This easy-to-make taco casserole is the answer to the “what’s for dinner” question! It’s easy to make, perfect for weeknights and looks good enough for entertaining as well. It’s naturally gluten-free and full of flavor, and the whole family will love it. Pile it high with your favorite taco toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, and sour cream with crushed corn chips.
We are pretty big fans of all things taco around here! You’ll find recipes for my Taco Bowls, Taco Salad, Taco Soup, and assorted other yummy taco-inspired recipes.
This taco casserole is my most recent favorite recipe to make for easy weeknight dinners and when we have company as well.
There’s something about taco flavors that everyone loves, and it’s my go-to recipe anytime I don’t know what to make.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground beef – 85/15 or 90/10 lean ground beef works best here. You can also use bison or even ground pork. I don’t recommend ground turkey or chicken because they tend to dry out as the casserole bakes. If you use a less lean ground beef, you may need to drain off excess grease.
- Onion & bell pepper – I like to add both onion and bell pepper to my taco casserole, but I do omit the bell pepper anytime they’re not affordable.
- Taco seasoning – I use my Homemade Taco Seasoning or the taco seasoning packet from Simply Organic.
- Black beans – drained and rinsed to add to the filling. Beans add both protein and stretch your ground beef a little further.
- Corn – I like to use frozen corn for a fresher flavor, but you can use drained canned corn as well.
- Salsa – I find a refrigerated fresh salsa tastes best in this casserole and makes for a juicier result than canned salsa. Canned salsa can be used but it does lack fresh flavor and is quite thick.
- Cheese – any grated melting cheese you like works in this casserole like Monterey Jack cheese or a mix of Monterey and cheddar cheese. We like to use grated Pepperjack cheese.
- Toppings – we like to serve this casserole with the classic tomatoes, lettuce, and sour cream. You can also use more salsa instead of tomatoes, avocado, sliced olives, corn chips, and anything else you love with American taco flavors.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by prepping any fresh toppings you want to use. In the summer, I use cherry tomatoes; in the winter, I use my Fire Roasted Salsa.
Step 2: Dice the onion and bell pepper.
Step 3: Cook onion, and bell pepper in a large skillet, partially softened for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and break it up into small bits, then add the taco seasoning.
Step 4: When the ground beef is done, add the corn, black beans, and salsa to the pan. Turn the heat off and stir to combine. Add 1 cup of the cheese and stir again.
Step 5: Pour the ground beef mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish and top with the remaining grated cheese.
Bake until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is lightly brown. Serve with all desired toppings.
Ways to serve this
- We love this with our favorite taco toppings like fresh tomatoes, shredded Romaine, and sour cream.
- Add additional toppings like black olives, sliced green onion, avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, and corn tortilla chips. Go all out by making my Best Guacamole and Pico de Gallo. Add some spice with your favorite hot sauce.
- You can also serve this casserole with freshly steamed rice. Or check out the recipe notes for how to add leftover cooked rice to the casserole.
FAQ’s
Use the best taco seasoning mix that you love for starters. Secondly my secret to the best taco casserole is to add a fresh salsa from the refrigerated section of the grocery store rather than jarred salsa.
Most taco casserole recipes have layers including 1 layer of tortilla chips that bakes up to be half soft with a bit of crunch leftover. We prefer to omit the chip layer and add them on top for the most amount of crunch.
Storing leftovers
- To store – place any leftover taco casserole into an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Make ahead – you can make the ground beef filling 1-3 days ahead, pre-grate the cheese up to 3 days ahead, and prep the toppings up to 3 days ahead.
- Reheating – place any leftovers in a skillet. Add a little water and heat, covered over medium heat adding water if necessary.
- To freeze: This casserole is the perfect make-ahead meal. Follow the instructions to finish the beef filling. Omit the cheese topping, cover, and freeze the casserole for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, allow the casserole to sit at room temperature while you heat the oven, and then top the casserole with the remaining cheese and bake until bubbling about 40 minutes.
Tips & Tricks
- The onion and bell pepper listed in the recipe add a lot of flavor. Even though bell pepper isn’t usually in taco casserole, we really love adding additional flavor.
- My main tip for the best ever taco casserole is to use fresh salsa from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. The flavor is so much better than jarred salsa and makes a juicier casserole. Costco carries a nice fresh salsa called ‘Jack’s Cantina’ that has a great fresh tomato flavor with a good kick of cumin.
Dietary Options & Substitutions
- Dairy-free – use your favorite dairy-free cheese and sour cream. Or make the beef filling, omit the baking time, and serve the filling with a drizzle of my Dairy Free Queso and Cilantro Lime Dressing instead.
More Ground Beef Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy this easy Taco Casserole recipe! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Taco Casserole
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp avocado oil - or cooking oil of choice
- 1 medium onion - 1/4" dice, about 2 cups
- 1 large bell pepper - 1" dice, about 1.5 cups
- 1 pound ground beef - 85/15 lean
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 15 ounce can black beans - drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 2 cups fresh salsa - from the refrigerated section
- 3 cups Pepperjack cheese - grated
Toppings:
- sour cream, chopped tomatoes/or salsa, shredded romaine, corn chips, green onions, olives, avocado
INSTRUCTIONS
- Once your ingredients and toppings are prepped, heat a large skillet 12-14" over medium-high heat.
- When the pan is hot but not smoking, add the avocado oil with the onion and bell pepper. Sauté stirring as they brown until just tender, 3-4 minutes.
- Add the ground beef breaking it up into small bits, then add the taco seasoning. Cook stirring frequently until the ground beef is no longer pink.
- Next, add the black beans, corn, and salsa. Turn off the heat and stir to combine, then add 1 cup of the cheese and stir again.
- Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9"x13" baking dish and top with the remaining 2 cups of cheese.
- Bake until the casserole is browned on the top and bubbling for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve with your desired toppings.