Best 6 Taco Casseroles Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

**Indulge in the Taco Casserole's Culinary Symphony: A Journey of Flavors**

Envision a culinary masterpiece that harmoniously blends the vibrant flavors of Mexican cuisine with the comforting warmth of a casserole. The taco casserole, in its tantalizing glory, emerges as a symphony of textures and tastes, promising a fiesta of flavors in every bite.

This versatile dish finds its roots in the vibrant streets of Mexico, where tacos reign supreme. However, the taco casserole elevates the taco experience by layering seasoned ground beef or chicken, a medley of taco-inspired ingredients, a symphony of cheeses, and a crispy tortilla chip crust. The result is a culinary masterpiece that combines the bold flavors of taco fillings with the comforting embrace of a casserole, creating a dish that caters to a multitude of palates.

This article embarks on a culinary journey, presenting a diverse collection of taco casserole recipes that cater to every taste preference and dietary restriction. From classic beef taco casseroles to tantalizing chicken variations, each recipe promises a unique flavor profile. Vegetarian and vegan enthusiasts will delight in the inclusion of plant-based taco casseroles, showcasing the versatility of this culinary gem.

Whether seeking a quick and easy weeknight meal or a showstopping dish for a special occasion, the taco casserole stands ready to satisfy. Its customizable nature allows for endless variations, accommodating personal preferences and dietary needs. Prepare to embark on a flavor-filled adventure as we delve into the world of taco casseroles, exploring the culinary artistry that transforms simple ingredients into a symphony of tastes.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

TACO CASSEROLE



Taco Casserole image

Craving tacos, and you have all the ingredients except the shells? No problem! This hearty meal tastes just like tacos and is equally as easy...plus it puts to good use those broken tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag.

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Entree

Time 45m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 can (15 to 16 oz) spicy chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa
2 cups coarsely broken tortilla chips
3/4 cup sour cream
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
Whole tortilla chips, shredded lettuce and additional salsa, if desired

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in beans and 1 cup salsa. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
  • In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place broken tortilla chips. Top with beef mixture. Spread with sour cream. Sprinkle with onions, tomato and cheese.
  • Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Arrange whole tortilla chips around edge of casserole. Serve with lettuce and salsa.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 710, Carbohydrate 49 g, Cholesterol 130 mg, Fat 3 1/2, Fiber 7 g, Protein 37 g, SaturatedFat 17 g, ServingSize 1 Serving (About 1 1/4 Cups), Sodium 1540 mg, Sugar 8 g, TransFat 1 1/2 g

FANTASTIC TACO CASSEROLE!



Fantastic Taco Casserole! image

I think this casserole tastes even better than a real taco, it is SO DELICIOUS! ...if you love tacos, then you will love this casserole! My recipe#76616 works great for this recipe. ALL ingredients can be adjusted to suit taste. It is best to prepare this casserole and bake right away as the broken tacos will get too soggy.

Provided by Kittencalrecipezazz

Categories     < 60 Mins

Time 55m

Yield 4-5 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic (or to taste)
1 bell pepper (use red or green, seeded and chopped)
seasoning salt
black pepper
1 cup water
2 teaspoons dried chili pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 (215 ml) bottle taco sauce (can use two bottles of taco sauce if desired)
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilies
1 (14 ounce) sliced ripe olives, drained and divided (can use green or black()
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (4 1/2 ounce) package taco shells or 1 (4 1/2 ounce) package white corn tortillas, broken into pieces
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 large firm tomatoes (can use 2 tomatoes)
3 sliced green onions (optional)

Steps:

  • Set oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cook beef, onion, bell pepper, chili flakes and garlic until beef is no longer pink; drain then season with seasoning salt and black pepper (or cayenne pepper).
  • Stir in water, taco sauce, green chiles, half of the olives and taco seasoning mix (you can use 2 packages of seasoning mix if desired for this).
  • Cook over low heat for about 6-8 minutes.
  • Layer HALF of broken shells on bottom of greased 13x9 baking pan; cover with HALF of meat sauce, then sprinkle with 2 cups (or to taste) cheddar cheese.
  • Repeat with remaining broken taco shells, meat sauce and then top with remaining cheese (to prevent the cheese from getting hard, you can sprinkle on the last 10 minutes before the end of baking time and return to oven until melted).
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly, and cheese is melted.
  • After baking, sprinkle with remaining olives, tomatoes and green onions.
  • **NOTE** I sometimes drizzle bottled salsa sauce (mild or spicy) on top of the ground beef and then on top before baking.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1148.7, Fat 80.4, SaturatedFat 37.2, Cholesterol 234.3, Sodium 3051.2, Carbohydrate 43.9, Fiber 8.9, Sugar 8.1, Protein 64.8

TACO CASSEROLE



Taco Casserole image

Ground beef, pinto beans, and tomatoes spiced with chili powder bubble under a crunchy, gooey topping of tortilla chips and two cheeses in this quick and easy, kid-friendly casserole.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Beef Recipes     Ground Beef Recipes

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 pound ground beef
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons safflower oil
1 medium green bell pepper, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium white onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups yellow corn tortilla chips, slightly crushed
1 1/4 cup freshly shredded Monterey jack cheese (3 ounces)
1 1/4 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
Thinly sliced radish, thinly sliced jalapeno, sliced black olives, sour cream, and fresh cilantro leaves for serving

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to break up meat, until meat is browned, 10 minutes. Transfer beef to a colander to drain. Discard excess oil.
  • Wipe out skillet, add oil, and return to heat. Add bell pepper and onion. Cook, stirring, until tender and browning, 7 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add back reserved beef, chili powder, oregano and cumin, tomatoes (with liquid), pinto beans, and 2 tablespoons water; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
  • In a large bowl, combine tortilla chips, 1 cup Monterey jack, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Top casserole with chip mixture followed by remaining 1/4 cup each of Monterey and cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and golden in spots, about 3 minutes. Serve with radish, jalapeno, olives, sour cream, and cilantro.

EASY TACO CASSEROLE



Easy Taco Casserole image

Quick and easy taco entree for a last minute meal. Top with chopped tomato, onion, and lettuce if desired.

Provided by charmed71

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 50m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 pound ground beef
1 cup salsa
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups crushed tortilla chips, divided
4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Cook and stir ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir salsa, onion, mayonnaise, chili powder, and cumin into the beef. Remove from heat.
  • Spread about half the ground beef mixture into the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Spread about half the tortilla chips in a layer atop the beef mixture. Layer about half of each of the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses over the tortilla chip layer. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, ending with Monterey Jack cheese. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is melted in the middle, about 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 481.5 calories, Carbohydrate 12.2 g, Cholesterol 89.5 mg, Fat 38 g, Fiber 2.3 g, Protein 24 g, SaturatedFat 13.6 g, Sodium 689.7 mg, Sugar 2.6 g

TACO BAKE CASSEROLE



Taco Bake Casserole image

This quick and easy taco bake will satisfy even the most picky eaters. You can modify it to add things you love. It's yummy and so easy to make! Top with tomatoes, lettuce, salsa or whatever you like on your Mexican food.

Provided by Cherie Burgett

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 52m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 11

cooking spray (such as Pam®)
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup water
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (10 ounce) can refried beans
½ cup salsa
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
15 taco shells, broken up, or more to taste
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  • Cook ground beef and onions in a skillet over medium heat until beef is browned, 7 to 10 minutes; drain grease. Stir in water and taco seasoning; cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add refried beans, salsa, olives, and green chiles. Cook and stir over low heat until ingredients are warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Place half of the taco shells in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour in half of the ground beef mixture; sprinkle with half of the Cheddar cheese. Repeat with remaining taco shells, ground beef mixture, and Cheddar cheese.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 360 calories, Carbohydrate 20.6 g, Cholesterol 65 mg, Fat 21.3 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 20.9 g, SaturatedFat 9.1 g, Sodium 790.6 mg, Sugar 2 g

EASY TACO CASSEROLE



Easy Taco Casserole image

Your family is sure to enjoy this mildly spicy one-dish meal with Southwestern flair. It's quick and easy to make and fun to serve. -Flo Burtnett, Gage, Oklahoma

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 35m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 pound ground beef
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup shredded Colby cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 cups shredded lettuce

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the salsa, mayonnaise and chili powder. , In an ungreased 2-qt. baking dish, layer half of the meat mixture, chips and cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Just before serving, top with tomato and lettuce.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 514 calories, Fat 38g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 78mg cholesterol, Sodium 644mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 24g protein.

Tips:

  • Use a variety of tortillas. Corn tortillas, flour tortillas, and even wonton wrappers can all be used to make taco casseroles. Corn tortillas are the traditional choice, but flour tortillas are a softer option and wonton wrappers add a crispy texture.
  • Brown the meat before adding it to the casserole. This will help to develop the flavor of the meat and prevent it from becoming dry.
  • Use a variety of toppings. Cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce are all classic taco toppings, but you can also get creative and use other toppings like black beans, corn, or diced tomatoes.
  • Layer the casserole correctly. Start with a layer of tortillas, then add a layer of meat, then a layer of toppings, and so on. Repeat the layers until you have used up all of the ingredients.
  • Bake the casserole until it is bubbly and hot. This will ensure that the casserole is cooked through and that the cheese is melted.

Conclusion:

Taco casseroles are a delicious and easy meal that can be made with a variety of ingredients. They are perfect for busy weeknights or for potlucks and parties. With so many different recipes to choose from, there is sure to be a taco casserole that everyone will enjoy.

Related Topics