Description

This Walking Taco Casserole is a delicious, easy-to-make layered dish combining seasoned ground beef, beans, diced tomatoes with green chiles, sour cream, crunchy Fritos corn chips, and melted Mexican-style cheese. Perfect for a casual family dinner or game day gathering, it delivers all the flavors of a taco in a comforting casserole form.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 package taco seasoning
½ cup water
1 can black beans (15 ounces), drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (10 ounces)
½ cup sour cream

For the Casserole

1 bag Fritos corn chips (9.25 ounces)
2 cups Mexican-style shredded cheese

Toppings

Green onions, sliced
Sour cream
Guacamole
Salsa
Jalapenos

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Brown the Beef and Onions: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until it is almost cooked through. Add the finely chopped onion and continue cooking until the onions are soft and the beef is no longer pink.
Add Seasoning and Water: Stir in the taco seasoning packet and ½ cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil to blend the flavors.
Incorporate Beans, Tomatoes, and Sour Cream: Reduce heat to low, then stir in the drained black beans, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and ½ cup sour cream. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the mixture is heated through and slightly thickened.
Layer the Casserole: Add a single layer of Fritos corn chips to the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheese evenly over the chips. Spread the beef and bean mixture over the cheese layer, then top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly around the edges.
Add Toppings and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven. Top with additional Fritos corn chips and your favorite toppings such as sliced green onions, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and jalapenos. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

For extra flavor, consider adding a diced jalapeno to the beef mixture while cooking.
Use gluten-free taco seasoning to make the dish gluten-free.
The casserole can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated before baking; add 5-10 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.
For a lighter version, use reduced-fat sour cream and reduced-fat cheese.
Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking, Sautéing
Cuisine: Mexican-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 420
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 720mg
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrates: 33g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 22g
Cholesterol: 65mg

Keywords: walking taco casserole, taco casserole, ground beef casserole, Mexican casserole, easy dinner, game day recipe