Layered Taco Casserole

This easy layered taco casserole is the ultimate weeknight dinner made with seasoned ground beef, flour tortillas, black beans, green chiles, enchilada sauce, red onion, and lots of melted cheddar cheese. Everything is layered in one baking dish and baked until hot, cheesy, and bubbly—giving you all the flavors of tacos without having to assemble them one at a time.

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If you’re looking for an easy taco casserole with ground beef, this recipe is simple to prep and uses basic ingredients you can find at any grocery store. The flour tortillas soften between layers of enchilada sauce, seasoned taco meat, black beans, and cheese, creating a hearty casserole that’s almost like a taco-inspired lasagna.

It’s especially good for busy weeknights when you want something filling that doesn’t require a lot of hands-on cooking. Plus, you can assemble the casserole ahead of time and add everyone’s favorite taco toppings right before serving

If easy Mexican-inspired dinners are always a hit at your house, try my Crispy Sheet Pan Tacos, Mexican Tater Tot Casserole, or my Taco Tortellini.

Why You’ll Love This Taco Casserole

• Easy to make: Brown the beef, layer everything together, and bake.
• Perfect for busy weeknights: There’s very little prep involved.
• Family-friendly: It’s cheesy, flavorful, and easy to customize.
• Great for leftovers: The layers hold up well when reheated.
• Easy to customize: Add your favorite taco toppings or swap ingredients based on what you have.

Ingredients for Layered Taco Casserole

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy ground beef taco casserole. Exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.

• Ground beef: I like using lean ground beef so the casserole isn’t too greasy.
• Taco seasoning: An easy way to add plenty of taco flavor to the ground beef.
• Green chiles: Add flavor and just a little heat without making the casserole too spicy.
• Flour tortillas: These create the soft layers and make this casserole almost like a Mexican-inspired lasagna.
• Black beans: Drain and rinse them before adding them directly to the casserole layers.
• Red onion: Adds a little bite and texture between the layers.
• Red enchilada sauce: Keeps the tortillas moist while adding tons of flavor.
• Cheddar cheese: Shredded cheddar melts between the layers and creates that bubbly, cheesy topping.

How to Make Layered Taco Casserole

1. Cook the Ground Beef

Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess grease.

Stir the taco seasoning and diced green chiles directly into the cooked beef. You don’t need to add water—the enchilada sauce will give the casserole plenty of moisture.

2. Add Enchilada Sauce

Spread a thin layer of red enchilada sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. This helps keep the bottom layer of tortillas soft as the casserole bakes.

3. Add the Tortillas

Arrange flour tortillas over the enchilada sauce. You can overlap the tortillas slightly or cut them into pieces to completely cover the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Layer the Taco Casserole

Spoon half of the seasoned ground beef and green chile mixture over the tortillas.

Sprinkle black beans and diced red onion evenly over the beef. Drizzle with enchilada sauce and finish with a layer of shredded cheddar cheese.

5. Repeat

Add another layer of flour tortillas followed by the remaining ground beef, black beans, red onion, enchilada sauce, and cheddar cheese.

Finish with a final layer of tortillas, pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle generously with cheddar cheese.

Make sure the top tortillas are coated with sauce, especially around the edges, so they stay soft while baking.

6. Bake

Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue baking for another 5–10 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the cheese is completely melted.

7. Let It Rest

Let the taco casserole rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. This gives the layers time to set and makes it much easier to serve.

Top each serving with sour cream, avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, jalapeños, or your favorite taco toppings.

Expert Tips

• Drain the ground beef. Removing excess grease keeps the casserole from becoming oily.
• Don’t add water to the taco meat. There’s enough moisture from the enchilada sauce.
• Drain and rinse the black beans well. Extra liquid can make the tortilla layers soggy.
• Cover the tortillas with sauce. Pay special attention to the top layer and edges so they don’t dry out in the oven.
• Let it rest before cutting. Give the casserole about 10 minutes to set before serving.
• Shred your own cheese if you have time. Freshly shredded cheddar melts especially well.

Variations

• Make it spicy: Add sliced jalapeños, hot green chiles, or a little cayenne to the ground beef.
• Use ground turkey: Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
• Change the cheese: Try Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, Mexican blend cheese, or a combination of cheeses.
• Add corn: Sprinkle drained corn between the layers with the black beans.
• Leave out the beans: You can easily make this casserole without black beans.
• Add more veggies: Bell peppers, corn, or sautéed onions would all work well.
• Use corn tortillas: Swap the flour tortillas for corn tortillas for a slightly different texture and flavor.

What to Serve with Taco Casserole

This casserole is filling enough to serve on its own, but you can turn it into a complete Mexican-inspired dinner with tortilla chips and salsa, Mexican rice, cilantro lime rice, guacamole, corn salad, or a simple green salad.

I also love putting out bowls of sour cream, diced avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, jalapeños, and extra red onion so everyone can add their favorite toppings.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: Assemble the taco casserole, cover it tightly, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. For the best texture, I recommend assembling it no more than a day ahead.

Refrigerator: Store leftover taco casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or cover the casserole with foil and warm it in the oven until heated through.

Freezer: You can also freeze the baked casserole. Let it cool completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to add water to taco seasoning for taco casserole?

No. For this taco casserole, you can stir the taco seasoning directly into the cooked ground beef. The enchilada sauce provides plenty of moisture once everything is layered and baked.

Can I use flour tortillas in a taco casserole?

Yes! Flour tortillas work especially well in layered taco casserole because they soften as they bake with the enchilada sauce. They create layers similar to lasagna noodles while still giving the casserole plenty of taco flavor.

How do you keep taco casserole from getting soggy?

Drain the ground beef well and make sure your black beans are completely drained and rinsed. You want enough enchilada sauce to keep the tortillas soft without adding unnecessary liquid to the filling.

You’ll Also Love

If you love easy, cheesy dinners like this one, try these next:

• Easy No-Bean Chili
• Creamy One-Pot Beef and Shells
• Dump-and-Bake No-Boil Spaghetti
• Easy Italian Stromboli