This easy Taco Casserole recipe is made with layers of crunchy tortilla chips, well-seasoned ground beef, onion, garlic, and gooey cheese, topped with tangy sour cream, fresh tomatoes, and all your other favorite toppings!
Preheat the oven to 350 F Degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with baking spray.
In a large skillet brown ground beef with diced onions and garlic. Drain off excess fat or liquid.
Add diced tomatoes with chilis, cilantro, and taco seasoning. Mix to combine ingredients together and heat through.
Add 1 cup cheese and sour cream to the mixture and heat until hot and bubbly.
Lightly crush Tortilla Chips and place half in the bottom of the baking dish.
Layer half of the ground beef mixture on top of the crushed chips and top with half of the remaining cheese. Repeat with a second layer starting with crushed tortilla chips.
Bake at 350 F Degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the top is melted and the casserole is hot.
Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving with your favorite toppings. This helps to set the casserole for easy serving.
Notes
Storage
Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap for up to a week in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven covered in aluminum foil until piping hot.
Freeze: You can make the beef taco meat and freeze it for up to 3 months when stored in Ziploc bags, or a freezer-safe container.
Substitutions & Variations
Meat. Use ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork for this recipe if you prefer.
Refried Beans. Add a layer of refried beans to this casserole, or use a mixture of refried beans and chopped vegetables in place of the meat to make this a vegetarian option!
Toppings. Serve this Taco Casserole with your favorite taco toppings, like guacamole, pico de gallo, cheese, chopped red bell pepper, chopped green onions, black olives, and chopped tomatoes.
Veggies. Bulk out this casserole with some more veggies, like sweetcorn, chopped bell peppers, red onions, or chopped zucchini for added nutrients.
Cheese. Use your favorite kind of cheese! Pepper Jack cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese, a Mexican cheese mix, Mozzarella, or Cheddar cheese would go well.
Spice. If you want even more spice, you can add some more chili powder to the beef mixture, or add some chopped jalapeños, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes!