The Cozy Cookbook is here! 
This Taco Casserole Recipe is loaded with all of your Mexican favorites and topped with Doritos, Fritos, or Tortilla Chips! It’s easy to assemble days ahead of time and bake later for an easy dinner!
Be sure to try my Taco Stuffed Shells and my Salsa Chicken recipes next!
I’ve been on a casserole kick lately, especially ones that you can make ahead of time. It’s amazing how much easier your life becomes when you do a little meal prep ahead of time.
The fact that you can assemble this Taco Casserole up to 2 days ahead of time is really handy. And the ingredients are really easy to customize!
How to Make it
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Let the sour cream come to room temperature while you prepare the meat. This will prevent it from curdling when baked as it won’t be going from cold to hot right away.
- Cook/crumble the ground beef and onions in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Drain excess grease, add water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Spread the refried beans in an even layer over a 9 x 13″ casserole dish. Top with sour cream.
- Add the seasoned ground beef and onions on top.
- Top with cheese. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 15 minutes, until the cheese is hot and melted.
- Add the black olives and crunchy toppings. Bake uncovered for 8 minutes.
- Garnish with green onions, diced tomatoes, and/or shredded lettuce if desired and serve!
Make-Ahead Method
This Taco Casserole can be made up to 2 days ahead.
- To do so, cook the ground beef and onions and layer all of the ingredients in a casserole dish.
- Let it cool and cover it. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Let it sit out and come to room temperature for 35 minutes prior to baking. This will prevent the sour cream from curdling.
- Bake, covered, in a 350° oven for 25 minutes.
- Uncover, and bake for 5 more minutes to fully melt the cheese.
- Add black olives along with the crunchy toppings. Bake for 8 additional minutes.
- Add the shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and green onions prior to serving.
Crock Pot Taco Casserole
- This recipe is easy to assemble within a Crock Pot and heat right away or up to 2 days later.
- You’ll still need to brown the ground beef first, then layer the ingredients per the recipe instructions.
- Save the crunchy toppings and shredded lettuce/tomatoes/green onions until you’re just ready to serve.
Heating right away: High 2-3 hours or Low 4-5 hours
Heating from a cold state: Let it sit out for 35 minutes prior to heating to prevent the sour cream from curdling. Heat on high 4-5 hours or Low 6-7 hours
This Crock pot allows you to sear/brown meat right on the stove top. It also switches to warm once the cooking time is up.
Note that Crock Pots vary in terms on how quickly they heat up and how hot they get.
Taco Casserole for a Crowd or Potluck
- These aluminum foil pans make it easy to prepare this recipe for a crowd and the pans can be disposed of afterwards.
- This recipe serves 6 people. Click the number of servings to reveal a slider. Move the slider right to increase the number of servings if you’re making this for a larger crowd.
Storing Leftovers
- Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and are best if used within 3-4 days.
- Reheat in a microwave or a 350°oven until heated through.
Pro Tip: Leftovers make a great dip or filling for burritos!
Freezing
- Taco casserole makes a good freezer food and can be stored for up to 3 months, although I recommend that you leave out the sour cream and serve it on the side with this casserole if you plan on freezing.
- Leave out the crunchy toppings and shredded lettuce when you freeze as well.
- Let it defrost overnight and bake as instructed, or bake it frozen and add 1 hour of baking time.
Try These Next
-
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
-
- Chicken Taco Soup
-
- Taco Spaghetti
-
- Baked Ravioli
-
- Easy Chili Recipe
-
- Chicken Enchiladas
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Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, I use 80% lean
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 oz. taco seasoning, equivalent to 2 Tablespoons
- 16 oz. refried beans
- ¾ cup sour cream, *see notes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup black olives, sliced
- ¾ cup crunchy toppings such as tortilla chips, Doritos, and/or Fritos
To garnish:
- Green onions, (optional)
- 1/3 cup lettuce, shredded
- 1/3 cup tomatoes, diced
Instructions
- Let the sour cream come to room temperature while you prepare the meat. This will prevent it from curdling when baked as it won't be going from cold to hot right away.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the ground beef and diced onions to a large pan and cook and crumble over medium heat until the meat is cooked through.
- Drain excess grease.
- Add ¾ cup water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let it cool for 8-10 minutes.
- Spread the refried beans in an even layer in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
- Spread the sour cream over the refried beans, followed by the slightly cooled beef, then the cheese.
- If you’re preparing this head of time, let it cool and cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Baking:
- If baking right away: Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and melted.
- If baking after the casserole has been refrigerated: Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Add the toppings:
- Top the casserole with black olives and crunchy toppings. (Add additional cheese if you like as well.)
- Bake uncovered for 8 minutes.
- Garnish with green onions, diced tomatoes, and/or shredded lettuce and serve!
Notes
*A combination of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese works well too!
Crock Pot Taco Casserole
- This recipe is easy to assemble within a Crock Pot and heat right away or up to 2 days later.
- You'll still need to brown the ground beef first, then layer the ingredients per the recipe instructions.
- Save the crunchy toppings and shredded lettuce/green onions until you're just ready to serve.
Heating right away: High 2-3 hours or Low 4-5 hours Heating from a cold state: Let it sit out for 35 minutes prior to heating to prevent the sour cream from curdling. Heat on high 4-5 hours or Low 6-7 hoursThis Crock pot allows you to sear/brown meat right on the stove top. It also switches to warm once the cooking time is up.
Nutrition
Hi, I haven’t tried this yet but can you freeze this? My friend just has a baby and loved tacos so I wanted to make her something she could freeze and heat up later!
Hi Linda! This isn’t the best candidate for the freezer with the sour cream in there, unless you skip that, she’d have to serve some on the side. I have a collection of freezer recipes that you can look through, one in particular that your friend might like is my Taco Soup, that makes a great freezer meal and it’s satisfying with the protein that’s included in it!
This recipe was so easy and delicious. I did make some additions to the original recipe and modified the refried beans. Instead of using canned refried beans, I made some homemade refried black beans. So easy to make if you’re looking to lower your sodium intake. I also made some rice and mixed in some salsa and Rotel tomatoes with chiles into it. In a greased 9×13 casserole dish, I layered the rice first, then followed the rest of the recipe as written. Soooo delicious and easy to make. This recipe will be made again for sure.
Homemade refried black beans sounds amazing Sarah, nice work!🙌 I’m so happy you liked enjoyed your dinner, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!💗
For a 9 x 13 size casserole dish, I would recommend using two cans of refried beans
Do you think I could add a layer of tortilla shells in it?
Hi Amanda, I would sprinkle that layer on top after it’s done baking so that they don’t get soggy 🙂
This recipe was FANTASTIC! The person who said it was bland might try layering their seasonings. I season my ground beef and onions while they’re cooking with: Garlic powder, Smoked Paprika, Adobe, Black Pepper, Oregano and Cayenne Pepper, if you like it spicier. This is a definite keeper. My family loved it. I love the way you can add more toppings like bell peppers, Taco sauce. This is UNBELIEVABLY eat and tasty. Thank you, so much, Stephanie!
You’re very welcome Dorothy, I’m so happy you enjoyed the Taco Casserole, thanks so much for the great comments and review!💗
Hello! Is it possible to substitute the refried bean layer with black beans? If so, how would you recommend doing that?
Hi Farah, I might suggest combining the ground beef with black beans and having them in a combined layer together.
So disappointing. I don’t know how but this was ridiculously bland. I even used a whole envelope of taco seasoning that’s usually on the spicy side. We tried adding a lot of Mexican seasoning, didn’t help. Tried salsa, didn’t help. Topped it with tortilla chips, green onion, lettuce, tomato; still BLAHHH. Just a huge waste of time and groceries . Luckily I used a disposable 9 x 13 pan so I could toss it in the trash.
Hi Debi, have you ever had a taco before? This is simply a deconstructed taco. There’s not much to be disappointed about, expectations should be clear and set!
Hi Mrs M, if you thought this was bland, you might try layering the seasonings. I season my ground beef and onions with Garlic Powder, Adobe, Oregano, Black Pepper, Smoked Paprika, and Cayenne Pepper, if you like it spicier. Just a suggestion.
What a shame that you find it so easy to throw good food in the trash. This recipe is tried and true and it’s DELICIOUS. Next time give it to a neighbour or maybe even to a homeless person going hungry on the street!
It was delicious. Maybe you should take a COVID test. All of the ingredients you added would have added flavor.
I’m so happy you liked it Debra, thanks so much for the great review!❤️
Made this tonight added 1 Jalapeno, garlic and a small can of green peppers and tomato’s was outstanding with a side of margaritas. Will definitely make again.
Thank you.
You’re very welcome Michael, I’m so happy this was a hit! Thanks so much for the review!❤️
This was so easy and fun to do. My grandchildren gobbled it up. Thanks for this recipe. I will make again as it is now a favorite.
You’re very welcome, I’m so happy it was a hit with the grandchildren. Thanks so much for the great review!😃
Can you use cream cheese instead of sour cream to avoid curdling?
Hi Michelle! Yes! I would put the cream cheese as the first layer, and then the refried beans over that, followed by the other layers. That’s how I prepare my salsa chicken recipe and it works beautifully!