Our Walking Taco Casserole is hearty, simple, and oh-so cheesy! Grab some canned ingredients from your pantry to make this quick weeknight dinner. The whole family will love it!
Wait...Why a Casserole?
I know what you’re thinking. Walking Tacos are already great on their own, so why should I make a casserole version? Let me tell you why:
- Everything is contained in one dish, making it a little easier to serve for a family dinner, and a WHOLE lot easier to transport to a gathering. (Potluck anyone?)
- The main ingredients (beef, beans, tomatoes, Fritos, etc.) are already combined, so you can simply add sour cream or other toppings once the casserole exits the oven.
- Walking tacos are perfect for summer outings and backyard cookouts, but this Walking Taco Casserole is cozy comfort food--perfect for chilly Autumn nights!
- MELTED CHEESE. Need I say more?
Key Ingredients
Now that we’ve established that you need this casserole in your life, let’s get into it! This recipe is a great opportunity to use up some canned goods from your pantry. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need, along with some helpful tips:
- Ground beef - The star of the show! You’ll need one pound of ground beef to make this casserole. If you have extra ground beef, you can make a Spaghetti Casserole to freeze for later.
- Homemade taco seasoning - I know what you’re thinking. Homemade taco seasoning? That seems like a lot of extra work. I’m telling you—it’s very quick and easy to make. Grab some basic seasonings to make my 5-minute homemade taco seasoning. You can use it to spice up this casserole and then have it on hand for other taco recipes, like our Crock Pot Taco Meat.
- Tomato sauce, kidney beans, and diced tomatoes - If you’re anything like me, these are already chilling out in your pantry. Put them to good use in this casserole!
- Jalapenos - We like to add a little spice to our Walking Taco Casserole, but it’s not essential. If you want a milder flavor, you can leave out the jalapenos.
- Fritos - This is where the crunch comes in. You can use any corn chip (not just Fritos) for this recipe, but if you’re gluten free, make sure they’re all corn. Not all corn chips are created equal.
- Mexican blend cheese - You can really use any kind of cheese in this casserole, but Mexican blend is our favorite. We recommend adding 2 cups, but you can adjust based on your cheesy preferences. (Hint: More cheese is definitely not a bad thing in this case).
How to Make Our Walking Taco Casserole
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until beginning to soften. Add the jalapenos (optional) and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat then stir in taco seasoning.
- Add the tomato sauce, kidney beans, and drained diced tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Layer the meat mixture at the bottom of a deep dish pie plate or casserole dish. Top with Fritos or corn chips of your choice, then sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted (aka GOOEY GOODNESS). If you want, serve with additional toppings. We love to add lettuce and sour cream.
Tips and FAQS
Can you make Walking Taco Casserole ahead of time?
Yes! You can brown the beef and assemble everything for the casserole, except the chips, then cover it and refrigerate until ready to bake. When you’re ready to bake, remove it from the fridge, add the chips, and bake as usual.
Can you freeze a Walking Taco Casserole?
Yes! Assemble the casserole in a freezer safe container (foil pans works great for this!), then double wrap it with plastic wrap before freezing. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or bake straight from frozen.
Can you make this with Doritos instead of Fritos?
You absolutely can! Sprinkle the top with Nacho or Cool Ranch Doritos if you prefer.
What to Serve with a Walking Taco Casserole
These Blueberry Mojito Mocktails are a great addition to this meal, and everyone can enjoy them because they are non-alcoholic.
We also recommend pairing this walking taco casserole with a homemade Black Bean and Corn Salsa.
To finish things off, whip up this super Easy Faux Fried Ice Cream for dessert.
More Taco Recipes You Might Enjoy
We love tacos a lot. In every form. Seriously, we might have a problem.
Of course, you can never go wrong with classic Ground Beef Tacos or Taco Salad, but the taco fun doesn't stop there!
Our Taco Spaghetti, Taco Tater Tot Casserole and Mexican Cornbread Casserole are also great taco-inspired recipes to add to your dinner rotation.
Liven up your next cookout with these Taco Burgers, or try serving this Layered Taco Dip with Meat at your next party.
📖 Recipe
Walking Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 2 small jalapenos (seeds removed, diced (optional))
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 ½ Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
- 1 14 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 14 ounce can kidney beans (drained)
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes (drained)
- 2 cups Fritos or other corn chips
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Sour cream for serving (if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until beginning to soften. Add the jalapenos and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat then stir in taco seasoning.
- Add the tomato sauce, kidney beans, and drained diced tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Layer the meat mixture at the bottom of a deep dish pie plate or casserole dish. Top with Fritos, then sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and other toppings, if desired.
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