Name: 20 Minute Taco Salad Casserole Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef ((or ground turkey)); ¼ onion (diced); ¼ green bell pepper (diced); 1 cup crushed tortilla chips; 16 ounces refried beans (1 can); ½ cup water; 1 ounce taco seasoning mix (1 packet); 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 2 cups shredded lettuce; 2 tomatoes (diced); 2.25 ounces sliced olives (1 can); 1 cup sour cream

Try this 20 minute taco salad casserole recipe when you are low on time. It has a lot of great flavor and will please the whole family.

Mexican dishes are some of our favorite easy family dinner recipes, and our 20 minutes taco salad casserole recipe is no exception!

You can make this ground beef recipe in no time which makes it the perfect busy weeknight meal. Since this is a 20 minute dinner recipe, you can still make it in no time and avoid running through the drive-thru somewhere. (We’ve all been there though!)

Our taco salad casserole is a fun and light take on the classic taco recipe. You can’t make it wrong since you can build a good potion according to what you like! AKA a great recipe for your picky eaters.

If you aren’t in a rush while making this, you can always pair it with some tasty Fully Loaded Guacamole, Creamy Black Bean Salsa, or make it extra simple with our Easy Blender Salsa recipe and then pair them all with your favorite tortilla chips.

Related Recipe: Looking for more easy casserole recipes?! Try this Pizza Pasta Casserole!

Ingredients for 20 Minute Taco Salad Casserole

Ingredients Needed For This 20 Minute Taco Salad Casserole Recipe:

Ground beef (or ground turkey)
Diced onion
Diced green bell pepper
Crushed tortilla chips
Refried beans
Water
Taco seasoning
Shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Sliced olives
Sour cream

How To Make This 20 Minute Taco Salad Casserole Recipe:

Using a large skillet, brown the ground beef with onions and green pepper over medium heat. Stir it occasionally until the ground beef is cooked all the way through.

While you are browning the meat, take the crushed up tortilla strips and spread them in the bottom of a greased 8×8 inch baking dish.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the can of refried beans for about 60 seconds or until they are warmed all the way through.

Then gently spoon the refried beans on top of the crushed up chips and then spread it out amongst the bottom of the pan.

crushed tortillas topped with refried beans in an 8x8 pan

After the meat is done browning, drain the grease and then put the beef back in the skillet with the water and taco seasoning.

Stir everything together until the taco seasoning has dissolved into the water and it is all cooked through.

Then pour the seasoned beef over top of the layer of the refried beans and spread it out evenly.

ground beef on top of crushed tortillas topped with refried beans in an 8x8 pan

Next, top it off with the shredded cheddar cheese and pop it in the broiler for 2-4 minutes until the cheese starts to bubble and is melted.

cheese, meat, beans, and tortilla chips layered in 8x8 pan

Now, add the shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, olives, and sour cream on top and serve it!

To Make This Ground Beef Recipe You Will Need:

Large skillet
Small microwave-safe bowl
Nonstick cooking spray
8×8 inch pan (THIS one is great!)
Strainer

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Can This Be Frozen?

This is not a recipe I would recommend freezing since it does have chips in it. But, if you do try it, let us know how it turns out!

Healthier Choices

If you want to make this meal a little bit healthier, you can swap the ground beef for ground turkey. You can also use plain greek yogurt in place of the sour cream.

Fresh Tortilla Chips

If you have bought yourself an air fryer you have got to try making your own tortilla chips! They would go great with this taco salad recipe.

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