Description
Walking Taco Casserole is cheesy, crunchy, savory, spicy and delicious! All your favorite taco flavors and textures in a scrumptious Mexican hotdish!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80-85% lean)
- 1/2 cup red onion, minced
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
- 1/2 cup salsa verde
- 1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel or store brand)
- 4 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning (or one packet of your favorite store brand taco seasoning)
- 1/2 (9.25 oz.) bag of Fritos original corn chips (can use crushed Doritos or tortilla chips, if preferred)
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheese, ( I blend extra sharp Cheddar Cheese & Monterey Jack.)
- optional: 1 teaspoon Homemade Southwest Seasoning for added spiciness
Choose from these favorite toppings:
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- sliced green onions
- black olives
- diced avocado
- thinly sliced jalapeno
- sour cream
- guacamole
- chopped cilantro
- pico de gallo
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and grease an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan.
- Brown the ground beef and onions. Drain the fat.
- Add ground beef back to skillet and stir in the drained can of black beans.
- Mix in the Rotel and salsa verde.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and optional Southwest seasoning.
- Use my homemade taco seasoning for best flavor and healthy ingredients or choose your favorite store brand taco seasoning.
- Heat over medium heat until the mixture is heated through.
- Pour ground beef mixture into prepared baking pan.
- Sprinkle freshly shredded cheese over the top.
- Spread Fritos corn chips over the shredded cheese.
- Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven.
- Top with your choice of toppings from the suggested list.
- Serve.
Notes
Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe
Mix the following taco seasoning ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container in the pantry or a cool cupboard. Makes about 3/4 cup. Use 3 to 4 Tablespoons as a substitute for store bought taco seasoning.
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 teaspoons salt
PRO TIPS:
I love sour cream on this dish before any other toppings. It’s hard to spread sour cream over corn chips, though, so I put the sour cream in a piping bag and pipe it onto the walking taco casserole.
If taking walking taco casserole to a potluck or covered dish supper, wait to add the Fritos corn chips, sour cream and toppings until just before serving.
If you are planning leftovers, serve Fritos corn chips and toppings on the side, so everyone can customize the toppings on their own individual servings. Store the baked casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in microwave or oven. Then serve with corn chips, sour cream and toppings on the side.
To freeze walking Taco Casserole, complete the recipe through step 8. Seal the pan with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 4 months. To bake the frozen casserole, thaw it in the fridge overnight and then bake and top according to the recipe. (Baking times straight from the fridge will be a little longer.)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Main Dish, Mexican, Casserole
- Method: stove top and baking
- Cuisine: Mexican American