This cheesy Mexican-inspired taco casserole is a simple freezer-friendly dinner you can make ahead of time and heat up later. This recipe also includes freezing and defrosting instructions for those busy weeknights. Whether you make this beef taco casserole for dinner t…

Ingredients

  • lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
  • package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ 25% less sodium taco seasoning mix
  • cup water
  • red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
  • 2 3/4 cups Old El Paso™ Thick ‘n Chunky salsa
  • package (12 oz) frozen whole kernel sweet corn
  • Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas (6 inch)
  • cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)

Steps

  • 1 Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, water and bell pepper strips. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Stir in salsa and corn.
  • 2 Spray 13×9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Cut tortillas in half; place 6 tortilla halves in bottom of baking dish.
  • 3 Top with half of beef mixture (about 3 1/2 cups). Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the cheese and remaining tortilla halves. Top with remaining beef mixture and cheese.
  • 4 Spray piece of foil large enough to cover baking dish with cooking spray. Cover baking dish with foil sprayed side down. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
  • 5 To Make Ahead:Wrap foil-covered casserole in double layer of plastic wrap; label and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and bake:Thaw overnight or until completely thawed in refrigerator. Remove plastic wrap. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is hot (165°F) and cheese is melted. To bake from freezer (no thawing):Heat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes or until center is hot (165°F) and cheese is melted.

Tips from the Pillsbury Kitchens

  • tip 1 If you’re destined for a potluck, make, bake, and freeze the casserole in a 13×9-inch foil pan. Thaw in the fridge the night before so you can just reheat it before heading to the party.
  • tip 2 Tear up a bunch of fresh cilantro for sprinkling on each serving, along with setting out a bowl of sour cream or fresh lime wedges for a little tang to complement the richness of the dish.
  • tip 3 Sub in ground turkey or chicken for the beef—they’re leaner but just as substantial as the beef.

Nutrition Information

350 Calories, 17g Total Fat, 20g Protein, 29g Total Carbohydrate, 5g Sugars

More About This Recipe

  • This taco casserole has all of the best flavors of your favorite taco packed in a 13×9 dish: taco-seasoned ground beef, tortillas, salsa and cheese (plenty of cheese). Plus, it’s freezer-friendly, which is a huge bonus for meal planning. This casserole is one of our most popular dinner dishes on Pillsbury.com, and people love it so much that we decided to make a chicken version of this recipe too (and don’t worry, it can also be stored in the freezer!). Not a huge fan of chicken or ground beef? This taco casserole would also taste delicious if you swapped out the ground beef and replaced it with ground turkey. This top-rated taco casserole is only the beginning. We have so many more taco recipes for you to try next! And when you’re craving even more Mexican meals, we have recipes at the ready for enchiladas and more.