Description
Mexican-inspired Walking Taco Casserole brings zesty layers of flavor to your dinner table. Crispy chips, seasoned ground beef, and melted cheese create a crowd-pleasing comfort meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) black beans, drained and rinsed
Vegetables and Pantry Items:
- 1 can (10 ounces / 284 grams) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) corn kernels (canned or frozen)
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) chopped cilantro
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) shredded lettuce
Garnishes and Toppings:
- 3 cups (720 milliliters) corn chips
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish for the hearty Mexican-inspired casserole.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat, thoroughly cooking and eliminating excess grease.
- Enhance the meat with taco seasoning, creating a robust flavor profile by incorporating diced tomatoes with green chilies, black beans, and corn.
- Simmer the beef mixture for 5 minutes, allowing the ingredients to meld together and develop a rich, spicy essence.
- Create a crunchy foundation by spreading corn chips evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
- Distribute the seasoned beef mixture uniformly over the chip layer, ensuring complete coverage.
- Generously sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese across the top, creating a melty, golden blanket.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese becomes completely melted and slightly bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let the casserole rest briefly to set and cool slightly.
- Artfully garnish with a layer of sour cream, then strategically add black olives, green onions, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, and shredded lettuce.
- Serve immediately, scooping portions that capture all delicious layers, and optionally accompany with additional salsa or guacamole.
Notes
- Customize the heat level by choosing mild or spicy taco seasoning to match your family’s taste preferences.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian alternative that maintains delicious flavor profiles.
- Prepare the casserole ahead of time by assembling everything except the final baking step, then refrigerate up to 24 hours before cooking for convenient meal planning.
- Crush chips finer for a more integrated texture or keep them chunkier for extra crunch, allowing flexible serving styles that suit different textural preferences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 454 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 730 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg