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Spice up Taco Tuesday with this easy Taco Casserole recipe! Crispy tortilla chips are layered with refried beans, taco meat, diced tomatoes, and melty cheese and then baked in the oven. Load up with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

A plate with a serving of taco casserole. Behind it, another plated serving, a drink, a bowl of sliced avocado, a bowl of black olives, and bowl of tortilla chips.

Put a fun twist on taco night by whipping up this delicious ground beef taco casserole! I developed my recipe to include everything you love about classic tacos, but in an easy, layered casserole form. This recipe comes together very quickly, but you can also prep components of the dish ahead of time and just assemble and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to bake! It’s also super easy to adapt, and I give you several variation ideas below. I think you’ll love this super-easy casserole that is sure to please the family or a crowd!

“I can’t believe how easy this is! We made it with flavored tortilla chips to spice it up a little bit, and everyone added their own favorite toppings to their serving.”

Jack

Key Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make a taco casserole.

These are the main ingredients you need to make this easy taco casserole. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

Ground Beef — I used lean ground beef (90/10 is preferable) to keep the casserole from getting too greasy. If you do use a high-fat content beef (like 80/20), you can drain off some of the excess fat after browning, but leave some so you have enough moisture for the casserole.

Refried Beans — canned refried pinto beans make the casserole assembly super easy. Alternatively, you can use refried black beans or homemade refried beans.

Tomatoes — use canned diced tomatoes, and be sure to include the liquid when you add them to the recipe!

Cheese — the mild flavor of shredded cheddar is the perfect addition to this recipe. Freshly shred cheddar cheese from the block for the best flavor and melting.

Taco Seasoning — use your favorite store-bought mix or make your own homemade taco seasoning!

Tortilla Chips — you will need just under 2 cups of tortilla chips to make the perfect crunchy bottom layer of this taco casserole bake. If it’s hard to measure out the chips, just evenly cover the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of chips.

Your favorite toppings — top this casserole like you would your favorite tacos! I like to top the whole casserole with black olives, shredded lettuce, diced avocado, and diced tomatoes, but you can use whatever you like best. A dollop of sour cream is the perfect way to finish off a serving!

Overhead view of a baking dish with a taco casserole topped with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and olives. More toppings and tortilla chips on the side.

Variations To Try

This is a very simple and easy recipe to reinvent to keep it fresh or adapt it to your preferences. Try one of these variations:

  • Swap plain tortilla chips with flavored ones, like a hint of lime or jalapeño. Or, go cheesy with Doritos!
  • Make the dish spicier by adding chopped green chilies, sliced jalopeños, chili powder, or hot sauce.
  • Use different types of cheese like Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, a Mexican cheese blend, queso fresco, or cotija cheese.
  • Swap the protein for ground turkey or ground chicken.
  • Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free tortilla chips or corn chips as the base. Or you can skip the chips and serve the baked casserole with flour tortillas or corn tortillas on the side.
A plate with a serving og taco casserole topped with sour cream. A drink and sliced avocado in a bowl in the background.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Grease the baking dish. Quickly coat the bottom of the dish with cooking spray or brush with oil to keep the cheese from sticking to the bottom. This will help you easily scoop out servings of the casserole.

Layer the beans on top of the chips. This helps to prevent the chips from getting soggy from the juices of the beef mixture and helps them have a nice crunch after baking.

How To Make Taco Casserole

Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making this easy taco casserole. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.

Set of two photos showing onions added to ground beef and diced tomatoes added once the beef is browned.

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onion and cook, breaking up any big chunks of beef with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, and stir to combine.

Set of two photos showing taco seasoning added to a skillet and tortilla chips added to a baking dish.

3. Then, stir in the taco seasoning. Reduce to medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally, and continue cooking until the mixture is thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

4. Slightly crush the tortilla chips into a lightly greased 9×13-inch casserole dish, so they are a little smaller than full size. Arrange them in an even layer at the bottom of the dish.

Set of two photos showing refried beans added to the tortilla chips and cheese added on top of the filling.

5. Dollop the refried beans evenly over the crushed chips.

6. Scatter the seasoned meat mixture over the beans, then sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and the beans are heated through. Add your favorite toppings and serve hot with extra tortilla chips, if desired.

Taco Casserole Recipe

Author: John Kanell
Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Print Recipe
An overhead view of a baking dish of taco casserole with a slice taken out. Lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives on top.
5 from 8 votes
This easy Taco Casserole is a fun twist on taco night! Layers of tortilla chips, refried beans, taco meat, tomatoes, and melty cheese are baked in the oven and then loaded with your favorite toppings.

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1½ pounds lean ground beef (675g)
  • 1 yellow onion diced (253g)
  • 1 (14.5-ounce/411g) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • ¼ cup taco seasoning (32g)
  • 2 cups tortilla chips (77g)
  • 1 31-ounce can refried beans (878g)
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (252g)

Toppings (optional):

  • Sour cream
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Sliced black olives
  • Avocado

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onion, and cook until the beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices and taco seasoning. Reduce the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • Slightly crush the tortilla chips and layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon the beans in an even layer over the chips. Spread the beef mixture over the beans and top with the cheese.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and the beans are heated through. Add your favorite toppings and serve hot with tortilla chips.

Notes

  • Do not drain the liquid off the cooked beef. Cooking the beef and onion will create some liquid in the pan, but don’t discard it! It adds needed moisture and flavor to this taco bake recipe, and it will be too dry if you drain it. Once cooked, the beef mixture should be a ‘sloppy joe’ consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcal Carbohydrates: 26g Protein: 30g Fat: 26g Saturated Fat: 11g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0.3g Cholesterol: 95mg Sodium: 1026mg Potassium: 400mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 2g Vitamin A: 1120IU Vitamin C: 4mg Calcium: 341mg Iron: 3mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

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How To Serve

For serving, I like to have bowls of toppings like guacamole, salsa, sour cream, extra shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, and pico de gallo, and let people add what they wish! You can serve it with extra tortilla chips and dips, or make Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice as a simple side dish.

Can I Make This Recipe Ahead Of Time?

You can easily make parts of this recipe ahead of time! Make the beef mixture, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to assemble, reheat the beef in the microwave or in a skillet, assemble the layers, and bake as directed.

How To Store Leftovers

Honestly, this taco casserole recipe is best served right away so the chips keep their crispiness. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat it in the oven at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. I recommend storing the toppings separately and adding them once the casserole is reheated and you’re ready to eat!

Close up of a serving of taco casserole on a metal spatula with the rest of the casserole out of focus underneath.

More Taco Recipes To Try

Try one of my other easy recipes for taco night!

My easy taco salad is ready in less than 30 minutes, and is layered with seasoned ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, and any of your favorite taco toppings!

A bowl of taco soup is the perfect way to turn taco night into a comfort food dinner. This one-pot meal is packed with ground beef, beans, and seasonings, and is freezer-friendly.

A flank steak marinated with a simple mixture of lime juice, garlic, and cilantro makes the best steak tacos! Grill the steak until tender for a delicious flavor.

Season and brown ground beef to make these easy ground beef tacos. Stuff soft or hard taco shells and add any of your favorite toppings for a delicious meal.

If you’ve tried this taco casserole recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!