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    Home » Recipes » Entrees

    Beef & Bean Taco Salad Casserole

    by Mindy Boyd · Published: Oct 25, 2023 · Updated: Dec 10, 2024

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    ⏲️ 40 minutes mins
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    Shake up Taco Tuesday by making this taco salad casserole. It is the perfect weeknight dinner because it can be on the table in about 30 minutes. 

    Mexican food is a family favorite. We eat it out and make it at home a lot. I am always looking for new ways to transform taco night into something out of the ordinary and this easy taco casserole recipe did not disappoint. We were able to make it once and eat it twice and we love meals like that. 

    Side view of one serving of Easy Taco Salad Casserole with Beef & Beans with toppings on it.
    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this taco salad casserole recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How to make taco salad in casserole form
    • Topping ideas
    • Substitutions & Additions
    • Storage and Reheating
    • Try these casseroles next!
    • Beef & Bean Taco Salad Casserole
    • Make these Tex-Mex recipes next!
    The taco salad casserole in the baking dish without toppings, one serving is missing.

    Why you’ll love this taco salad casserole recipe

    • All you need are 6 simple ingredients plus toppings. 
    • It’s an easy weeknight meal that comes together in about half an hour. 
    • The whole family will love it because they can top it any way they like. 

    Ingredients

    See recipe card for exact amounts. 

    The left image has all the ingredients for the taco salad casserole and the right image has all the toppings we put on the baked casserole.

    Ingredient Notes

    Ground Beef – I like lean ground beef because it is better for us and we don’t have to drain it. If using fattier ground beef then it will need to be drained. 

    Refried Beans – we have a favorite brand we almost always buy, use your favorite brand. 

    Cheese – to make this easier we usually use whatever variety of pre-shredded cheese we have in the fridge. Cheddar cheese, taco cheese blend, Mexican blend cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, or pepper jack cheese are all great choices. 

    Tortilla Chips – I like regular tortilla chips for this and usually buy the most inexpensive brand. 

    Onion – we use a little chopped yellow onion. It can be left out if you aren’t a fan. 

    Taco Seasoning – we buy a packet of taco seasoning, there is a brand that has a low sodium option so we choose it. Sherri over at To Simply Inspire has an easy recipe if you want to make your own homemade taco seasoning.

    A serving of taco salad casserole on a plate topped with lettuce and tomatoes in the foreground and the rest of the casserole in the background.

    How to make taco salad in casserole form

    1. Preheat the oven to 375° and spray an 8 X 8 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
    2. Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat stirring often until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off the fat if you are not using lean ground beef.
    3. While the meat cooks break up tortilla chips and layer in the bottom of the baking dish.  
    4. Add water and one envelope taco seasoning to the meat and cook until the water is absorbed, a couple of minutes. 
    5. Stir in the refried beans and cook until hot, 3-5 minutes. 
    6. Place the bean mixture into the baking dish over the tortilla chips and even it out. Top with cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot.
    7. Gather your favorite toppings while the casserole bakes.  
    A collage of six photos showing the meat being cooked and the beans being added into the skillet.

    Recipe Note* – It is best to add toppings to each serving, especially if you are not planning on eating the whole casserole in one sitting. This way you can reheat it and then use fresh toppings. It is also good if people want to top theirs differently. 

    A collage of 4 pictures showing the layers in the casserole dish before it is baked.
    Close up of one serving of the casserole topped with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, and avocado.

    Topping ideas

    There are many options to top this easy casserole, below are a few suggestions:

    • salsa
    • sour cream
    • green onions
    • shredded lettuce
    • black olives
    • sliced jalapeños
    • pico de gallo
    • diced avocado
    • guacamole
    The entire baked taco salad casserole, a small bowl of sour cream anda small bowl of salsa.

    Substitutions & Additions

    • Swap the ground beed with ground turkey or ground chicken.
    • Add chopped green pepper, just add it in with the ground meat so it has a chance to cook while the meat browns, maybe 1/2 – 1 cup.  
    • A can of green chiles would be a nice addition. This can be added as a layer on top of the ground beef mixture or mixed right into it. 
    • In addition to, or instead of, refried beans add rinsed and drained pinto beans or black beans. 
    • Change up the type of chips; corn chips, nacho cheese chips or Ranch flavored chips would all be good choices. 
    • Don’t have tortilla chips but have taco shells? Use those instead, just break them into pieces.
    Overhead shot of one serving of taco salad casserole with toppings.

    Storage and Reheating

    Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave and top with fresh toppings. 

    Try these casseroles next!

    • Hatch Chile Relleno Casserole
    • Vegetarian Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
    • Loaded Baked Potato and Chicken Casserole
    • Chicken Parmesan Casserole 
    • Low Carb Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
    • Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Casserole
    • Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
    One serving of taco salad casserole with toppings, the recipe title is in text at the top of the image.
    Close up side angle of one serving of Easy Taco Salad Casserole with Beef & Beans with toppings.

    Beef & Bean Taco Salad Casserole

    Mindy Boyd
    Easy Taco Salad Casserole with Beef & Beans is a delicious twist on a classic. Perfectly cheesy for a quick hearty and satisfying meal!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print – Email Required Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 large servings

    Ingredients
      

    • Cooking Spray
    • 1 pound ground beef
    • 1/4 cup onion chopped
    • 1 packet taco seasoning 1 ounce
    • 1/4 cup water
    • 1 cup tortilla chips broken into pieces
    • 1 can refried beans 16 ounces
    • 1 cup shredded cheese
    • lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocado
    Get Recipe Ingredients

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    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 375° and spray an 8 X 8 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
      Cooking Spray
    • Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat stirring often until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off the fat if you are not using lean ground beef.e casserole bakes.  
      1 pound ground beef, 1/4 cup onion
    • While the meat cooks break up tortilla chips and layer in the bottom of the baking dish.  
      1 cup tortilla chips
    • Add water and one envelope taco seasoning to the meat mixture and cook until the water is absorbed, a couple of minutes. Stir in the refried beans and cook stirring often until hot, 3-5 minutes. 
      1 packet taco seasoning, 1/4 cup water
    • Place the bean mixture into the baking dish over the tortilla chips and even it out. Top with cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot
      1 can refried beans, 1 cup shredded cheese
    • Gather and prepare your favorite toppings while the casserole bakes.
      lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocado

    Notes

    It is best to add toppings to each serving, especially if you are not planning on eating the entire casserole one sitting. This way you can reheat it and use fresh toppings. It is also good if people want to different toppings. 
    Did you make this recipe? We would love it if you would leave us a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
     
    Nutritional information is approximate. 
     
    See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above.
     
    Bookmark this page to find it quickly when you are ready to make this recipe!

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1412mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1063IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was with a comment below.

    Recipe minimally adapted from Taste of Home.

    Make these Tex-Mex recipes next!

    Mild Mexican Mexican Chili features ground beef, tomatoes, two kinds of beans, corn, green chiles, taco seasoning and Ranch dressing. 

    Taco Chili

    This easy one pot chili comes together in just over 30 minutes!

    Cheesy Beef Taco Noodles - ground beef, onion, cheese soup, salsa, corn and Light 'n Fluffy Noodles. Easy to make and on the table in about 25 minutes!

    Beef Taco Noodles

    Beef, pasta and lots of cheesy goodness.

    Loaded Beef Tater Tots (Totchos) feature nacho ingredients (ground beef, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and tomatoes) on tater tots instead of tortilla chips.

    Loaded Beef Tater Tots

    The perfect appetizer or dinner the whole family is going to love!

    Super Easy Taco Pizza: Premade pizza dough, refried beans, seasoned ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. Quick, easy and kid friendly.

    Taco Pizza

    This will definitely take Taco Tuesday to the next level.

    The whole casserole on the top and one serving on the bottom. The recipe title is in text in the middle.
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