Quick and simple, this hearty and zesty Mexican casserole is one of our favorite dinners. Ground beef is layered with spices, salsa, chips, and lots of cheese before being baked and topped with sour cream for a tasty and easy meal you’ll love.
Mexican Casserole Ingredients
The savory filling of spiced ground beef combined with beans, vegetables, and cheese is topped with a crispy layer of tortilla chips that provides the perfect crunch.
With its combination of creamy and crunchy textures and bold-flavored ingredients, Mexican casserole is an irresistible dish that will have you coming back for seconds, and maybe even thirds.
You’ll need:
- 2 pounds of lean ground beef
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup of water
- 2 (1 ounce each) packet taco seasoning
- 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained (I used Rotel brand)
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (16 ounce) jarred mild salsa
- 18 soft, yellow corn tortillas
- 6 cups freshly shredded colby jack cheddar cheese (Divide into 3 portions – 2 cups for each layer)
- 1 cup diced roma tomatoes (garnish)
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions (garnish)
- Sour cream (optional garnish)
Substitutions And Additions
SPICY: Like it extra zesty? Add jalapeños, chili powder, or a dash of red pepper flakes!
CHEESE: You could also use spicy pepper jack or a Mexican blend of cheese instead of cheddar for an added kick to this easy dinner recipe.
GROUND MEAT: For this easy casserole recipe, you could also make it with shredded rotisserie chicken, ground chicken, sausage, chorizo, pork, or ground turkey.
VEGETARIAN: You could also make this great dish vegetarian and omit the beef or other meat completely. If you do this, you could add more black beans or add in refried beans as well. You could make it with rice as well to make it heartier.
VEGETABLES: You could add additional veggies like zucchini, squash, bell peppers, or mushrooms to this taco casserole recipe. This is also a great recipe to add a can of Rotel to.
CHIPS: Instead of corn chips, you could also use Doritos or Fritos or tortilla chips if you’d like for this delicious casserole. You could also add layers of corn tortillas or flour tortillas.
How To Make This Mexican Casserole Recipe
This tasty casserole has plenty of flavorful ingredients that all come together to create this savory meal in no time. Let’s walk through the process together.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Prepare this dish ahead of time, simply assemble and place it in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to bake.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
STEP TWO: In a 5–6 quart saucepan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and chopped onion, stirring often until the beef is no longer pink, about 5–6 minutes. Drain excess oil.
STEP THREE: Add 1 cup water and the taco seasoning packets. Stir frequently for 3–4 minutes.
STEP FOUR: Stir in the drained diced tomatoes and green chilies, black beans, and half of the jarred salsa. Heat just until the mixture begins to simmer, then remove from heat.
STEP FIVE: Spread the remaining salsa in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
STEP SIX: Layer 6 corn tortillas over the salsa.
STEP SEVEN: Spread one-third of the meat mixture over the tortillas.
STEP EIGHT: Sprinkle 2 cups freshly shredded colby jack cheese over the meat layer.
STEP NINE: Repeat the tortilla, meat, and cheese layers a second time.
STEP TEN: Add the final layer of tortillas, meat, and cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
STEP ELEVEN: Bake covered for 35 minutes, then uncover for the last 5 minutes if you want the cheese lightly browned.
STEP TWELVE: Rest the casserole for 10–15 minutes before cutting into 12 pieces so the tortillas absorb the sauce.
STEP THIRTEEN: Garnish with diced tomatoes and sliced green onions. Add sour cream if desired and serve hot.
How To Serve This Easy Mexican Casserole
You can serve this cheesy, tasty, baked Mexican casserole with our cornbread recipe or Spanish rice as a great side dish.
This yummy casserole is a great alternative to tacos on Taco Tuesday or any night of the week that you are up for Mexican-inspired food.
Add all of your favorite toppings to this casserole, including salsa, guacamole, extra cheese, and tomatoes.
In the mood for Mexican? Then you’ve got to try our chicken enchiladas or this easy layered Mexican salad.
MORE MEXICAN DISH RECIPES
Storing This Creamy Taco Casserole
This is a great meal to make ahead of time and enjoy on a busy weeknight. Here’s how to store it.
IN THE FRIDGE: You can keep the leftovers of this casserole in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave for 1 to 1 ½ minutes per serving.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unbaked casserole for up to 3 months. Wrap with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of Heavy Duty aluminum foil.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed as above. You may need to add and extra 5 minutes to offset any excess water from the thawing process.
There is nothing better than simple, hearty comfort food at the end of a busy day, and this takes less than 15 minutes to put together. One taste, and you’ll know why this spicy, ultimate Mexican casserole recipe is such a favorite for our whole family.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make this delicious recipe ahead of time as it freezes really well. Wrap it in plastic wrap or in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
There are plenty of meat options to choose from when making this casserole. Ground pork, turkey, chicken, shredded chicken, or sausage are all great choices.
If you leave out the ground meat and increase the amount of beans in this dish, you’ll have a great vegetarian option.
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Mexican Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup water
- 2 ounces taco seasoning
- 20 ounces diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained (I used Rotel brand)
- 15 ounces canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 16 ounces jarred mild salsa
- 18 soft yellow corn tortillas
- 6 cups colby jack cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (divide into 3 portions, 2 cups for each layer)
- 1 cup diced roma tomatoes, garnish
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions, garnish
- Sour cream, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a 5 to 6 quart saucepan over medium high heat, brown the ground beef and chopped onion, stirring often until the beef is cooked through and no longer pink. (This should take about 5 to 6 minutes) Drain any excess oil.
- Add 1 cup water and the 2 taco seasoning packets, stirring often. (About 3 to 4 minutes)
- Next stir in the drained diced tomatoes and green chilies, black beans and ½ of the jarred salsa. Heat just until the ground beef mixture begins to simmer. Remove from the heat.
- Spread the other half of the jarred salsa in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Layer 6 corn tortilla shells over the salsa.
- Spread ⅓ of the meat mixture over the tortilla shell layer.
- Sprinkle 2 cups of freshly shredded colby jack cheese.
- Repeat the corn tortilla layer, meat and cheese.
- Finally layer the 3rd layer of corn tortillas, meat and cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake covered for 35 minutes, then optionally uncover the last 5 minutes to brown the cheese.”
- Allow the Mexican casserole to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting 12 equal pieces. (This step is very important, it allows the tortillas to soak up the sauce) Garnish with 1 cup of diced tomatoes and ½ cup of sliced green onions. Dollop sour cream if desired. Serve while hot.
Video
Notes
- Freshly shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese can be used in place of the colby jack cheese.
- Use medium or hot diced tomatoes and green chilies, or a spicier jarred salsa for more heat.
Nutrition
Comments
Toni Thomason says
I love this!!! Perfect for busy weeknight dinners.