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 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.
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.
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.
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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Let us give you your time back. With the Six Sisters’ Meal Plans, we do the dinner planning, grocery ordering, and then all you have to do is decide whether to pick them up or have them delivered.
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.
With Cumb Top Baking’s recipe for how to make air fryer tortilla chips, you can make tortilla chips fast and easy!
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Want More Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes like this Taco Salad Casserole?!
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- Easy 20-Minute Skillet Lasagna Recipe
- 20-Minute Skillet Pork Lo Mein Recipe
- 20 Minute Taco Cups Recipe
- John Wayne Casserole
- Instant Pot Cheesy Beef Taco Pasta
20 Minute Taco Salad Casserole Recipe
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
Instructions
- In a large skillet brown the ground beef with onion and green pepper over medium heat, stirring occasionally until meat is completely cooked.
- While the meat is browning, spread 1 cup crushed tortilla strips in the bottom of a greased 8 x 8 inch pan.
- Heat the refried beans in a small, microwaveable bowl (about 60 seconds) until they are warmed through. Spread the refried beans gently over the top of the tortilla chips.
- Once the meat is browned, drain and return to stove. Add 1/2 cup of water and taco seasoning to the meat mixture, and stir until completely combined.
- Pour browned meat mixture over the top of the refried beans.
- Top with cheddar cheese, and then broil in the oven for 2-4 minutes (until the cheese is melted and starts to bubble).
- Top with lettuce, tomatoes, olives and sour cream.
Notes
- Use ground turkey and greek yogurt to lighten up this dish
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
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When I was pregnant I CRAVED Mexican food – this sounds delicious. Love that it is quick, too!
I hope all continues to go well with your pregnancy. Do you know the babies’ genders ?
You are so sweet! Thank you so much! We are expecting two girls!!! 🙂
I love TACO, but i I see for the first time in this edition. 20 minutes it’s look great to do.
This looks very good and anzious to try. I do have a small problem. Seems that I can never Pin anything from your site. When I try it says “Oops…Sorry we could not fetch the image.” I don’t know if anyone else has this same problem.
Hi Janice, we switched servers a few weeks ago and we are still having a few issues. Our Pin It button is one of the ongoing issues. Hopefully we will have it up and running soon. Thanks for your patience.
My family dislikes refried beans so I substituted black beans and was happy with the results. Has anyone tried this as a freezer meal? I’m concerned the chips would get soggy.
Can regular tortilla chips be used instead of tortilla strips?
Sure, you can definitely use tortilla chips. They are bigger than the strips, but taste the same.
I also craved Mexican with both of my pregnancies. So much that my hubby said the baby was going to be born saying “ole “
What is the carbs in this recipe im on a low carb diet i love tacos is it low carb friendly
Just wondering the calories you listed, is that for what serving size? Looks delicious I want to make but am watching my calorie intake so was needing the serving size thanks!
Fast, easy, and super satisfying! This taco salad casserole is perfect for family dinner.