A walking taco casserole is a delicious Mexican-inspired recipe that you can whip up in less than 45 minutes. You can take it wherever you want and enjoy those delicious taco flavors without making a mess in the car with bits of taco shell and filling falling onto your lap and onto the car seats.
This delicious taco casserole is made with ground beef, Frito corn chips, tomatoes, Mexican cheese, taco seasoning, onion, and more, and it really delivers on flavor. Instead of a crunchy or soft taco shell, we’re using Frito corn chips in this casserole for all the crunch and none of the mess.
It’s a rich and hearty recipe the whole family will love and there are plenty of ways to personalize the dish and really make it your own, such as changing the seasonings, making it less or more spicy or even swapping the corn chips for something else. If you like tacos, you’re going to fall in love with this great casserole!
Why You’ll Love the Recipe
This delicious recipe combines the flavors of tacos with a casserole. You can make the whole thing using just one skillet and it’s so easy too.
How to Serve It:
Enjoy this walking taco casserole hot from the oven with your favorite toppings.
Can You Make It Ahead?
You can but don’t add the chopped fresh tomato or lettuce until serving, otherwise they will make the topping mushy.
Storage Instructions:
Leftovers will keep for several days in an airtight container in the refrigerator and can be warmed back up in a microwave.
Variations and Substitutions:
Omit the chilies for a less spicy result or add a spoonful of cayenne pepper or chili powder if you want to dial up the spice. You can use ground turkey in place of the beef if you prefer.
Ingredients:
- Fritos corn chips
- Cream cheese
- Ground beef
- Taco seasoning
- Shredded iceberg lettuce
- Yellow onion
- Green chili peppers
- Roma tomato
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Sour cream and/or salsa, to serve
How to make Walking Taco Casserole:
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2. Cook the ground beef and chopped onion in a cast iron (ovenproof) skillet over a moderately high heat until the onions are tender and the ground beef is browned all over.
Step 3. Stir in the drained chilies, taco seasoning and cream cheese, and cook until the cream cheese has melted through the mixture.
Step 4. Add the corn chips on top and the shredded cheese and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 5. Serve hot, topped with chopped fresh tomato and shredded lettuce, and garnish with sour cream and/or salsa if liked.
This easy meal is ideal for those busy weeknight evenings when you don’t have much time to cook but still want to enjoy a delicious dinner. Everyone always loves the taco flavors in this simple but scrumptious casserole.
Walking Taco Casserole
This easy meal is ideal for those busy weeknight evenings when you don’t have much time to cook but still want to enjoy a delicious dinner.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 cups Fritos corn chips
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 or 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 chopped yellow onion
- 1 can green chili peppers
- 1 chopped fresh Roma tomato
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Sour cream and/or salsa, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the ground beef and chopped onion in a cast iron (ovenproof) skillet over a moderately high heat until the onions are tender and the ground beef is browned all over.
- Stir in the drained chilies, taco seasoning and cream cheese, and cook until the cream cheese has melted through the mixture.
- Add the corn chips on top and the shredded cheese and bake for 20 minutes.
- Serve hot, topped with chopped fresh tomato and shredded lettuce, and garnish with sour cream and/or salsa if liked.
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
Marie Rayner is a retired Chef, freelance writer, recipe developer, food blogger, and Cookbook author. She makes her home in Chester, UK, where she lives with her husband, Todd, and their much beloved English Cocker, Mitzie. Her motto is “Life is far too short to eat bad food,” and her goal is to share delicious and easy recipes which anyone can enjoy and cook in the comfort of their own home.
Peanut butter balls with Rice Krispies