Walking Taco Casserole Recipe
This Walking Taco Casserole bakes a seasoned beef, black bean, and corn filling under a crunchy layer of Fritos and melted Colby Jack cheese. Top it with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream for an easy dinner that feeds a crowd.
Servings: 6
Calories: 450kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds ground beef 90/10
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 10 ounce can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chiles undrained
- ½ cup water
- 2 packs taco seasoning
- 15 ounce can corn drained
- 15 ounce can black beans drained
- 1½ cups shredded colby jack cheese
- ¾ cup sour cream divided
- 2-3 cups Fritos corn chips
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1 medium roma tomato diced
Optional Toppings
- 1 medium avocado diced
- 1-2 Tablespoons chopped green onion
- 1 small jalapeno sliced or diced
- 1-2 Tablespoons cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking up the meat, until browned with no pink remaining.
- Stir in the Ro-Tel, water, and taco seasoning. Simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and the pan begins to sizzle, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add the black beans and corn and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until heated through.
- Stir in ½ cup of the sour cream and ½ cup of the cheese until the cheese melts, then turn off the heat.
- Spread the filling in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with the Fritos in an even layer, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the chips.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.
- Top with the lettuce, tomato, remaining ¼ cup of sour cream, and any optional toppings, then serve.
Notes
- Don't rush the simmer. Cook off nearly all the liquid in step 3 or the casserole will be watery and the chips will go soft.
- Seasoning: Reduced-sodium taco seasoning (I use Old El Paso) keeps the salt in check.
- Cheese: Shred the cheese from a block for the smoothest melt.
- Substitutions: Ground turkey works in place of the beef. Doritos or broken tortilla chips can replace the Fritos.
- Make ahead: Prepare the filling through step 5, cool, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add the chips and cheese right before baking, and add 5 to 10 minutes to the covered bake time.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers without the fresh toppings in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat with a handful of fresh Fritos on top in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 575mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g