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Bring all the flavor of taco night to the table without the mess with my Easy Taco Bake Casserole Recipe! Made in under 1 hour using homemade taco seasoning, your favorite taco toppings, and a dairy-based topping, it's both low carb and gluten-free. This is one meal everyone can enjoy!
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Taco Casserole Recipe
I don't think I'm the only one who is always looking forward to taco night. But what I'm not looking forward to is all the dishes! Bowls of toppings, pans, skillets, too many spoons to count… As delicious as they are, tacos take a lot of work.
That's what makes this taco casserole recipe easy! With just one skillet, one bowl, and a casserole dish, you get all the flavor of tacos in one simple baked casserole. Plus, with my homemade taco seasoning, every bit of it is customizable to your liking!
But what truly makes this taco bake dish special is that it's enjoyable for everyone. By using your own seasoning mix and substituting tortillas with a delicious and fluffy egg-based topping, this recipe is quick, easy, gluten-free, and low-carb. Finally, tacos for everyone!
Easy Taco Casserole Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Taco seasoning - You can use my homemade taco seasoning mix!
- Water
- Diced tomatoes with green chilies
- Cheddar
- Eggs
- Milk
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Jalapeno
Easy Taco Bake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 11 by 7-inch pan with cooking spray. As the oven preheats, cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned, 10-12 minutes.
- Add in the diced pepper and onion, and saute 5 more minutes or until softened.
- Add taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, and green chilies with juices, and water, and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Spread the taco meat mixture into the prepared casserole pan and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and sour cream until well blended.
- Spread the egg mixture over top of the beef.
- Then, top the entire thing with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the eggs are firm. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then top with sliced jalapeños and avocado. Serve and enjoy!
Taco Bake Recipe Tips
- If you're using a lean ground beef, you won't need to drain the grease. If you do choose to drain it, make sure to do so before adding any seasoning, or the flavor will be lost!
- Any shredded cheese with lots of flavor will do great in this recipe! I prefer cheddar, but it's also delicious with Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, or your favorite Mexican cheese blend.
- Jalapenos and avocados are only the start for delicious toppings! I also love adding fresh cilantro, pickled red onions, sliced tomatoes, crumbled Cotija cheese, fresh corn, and more.
- You can use packaged taco seasoning, but if there are sensitivities in the family, be sure to check the ingredients. Many include fillers like wheat flour.
Ready to serve up an incredible dinner? Try pairing this recipe for taco bake with my Elote Recipe!
Make-Ahead Taco Casserole
- Follow steps 1-4, skipping preheating the oven, to prepare the beef and vegetable filling in a baking dish.
- Let the meat mixture cool, then cover it tightly in aluminum or plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 1-2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
- To finish the dish, make the egg mixture topping right before baking it and pour it over top.
- Bake directly from the fridge as usual! Thaw the frozen casserole in the fridge overnight. Always use a meat thermometer to check baked frozen or cold dishes.
Leftover Taco Meat Recipes
Transform your taco leftovers with my list of leftover taco meat recipes!
FAQ
A simple taco casserole is made with taco meat, cheese, and a topping of choice. This topping can be made from tortillas, eggs, chips, and more! My recipe for taco casserole uses low carb ingredients with a delicious and protein-packed blend of milk, sour cream, and eggs as a topping.
Taco casserole serves as its own full meal, but it's even more delicious served with extra toppings as sides! Set it out alongside bowls of salsa, crema, chopped lettuce, corn, and crumbled tortilla chips for an extra delicious experience. You can also serve it in burrito or taco shells with your favorite toppings, if you don't mind the carbs.
Absolutely! The ingredients should be doubled, and I recommend using an 11 by 14-inch baking dish if you're going to double the recipe.
Easy Casserole Dish Ideas
- Mexican Street Corn Casserole
- One-dish Mexican Dips
- Vegetarian Enchiladas
- Chicken Potato Casserole
- Sloppy Joe Casserole
Try my incredible Taco Soup next! And if you love ground beef dinner ideas, you'll also love my Homemade Sloppy Joes.
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Easy Taco Bake Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground beef - 80/20 or leaner
- ½ Onion - diced
- 1 Bell pepper - diced
- 1 ounce Taco seasoning - or 2 tablespoon homemade seasoning
- ⅓ cup Water
- 10 oz Diced tomatoes with green chilies - undrained
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese - shredded
- 4 large Eggs
- ½ cup Milk
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 1 Avocado - sliced
- 1 Jalapeno - sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 11x7 inch pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Then cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned, 10-12 minutes.1 lb Ground beef
- Add in the diced pepper and onion, and saute 5 more minutes or until softened.½ Onion,1 Bell pepper
- Add in the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and green chilies with juices, and water, and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.1 ounce Taco seasoning,10 oz Diced tomatoes with green chilies,⅓ cup Water
- Spread the taco meat mixture into the prepared casserole pan and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and sour cream until well blended.4 large Eggs,½ cup Milk,½ cup Sour cream
- Spread the egg mixture over top of the beef, then top the entire thing with shredded cheese.1 cup Cheddar cheese
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the eggs are firm. Let cool 10 minutes, then top with sliced jalapenos and avocado. Serve, and enjoy!1 Avocado,1 Jalapeno
Notes
- If you're using a lean ground beef, you won't need to drain the grease. If you do choose to drain it, make sure to do so before adding any seasoning, or the flavor will be lost!
- Any shredded cheese with lots of flavor will do great in this recipe! I prefer cheddar, but it's also delicious with Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, or your favorite Mexican cheese blend.
- Jalapenos and avocados are only the start for delicious toppings! I also love adding fresh cilantro, pickled red onions, sliced tomatoes, crumbled Cotija cheese, fresh corn, and more.
- You can use packaged taco seasoning, but if there are sensitivities in the family, make sure to check the ingredients. A surprising amount include filler like wheat flour.
Sandie says
I really like you putting the item and it’s measurement in the instructions! I always end up going back and forth in recipes. Thank you.
Isabel Laessig says
So glad it helps, Sandie! I know exactly what you mean!