Your favorite salad in casserole form. It's always a huge hit. Your whole family will love this easy-to-make Taco Salad Casserole Recipe!
I think you'll love this meal! The next recipe you should try is this Frito Pie Casserole - so good and so easy to make!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
It's perfect for taco night or busy weeknights. It's also easy to make! Your whole family will be begging for seconds. This baked taco salad recipe is one of my favorite recipes for easy quick dinners.
It's the classic taco recipe with a twist and perfect for Taco Tuesday! I hope you give it a try soon!
🗒️ Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- one pound ground beef - you can substitute ground chicken or ground turkey if you'd prefer. My recommendation is lean ground beef.
- envelope taco seasoning - use the recipe from the blog or grab a taco seasoning packet.
- Doritos corn chips - I prefer the flavor of Doritos in this recipe, but you could also use tortilla chips or Frito corn chips.
- refried beans - spicy, non-spicy, that's your choice! If refried beans aren't available, use mashed pinto or black beans.
- onion and green bell pepper - any bell pepper will be yummy, use your favorite!
- Mexican blend shredded cheese - pepper jack cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese, Colby or cheddar cheese would all be delicious as well.
- frozen corn - well drained canned corn will be yummy too!
- for the salad: tomatoes, olives and lettuce
Creative variations to try
Whatever you top a taco with goes great with this dish!
- chopped red or green onions
- taco seasoning or hot sauce
- shredded lettuce - romaine or iceberg
- chopped cilantro
- diced avocados
- lime wedges, there's nothing like a squeeze of fresh lime juice!
- cilantro garlic sauce, sour cream or Pico de Gallo
- sliced jalapeños
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions for the Taco Salad Casserole Recipe just scroll down to the bottom!
- Preheat oven. Prepare the casserole dish, set aside.
- Cook beef, onions, and green bell pepper in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and add ¼ cup water. Cook as per package directions, set aside.
- Crush the Doritos chips, and place chips evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Place the refried beans in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30-second intervals until the beans are soft and spreadable. If necessary, add a tablespoon of water to make it easy to spread.
- Spread the beans on top of the chips.
- Top the bean mixture with corn. Then add the taco meat.
- Sprinkle cheese over the entire casserole and bake covered for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Serve the casserole over a bed of lettuce, topped with your favorite toppings! Serve with salsa, sour cream, and fresh toppings like diced tomatoes, jalapeños, green onions, and olives!
Essential tools for this recipe
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Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
Yes, you can make ahead and freeze this casserole. Make as directed, except don't add the cheese. Wrap well and freeze. When you're ready to bake, top with cheese and bake.
Absolutely! I would tear or chop the tortillas into small pieces and lay them on the bottom of the casserole, just like you would the chips.
Actually you can enjoy the baked taco salad hot or cold, whichever you prefer!
Top Tip
To crush the tortilla chips, place them in a ziplock bad and squeeze the bag to crush. The chips do not have to be super small, just broken into bite-sized pieces.
- If you don't use 90% lean ground be sure to drain it well.
- Like the Doritos Casserole, the taco casserole recipe is super simple to make. We really enjoy this recipe and I've been making it every couple of weeks. It's great with or without the salad. I'll eat it right out of the dish!
- Avoid topping the casserole with lettuce and tomatoes unless you'll be eating the entire casserole at the first serving. The heat will make the lettuce limp.
- Turn this into a walking taco casserole by spooning it into small bags of Doritos - your kids will love it!
Heat the refried beans in the microwave. It makes it so much easier to spread on top of the crushed chips. Using a spatula dipped in water keeps the beans from sticking to the spoon.
Or add the beans to the meat mixture. That will save you a step and makes it easier to spread over the chips as well.
How to store leftovers
Refrigerate - Cover and refrigerate leftovers. This will last in the refrigerator 3-4 days.
Reheating - I prefer reheating the taco salad casserole in the oven, but you can also reheat in the microwave at 30 second intervals until hot & bubbly.
I don't recommend freezing this casserole. Because of the chips, it doesn't freeze well.
SERVE GREAT MEALS EVERY TIME! 👇
Serving suggestions
Delicious with Creamy Guacamole at the store, serve with Salsa Verde or Pico de Gallo and a big dollop of sour cream - YUM!!
This recipe is a great Taco Dip with Ground Beef is a great way to start the party as well.
If you're serving a crowd, make some Chipotle black beans and chipotle cilantro lime rice to serve alongside!
Related recipes
There are plenty of easy dinner ideas here on the blog that are simple weeknight meals!
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole - this dish is super easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser!
- If you're watching your carbs, try the Low Carb Chicken Enchilada Casserole next!
- The King Ranch Chicken Casserole is SO GOOD! It's like a cheesy chicken casserole without all the fussy prep work!
- Ground Beef Noodle Casserole or the Big Mac Casserole - both are rich and creamy. Everyone goes back for seconds when I serve these easy recipes!
- Who doesn't love tater tots? That's why this recipe for Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole is such a family favorite!
When you make this please comment below and let me know what you think! I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @bowl_me_over or #bowlmeover - so I can see your photos!
Taco Salad Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet packet taco seasoning mix
- 2 cups crushed Doritos corn chips
- 16 ounces refried beans
- 1 onion diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 tomato diced
- 4.25 ounce black olives sliced
- 4 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Spray a 9x9 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
- Brown ground beef, onions, and green bell pepper in a large skillet. Drain fat if desired. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and add ¼ cup water. Cook as per package directions, set aside.
- Crush the chips, spread them evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Place the refried beans in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals until soft and spreadable. If necessary, add a tablespoon of water to make it easy to spread.
- When the beans are soft, carefully spread on top of the chips. Take your time, if the beans are warm, they can easily be spread on top of the chips.
- Top the beans with corn. Then spread with the seasoned ground beef mixture.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the entire casserole and bake covered for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Serve the casserole over a bed of lettuce, topped with diced tomatoes and olives or your favorite taco fixings! Serve with salsa and/or sour cream!
Lois says
This meal really hits the spot and really easy to make. So tasty.
Debra Clark says
It's such an easy casserole and a real crowd-pleaser. Enjoy the recipe Lois!