Taco Casserole

A hearty, cheesy taco casserole layered with seasoned ground beef, chili beans, sour cream, and cheddar cheese over a crunchy tortilla chip base. Ready in just over an hour and packed with 32 grams of protein per serving.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings: 6 portions

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex

Calories: 632

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef 90/10 blend recommended
2 cups salsa store-bought or homemade, medium heat recommended
16 oz can chili beans drained
3 cups tortilla chips crushed into small but not too fine pieces
2 cups sour cream full-fat or low-fat both work
2 oz can sliced black olives drained
0.5 cup green onion chopped
0.5 cup fresh tomato chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese freshly shredded melts best

Equipment

9x13 inch baking dish
large skillet
Cooking spray

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the ground beef, breaking it apart, until browned and cooked through with no pink remaining, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat.
Stir in the salsa and reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered until the liquid is fully absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the drained chili beans and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until heated through.
Spread the crushed tortilla chips in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon the beef and bean mixture evenly over the chip layer.
Spread the sour cream evenly over the beef mixture. Sprinkle the black olives, green onions, and chopped tomatoes on top.
Cover everything with an even layer of shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden at the edges and the casserole is bubbling throughout. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Add a packet of taco seasoning to the beef while cooking for extra flavor. For a lighter version, use low-fat sour cream and reduced-fat cheese. Ground turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken can be substituted for ground beef. Add a 6 oz can of chopped green chiles to the meat mixture for extra heat. Make sure all liquid is absorbed from the beef mixture before layering to keep the chip base firm.