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A casserole is really the homemade version of fast food. The dish can be made ahead and baked before dinner. And if the dish is large enough, there will be leftovers for many meals after. I love a good casserole and this taco squares casserole was always a favorite growing up. In all honesty, this is just like ground meat tacos layered into a lasagna. All that’s needed is the taco toppings (sour cream, salsa, lettuce) and this becomes a meal that can be completely personalized.
Ingredients:
- Ground beef is the main ingredient and flavor for this casserole. Because of this fact, make sure to chose a high-quality, grass-fed meat, which contains more vitamins than grain-fed. Additionally, I opt for 85% lean beef.
- Onion is cooked with the beef to flavor the meat. Instead of sautéing the onion seperately from the meat, cooking them together marries all the flavors.
- Chili powder helps provide the iconic taco-style flavor that’s so important in this recipe. Purchased chili powders often contain a mix of paprika, cumin, oregano, onion, and garlic, which creates such a good balance.
- Cumin is added in addition to the chili powder to give an even greater depth of flavor. Plus, it’s quite impactful.
- Oregano also helps boost the flavor in the chili powder and make it more prominent. Try looking for Mexican oregano.
- Diced tomatoes give a cohesion to the meat. The tomatoes cook with the spices and meat to create something resembling a sauce. This helps the casserole have the ability to hold together when sliced.
- Flour sprinkled over the meat mixture and cooked slightly ensures the casserole will not be soupy. A little bit goes a long way.
- Corn tortillas is the necessary ingredient that truly makes this a taco. The tortillas act as the “noodles,” creating layers in the casserole. To give them a little more flavor and texture, char them slightly, if you have a gas range.
From the ingredients, you can see that this will have a nostalgic flavor and be absolutely delicious, as so many classic recipes are. The best part is that even if you’re not someone who plans ahead, this goes together quickly, making for a meal in an hour!
More casserole recipes
Lasagna Casserole
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Loaded Taco Squares Casserole
1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Crust
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Beef Shepherd’s Pie (Cottage Pie)
1 hour hr
Watch how to make this taco squares casserole
Taco Squares Casserole
This taco squares casserole dish is like a Southwestern version of lasagna. Layers of beef, tortillas, and cheese come together to form cheesy goodness. Plus, it's a pretty quick meal to put together, which makes it perfect for a weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp oregano
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Add the ground beef to a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Break into small pieces, then add the onion and salt. Cook until the meat is browned and the onion is soft, 8-10 minutes.2 lb ground beef, 1 yellow onion, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- Once the meat is cooked, with the skillet still over medium heat add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. Stir and cook for 1 minute and add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes on low. After 5 minutes, sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp oregano, ¾ tsp garlic powder, 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- If a gas stove is available, char the tortillas. Turn a burner on low and set a tortilla on for 30 seconds until slightly blackened. Then flip, repeat, and then remove from the flame. Charing is simply an optional step. If not available, move on to the assembly.
- In the prepared baking dish, add ½ cup of the meat mixture and spread it over the dish. Add 6 tortilla shells, slightly overlapping and covering the bottom of the baking dish. Add half of the meat mixture and spread evenly. Then sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat one time with the remaining tortilla shells, meat mixture, and cheese. At this point, the casserole can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for one day before baking.12 corn tortillas, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake in the preheated oven until warmed through, 30-40 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven, cut into squares, and serve with favorite taco toppings!
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 197kcal
Love this tasty looking recipe 😋! Thank you for your awesome meals. You make it fun to cook.
This delicious, easy recipe is will be a base for many many variations! Thank you for sharing Kaleb! I added a can of mild green Chili’s, made 3 layers instead of two and garnished with black olives on top. Next time I might add frozen corn, or a layer of black beans. And charring the corn tortillas is genius!
Got inspired by your video so made it for dinner. I love how simple it is and yet so good! Thanks for this recipe.👌
Would it work using chicken instead in this Taco square casserole?
Hey Kaleb and Happy New Year!
I’ve been enjoying your videos tremendously! Your positive, upbeat attitude is infectious and your gardening, household tips and of course recipes are wonderful. And…I LOVE your historic Midwest home and all the family traditions you willing share. Yesterday I watched you put this casserole together and thought…YES! I had all the ingredients and we were in need of some comfort food. I made a few spice additions to ramp-up the flavor (cumin seeds, chipotle pepper, smoked paprika and a bit of coriander) as well as fresh garlic, chopped jalapeños, green pepper and a bit of tomato paste while cooking the meat with the onions. I also layered in some pinto and black beans while assembling the casserole (added after the meat and before the cheese). Your base recipe provided a great foundation from which to add that personal touch and build a very satisfying meal! Thank you! This one goes in my recipe file for sure!
Absolutely delicious. I prepared this a day ahead and baked for dinner tonight. I did char the tacos and that adds a good flavor. My family loved it. I can’t wait to make it again.
LOVED this casserole! It came together so quickly and is so good. Thank you!
I cut the recipe in half and made it for my husband and I tonight and we both loved it! It’s so simple and easy to throw together, but it was super yummy. It’s going into the family rotation. Thanks Kaleb!
P.S. Don’t skip on charring the tortillas!
I just loved making and eating this easy recipe. When I was eating it I realized hey it had NO beans and that was a winner winner taco dinner for me. Thanks!
Thank you for this recipe! Made it tonight and was a hit with myself and the family! I so enjoy following you and look forward to making many more of your recipes! Thanks for being a breath of fresh air and happiness!
I love your recipes and watching you cook! Thank you for sharing with everyone.
Second time making this….cut meat in half and added poblano peppers and black beans….delicious!
I really enjoyed the flavor of this. Nextime I will add some black beans. We topped with shredded lettuce and tomatoes along with a dab of sour cream. Perfect winter hot dish!!!
I work at a non-profit. We provide cooked meals to our community. I have to say this is one of the favorite meals that is requested a lot from our guests.
Can you freeze the leftovers? I need casserole recipes where I can freeze leftovers or freeze serving size pieces for future meals.
I made this for dinner and it was delicious! I will definitely make it again and possibly top the casserole with shredded lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes and some green onions.
Awesome recipe, actually I’ve never made one of your recipes that wasn’t a keeper. I always look forward to watching your videos showing each detail of the process. Thank you….keep them coming Kaleb!
I made this tonight and it turned out delicious! It is such an easy meal to make. I don’t have a gas stove, so I toasted the tortillas in a cast iron pan, and it worked! Thank you Kaleb!
love you recipes also the artical in ALLRECIPES ABOUT YOU THANK YOU
This is so yummy! I have made it per the original recipe and also made a variation with browning the ground beef and adding my homemade enchilada sauce to the ground beef…think enchilada casserole…I top this dish with sliced black olives some jalapeños, cilantro and sour creme!
I love casseroles. When I saw you make this one in your video I added it to my list of rotation for meals to make. Today, Sunday, was that day. It’s chilly out, we are home watching movies and I decided to make this Taco Casserole. It was so easy to make, it came out great and tasted delicious! Thank you Kaleb for all of your videos. I love how eclectic you are with your creativeness from decorating, cooking, showing the remodeling of your home, gardening, etc. I would love to see more home decorating ideas, gardening and definitely cooking. I love hearing the stories you tell from your mom or grandmom.
I love this recipe! It’s easy to put together with simple wholesome ingredients and can feed a crowd! I used low carb tortillas which made it keto friendly! 😊 All your recipes I’ve tried are great!
Not ‘Supreme Cuisine,’ but a great recipe to fill tummies and feed a crowd. I did add some extra seasoning as it seemed a bit bland. I added 2 Tablespoons of Costco Taco seasoning and another full tsp. of salt. Just right. I charred the tortillas on my gas grill (watch the video) and really enjoyed the added flavor. This will be perfect for a potluck or crowd and even picky eaters should like it just fine. Try it!
Love this recipe!! It’s a great one to take to people as s meal (we have a meal train in our community) and also serves a family!
I added refried pinto beans on top of the meat sauce. We also top it off with diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce just before serving.
Kaleb is the BEST!!! I LEARN SO MUCH FROM HIS VIDEOS and he also brings a LOT OF JOY!!
My husband and I really liked this recipe. Full disclosure, I used store-bought taco seasoning as I was in a hurry, putting it together. Next time I will use the spices you recommend. And there will definitely be a next time!
Can this dish be frozen for another time, the taco casserold, please let me know, i am making it agan tonight, i did make it before, loved it but tonight i a using tortillas, like i did before and it was great. thankyou colleen dawson
Delicious 😋 my husband’s favorite
One of our favorite casseroles
A staple during football season when we can’t always eat together
Delicious recipe! Added black beans, peppers and corn to get more fiber and veg.
Will definitely make this again!
Looks good enough to try. Now, it’s only 5:20 am, so later.
This was delicious, thank you Kaleb! I did half with the meat recipe and half with shrimp with your seasoning and it was terrific. Thank you!