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Easy taco casserole baked with melty cheese and served with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado

Easy Taco Casserole

A hearty, cheesy taco casserole layered with seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, salsa, and corn tortillas, baked until hot and bubbly. A crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner ready in just over an hour.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Calories: 401

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 cup yellow or red onion chopped
  • 1 lb ground beef 85% or 90% lean recommended; or ground turkey or ground chicken
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup frozen corn or canned corn drained if canned
  • 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cup jarred salsa divided; medium heat recommended; one 16 oz jar
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend about 8 oz; freshly shredded preferred

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • 13x9-inch baking dish
  • Aluminum foil
  • Cooking spray

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes until softened and translucent.
  3. Add ground beef and cook, crumbling with a spoon, until fully browned with no pink remaining. Drain off any excess grease.
  4. Add chopped red bell pepper and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often, until slightly softened.
  5. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, corn, black beans, and 1 cup of the salsa. Stir to combine and remove the pan from heat.
  6. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup salsa across the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish.
  7. Lay 4 corn tortillas in the dish, overlapping as needed to cover the bottom. Spread two-thirds of the beef mixture on top and sprinkle with one-third of the cheese.
  8. Layer the remaining 4 tortillas on top, then add the rest of the beef mixture and top with remaining cheese.
  9. Spray the underside of a piece of foil with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Cover the dish tightly and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 more minutes until hot, bubbly, and cheese just starts to turn golden at the edges. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Spray foil with cooking spray before covering to prevent cheese from sticking. Corn tortillas hold up better than flour tortillas in this recipe. Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for beef -- add a little extra cumin and chili powder to keep the flavor bold. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze well for up to 2 months. Can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated before baking.