Two favorites—tacos and casseroles—come together in one fabulous dish: the Taco Bake.
Have you ever seen that Progressive Insurance commercial where Mara, after nailing her sales pitch, says to her male colleague, “Want some tacos?” He says, “Nah, I’m not really in the mood,” and she replies, “Yeah, you’re right. So messy, all the napkins, those different toppings…” and he immediately says, “Actually, I’m in.” Reverse psychology! But I also think Mara may have a point. I love tacos just as much as any fellow Mexican-food-obsessed person, but sometimes I get annoyed by how long it takes to assemble a taco with toppings before I can finally get it into my mouth (and I often get mocked when I complain about this on taco night). Well, those days are over!
This taco bake is a casserole with everything we love about tacos layered together in one dish. Every forkful brings the ultimate pleasure of seasoned ground beef, hearty beans, sweet corn, and bright tomatoes with sharp, melty cheddar cheese. There are even crunchy tortilla chips layered in there, and when you put the fresh lettuce and tomatoes on top, you are eating a beloved taco without the work or the mess. And you only need one napkin. Seriously, you are going to love this taco bake.
You’ll love making it too because it’s very easy to prepare. Simply brown the beef with onions and garlic, and mix in the seasoning, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, and corn. Layer chips, meat, and cheese, and repeat. Then bake to bubbly perfection. This is a great weeknight dinner, but it’s also a crowd-pleaser when guests come over.
Some Great Tips For Elevating Your Taco Bake
This taco bake is very delicious when prepared just as our recipe instructs, but we have a few other tricks up our sleeve that can take the dish to another level. You can start by making your own Taco Seasoning or this Crock-Pot Taco Meat. Instead of using canned tomato sauce, add another layer of flavor by using Enchilada Sauce or this spicy Ranchero Sauce. And since there can never be enough crunch, replace the canned corn with some Fried Corn.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Completely cooled taco bake should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or stored in an airtight container, and it will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer (thaw overnight in the fridge). Note that the chips will not maintain their crunch during either storage process, but you can always add a fresh layer on top before reheating.
Can I Prep This Ahead?
You can complete the recipe through step 5, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Bake the casserole as directed (though you may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time to ensure that the taco bake is heated through). You can also store the unbaked casserole tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many good sides to serve with taco bake, but in my house, nearly all of them revolve around corn. Two favorites around here are Refried Beans topped with Jalapeño Sauce and Corn Salsa, and Black Bean Cakes With Corn Salsa And Avocado Sauce. We also love taco bake with crispy Corn Fritters and Chipotle Sauce to dip them into. And don’t forget about the ultimate cornbread: Jenny’s.
We also need something cool and creamy to top our taco bake, don’t we? Of course we do! We suggest sour cream in our recipe, and that tastes great, but how about this tangy Mexican Crema or this creamy, zesty Avocado Crema? And if you don’t want the creamy element, you’ll love this Cilantro-Lime Dressing drizzled over the fresh lettuce and tomatoes on top of the taco bake.
Taco Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup canned black beans drained
- 1/2 cup canned corn drained
- 2 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- Chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, and sour cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes.
- Incorporate the taco seasoning mix and tomato sauce. Stir thoroughly and cook for 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and let simmer for 5 minutes. Finally, mix in the beans and corn.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread half of the crushed tortilla chips on the bottom. Top with half of the meat mixture and sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Layer with remaining chips, meat mixture, and cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Cool taco bake for 5 minutes. Serve warm topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream if desired.
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