Walking Taco Casserole
This walking taco casserole is an easy-to-make recipe with layers of crunchy Fritos corn chips, melty cheese, and juicy ground beef loaded up with salsa, tomatoes, and cream cheese.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1½ tablespoons taco seasoning
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes
- ½ cup chunky salsa
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups Fritos corn chips divided: one part whole, second part crushed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnishes:
- 1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- ¼ cup sliced spring onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Prep the onions and Fritos. Peel and dice your onion. Place 1 cup of Fritos corn chips in a zip-lock bag and crush them using a rolling pin.
- Cook the beef. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook the meat until browned. Drain any excess liquid from the beef.
- Add onions. Add the diced onion to the beef and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Season the beef. Add taco seasoning and water. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the canned chopped tomatoes, salsa, and cream cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir gently until the cream cheese is melted, then simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture slightly thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Assemble the casserole. Add 1 cup of whole Fritos chips at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread the beef mixture over the Fritos. Top the beef with cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and crushed Fritos chips.
- Bake. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and slightly golden. Take the casserole out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Serve. Top the casserole with shredded lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced black olives before serving.
Notes
- Add 1 cup of corn and 1 cup of black beans for a different version. This will make the casserole more nutritious.
- If you have refried beans, they can also be added to the casserole.
- If Fritos chips are unavailable, you can substitute them with plain tortilla chips.
- Feel free to experiment with different Fritos chip flavors for a unique twist.
- Allow your casserole to cool for 10 minutes before you add garnishes. The heat from the casserole may ruin delicate lettuce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 714mg | Potassium: 576mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 865IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 295mg | Iron: 3mg
