up at a moment’s notice and everyone will enjoy them!
With the weather starting to get cooler, my family has been craving more cozy casseroles, and I thought it would be really fun to make a taco casserole so we could enjoy some of our favorite flavors in a new and delicious way.
The result was even tastier than I was anticipating, and this easy taco casserole has quickly become a family favorite at our house!
Easy Taco Casserole Recipe
Prep Time – 5 minutes || Cooking Time – 25 minutes || Total Time – 30 minutes
INSTRUCTIONS –
Saute The Onions – First, you’ll heat two teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the skillet and cook them until they’ve softened.
Cook the Meat – I used ground beef in this recipe but you can easily substitute it for your favorite protein – ground turkey, ground chicken, and shredded chicken are also delicious! Add the ground beef and cook it until it turns brown. Make sure you break up the chunks of beef and stir occasionally, so the meat cooks evenly. You do not need to drain the meat, but you are welcome to do so.
Homemade Seasoning – I like the taste of homemade taco seasoning with cumin, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and it adds so much flavor to the meat. I also threw in some black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes to create a blend of delicious flavors. Once you’ve added all of the ingredients, bring the pan to a simmer on medium-high heat, and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
Assemble The Taco Casserole – To assemble, just scoop a little of the meat mixture into the bottom of your baking dish, then layer four tortillas over the top of the meat mixture. (If you want to try making homemade flour tortillas, they’re extra delicious.)
You won’t need any cooking spray if you start with the beef mixture on the bottom. If you start with tortillas, spray the pan first.
Add 1/3 of the remaining beef mixture, then sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers twice more, so there are three layers of tortillas, meat, and cheese in total.
Bake – From there, put the casserole dish in the oven that has been preheated to 375 degrees F. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the taco casserole has been heated throughout. The cheese should be melted and bubbly so you’ll have a delicious pan of cheesy, melted goodness!
Toppings – We like to top the casserole with all of our favorite taco toppings –
- sour cream
- salsa
- tomatoes
- green onions
- black olives
- avocado
- shredded lettuce
- diced bell peppers
Serving Suggestion – We like to eat this casserole on its own, but you can serve it with guacamole, salsa and tortilla chips, Spanish rice, and homemade refried beans. It’s a tasty and flavorful meal that my whole family loves!
Storage – It also makes great leftovers, and my husband is always the envy of all of his co-workers when he brings these leftovers to work.
To store leftovers, place the taco casserole in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator for up to one week.
To freeze before baking, wrap the casserole pan first in plastic wrap, the cover tightly with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat from the fridge, you can microwave a single serving at a time for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
To reheat from freezing, let it thaw to room temperature, then bake according to recipe directions.
More Easy Mexican Recipes
- Homemade Chicken Taquitos
- Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos
- Easy Mexican Horchata Recipe
- Tamale Pie Casserole
- Enchilada Style Bean Burritos
The combination of flavors in this taco casserole is amazing! I love that it has everything I love about tacos, but in casserole form. (Aren’t casserole recipes the best?!)
Leave us a comment below or tag us on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram if you make it, and let us know how much you loved it!
Taco Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 ounce can sweet corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- for serving: sour cream, green onions, tomatoes, olives, avocados, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the skillet and cook until softened. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through. Add the garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and mix until well blended.
- Add the black beans, sweet corn, and diced tomatoes to the skillet, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and simmer 5-10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Spray a 9 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of the meat mixture in the bottom of the baking dish, then layer four tortillas on top. Spread 1/3 of the remaining meat mixture over the top, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Layer four more tortillas over the cheese, then spread 1/3 of the meat mixture over the top, and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat the layers one more time (for three layers total), finishing with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot with sour cream and the taco toppings of your choice.
Such an easy recipe to make and sooo good!
Thanks Rebecca!
This Mexican casserole is my favorite!! It’s full of flavor and I love everything in it!
Thanks! I’m so happy to hear you loved it!
This was such a hit! I haven’t eaten anything like it before! Thanks!
Thanks Pam, so glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious! Love the black beans and corn in here! Delightful taco flavors!
Thanks Betsy!
This was so delicious! We love tacos in our house, so this was an instant winner!
Thanks!