Walking Taco Casserole
This walking taco casserole is a cheesy taco beef bake layered between crunchy Fritos. A little cream cheese makes the filling creamy, and the top layer of chips goes on at the end so it stays crisp. It’s walking tacos for Taco Tuesday without setting up the chip bags. Make the filling ahead and layer it right before baking. It takes 40 minutes and serves 8.
We love tacos. We love Taco Tuesday. We eat Mexican food all the time.
When I entertain, I do walking tacos with my crockpot taco meat and just buy the bags of chips.
But when it’s just the family, I want something easier than setting up all the bowls and bags. So I make a casserole.
If casseroles are your taco night too, I’ve got a few more right below.
More Taco Night Casseroles
- Frito Pie Casserole – ground beef, Ranch Style beans and Rotel under cheese and Fritos
- Mexican Trash Casserole – cheesy taco beef and Rotel layered with crushed Doritos
- Crockpot Taco Casserole – seasoned beef and potatoes that cook in the slow cooker
- Cowboy Casserole – taco seasoned beef, beans and corn under crispy tater tots
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef – Lean ground beef is best. Ground turkey works too.
Black Beans – I like their size and texture here. Pinto, navy or kidney beans work too.
Taco Seasoning – Store bought or my homemade taco seasoning. Southwest seasoning works too.
Diced Tomatoes – Drain the can really well. Rotel works if you have it.
Fritos – The classic walking taco chip. Other chips work too. See the Doritos section below.
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How To Make Walking Taco Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onion over medium high heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain if you like.
- Add the taco seasoning and water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes so the seasoning gets into the meat.
- Stir in the drained black beans, diced tomatoes, green chilies, cream cheese and taco sauce.
- Spread half the corn chips in the bottom of the dish.
- Top with the beef mixture in an even layer, then the cheddar. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and add the rest of the chips. Bake uncovered for 5 to 10 more minutes, until the edges are bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let it cool for a few minutes, then add your favorite toppings and serve.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Walking Taco Casserole Toppings
Top it like you’d top any taco. I put the toppings out on the side so everybody can grab their favorites.
- sour cream
- salsa
- pico de gallo
- cilantro
- extra shredded cheese
- diced onion or sliced green onions
- jalapeños, pickled or fresh
- black olives
If you want chips and salsa on the side too, my pineapple mango salsa is a nice change.
How To Store, Make Ahead and Freeze Walking Taco Casserole
Make Ahead: Make the filling and keep it in the fridge. Layer the chips, filling and cheese right before baking. You can put the bottom chips in early. They’ll just get soggy, and they won’t crisp up like the top ones.
Leftovers: Let them cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
Freezer: Freeze the cooled filling for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then layer it with the chips and cheese and bake.
Walking Taco Casserole Variations
Leftover Taco Meat – Skip the browning and use leftover taco meat. It makes prep even quicker.
Enchilada Sauce – Swap the taco sauce for red or green enchilada sauce.
Walking Taco Casserole with Doritos
Fritos come in a few flavors now, so use your favorite. My family loves the spicy ones.
Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch Doritos work great too. So do plain tortilla chips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mine is taco seasoned ground beef and onion, black beans, diced tomatoes, green chilies, cream cheese and taco sauce, layered between Fritos and topped with cheddar. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
Open a bag of corn chips, add warm taco meat and your toppings right in the bag, and eat it with a fork. When I’m feeding a crowd, I make my taco meat in the crockpot and just buy the bags of chips.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Drain the beef and the tomatoes really well. Extra liquid sinks to the bottom and makes it soupy.
- Hold back the second half of the chips until the foil comes off. That’s what keeps the top crunchy.
- The bottom chips soften under the filling. That’s normal. The top layer is your crunch.
- Homemade taco seasoning tastes better than store bought.
Sides for Taco Night
- Fiesta Salad – greens, black beans, corn and peppers with a sour cream salsa dressing
- Mexican Street Corn Salad – charred corn with Cotija and lime, off the cob
- Green Chili Corn Casserole – Jiffy corn casserole with green chiles and sharp cheddar
- Skillet Cornbread – cast iron cornbread with crispy edges
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Walking Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ cup onion diced
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 15 ounces black beans rinsed, drained
- 1 ounce taco seasoning 1 packet or 2 tablespoons homemade
- ½ cup water
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes drained
- 4 ounces green chilies chopped
- ¼ cup taco sauce
- 9.25 ounces Fritos corn chips
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non stick spray.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onions, over medium high heat, until no longer pink. Drain if desired.
- To the pan with the onions and beef, add the taco seasoning and water. Cook for 2-3 minutes to get the flavor of the seasoning in the meat.
- Add the drained black beans, diced tomatoes, chopped green chilies, cream cheese, and taco sauce. Stir to combine.
- To the bottom of the baking dish, add half the corn chips.
- Top with the meat mixture and spread into an even layer. Top with cheddar cheese.
- Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Uncover, top with remaining corn chips. Bake uncovered for another 5 -10 minutes or until the edges are bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Add your favorite toppings and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make ahead: Make the filling and refrigerate. Layer the chips, filling and cheese right before baking.
- Leftovers: Airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled filling up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then layer and bake.
- Swaps: Ground turkey for the beef. Pinto, navy or kidney beans for black beans. Rotel for diced tomatoes. Red or green enchilada sauce for taco sauce. Doritos or tortilla chips for Fritos.
- Dish: A 9×13 at least 2 inches deep, or a cast iron pan.
Nutrition
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