Description
Cheesy Taco Bake brings pure comfort right to your dinner table with layers of seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and crispy tortilla edges. Family members grab their forks and dive into this hearty casserole that makes weeknight meals deliciously simple.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 can (15 ounces) refried beans
- 2 cups tortilla chips (crushed)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Supporting Ingredients:
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup sour cream
Optional Ingredients:
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, preparing a cozy environment for your delicious meal.
- Grab a skillet and cook 1 lb ground beef over medium heat until completely brown, ensuring no pink remains.
- Drain the excess grease from the beef, keeping the pan clean and the meat lean.
- Stir 1 packet of taco seasoning and 1 cup salsa into the beef, mixing thoroughly for 2 minutes to develop robust flavors.
- Take a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread 1 can of refried beans evenly across the bottom, creating a smooth base.
- Crush 2 cups of tortilla chips directly over the beans, breaking them into small, crunchy pieces.
- Spread the seasoned beef mixture carefully over the chip layer, ensuring even distribution.
- Dollop 1 cup of sour cream across the beef, creating a creamy blanket.
- Sprinkle 1 cup each of shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese generously over the sour cream.
- Slide the dish into the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 22 minutes until the cheese melts completely.
- Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for 3-4 minutes, allowing the layers to settle.
- Optional: Garnish with diced onions or green chiles for extra zest before serving.
Notes
- Make this dish gluten-free by swapping regular tortilla chips for corn tortilla chips and checking taco seasoning ingredients.
- For a lighter version, replace ground beef with ground turkey or use black beans as a vegetarian protein alternative.
- Keep your baking dish close to the bottom of the oven for crispier chip layers and more even cheese melting.
- Prep all ingredients before starting to cook helps create a smooth assembly process and reduces overall cooking stress.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 467 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 830 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg