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Taco Casserole With Beans

5 from 1 vote
This Mexican-inspired dish made with ground beef, veggies, cheese and taco seasoning, then baked and served with your favorite taco toppings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Cool time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained
  • 1 cup onions, diced
  • 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
  • 1 can Rotel, undrained
  • 1 packet (1 oz.) taco seasoning mix
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded
  • 1 1 bag (10 oz.) of tortilla chips, crushed
  • 1 small bell pepper, diced
Optional toppings:
  • sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, diced tomato, blackolives, green onions, green chiles, or pico de Gallo

Equipment

  • Casserole dish
  • Large skillet
  • Aluminum foil
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cheese grater, optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook your ground beef until it is browned. Stir occasionally to break it up into small pieces. I like to use either a fork or a meat masher to do this. Also, be sure to drain off any excess fat.
  3. Add in the black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, bell peppers, onions, and water to the skillet.
  4. Sprinkle taco seasoning mix over the ingredients and stir them well to combine and then bring them to a simmer. Cook this meat mixture for 5-7 minutes, or until the liquid reduces and the mixture thickens slightly.
  5. Spread half of the crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Top with half of the ground beef mixture, then sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheese.
  6. Repeat the layers with the remaining tortilla corn chips, beef mixture, plenty of cheese, and tortilla corn chips and the remaining cheese.
  7. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  8. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.
  9. Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving it with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

Ground beef: Feel free to use ground meat like lean ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or taco meat which is meat that has taco seasoning.
Black beans: You can also use refried beans or pinto beans with this recipe
Onions: I prefer to use red onion for this recipe but you can use yellow or white onion
Bell pepper: We like the flavor of green bell pepper, a classic in Mexican food-but you can use whichever bell peppers you prefer.
Corn: Frozen corn will also work, just be sure to watch the water content
Rotel: This blend of canned tomatoes and chiles adds great flavor and heat. If you don't have it on hand you can use tomatoes and jalapenos, salsa, or fresh diced tomatoes with green chilies.
Taco seasoning mix: You can also use a mix of chili powder.
Water: Be sure not to use too much. you don't want a big soggy mess!
Cheese: You can also use plain cheddar cheese or Monterey jack cheese instead of the Mexican blend cheese
Tortilla chips: You can also use flour tortillas, corn tortillas, and crumbled taco shells.