Frito Taco Casserole

This easy Frito Taco Casserole is packed with seasoned ground beef, melty cheddar cheese, zesty taco flavors, and crunchy Fritos for the ultimate comfort food dinner. It's a family-friendly casserole that's perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, church suppers, and game day gatherings.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican Inspired

Keyword frito-taco-casserole, taco-casserole-recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 612kcal

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1 medium sweet onion or yellow onion
1 small jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
2 cups mild, medium or hot salsa
1 cup beef stock or beef broth
1 1 oz packet taco seasoning
1 Tbsp dark chili powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1 15 oz can black beans or pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 cup corn kernels well drained (optional)
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided use
1 9.25 oz bag fritos corn chips
Toppings: Shredded lettuce, Diced, tomatoes, Sour cream, Sliced jalapeños, Diced avocado, Green onions, Salsa, Cilantro

Instructions

Preheat the oven to375°F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, onion and jalapeno in olive oil until the beef is browned and no pink remains, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess grease from pan, if needed.
To the pan add salsa, beef stock, taco seasoning, chili powder, garlic salt and lemon pepper. Stir well and simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
Add beans and corn, if using. Stir to combine. Simmer 2-3 minutes.
In prepared baking dish spread half of the Fritos evenly across the bottom, sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese. Top with the taco meat mixture and sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese.
Transfer dish to preheated oven and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, top with reserved 1 cup cheese and fritos. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
Scoop and serve with a dollop of sour cream and your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

Protein - You could use ground chicken or ground turkey for the meat layer.
Cheese - You can use mild cheddar cheese colby jack cheese, monterey jack cheese or spicy pepper jack cheese.
Chips - You could use chili cheese fritos, scoops, crushed Doritos or regular tortilla chips.
Salsa - A thick salsa works best in this taco casserole. You can use mild salsa, medium salsa or hot salsa according to your personal taste.
Rotel Tomatoes - You could use Rotel tomatoes in place of salsa.
Beans - You can use different beans in place of black beans, swapping them out for pinto beans or light red kidney beans. You could also dollop refried beans on the ground beef layer.
Sweet Corn - Corn is optional but it adds a slight sweetness and texture.
Taco Seasoning - If you'd like to make your own taco seasoning see my recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning here.
Favorite Taco Toppings - The sky's the limit with toppings! Top with sour cream or a drizzle of crema, black olives, pico de gallo, diced onion, tomato or cilantro. Add diced avocado or guacamole.

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