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Beef Tortilla Taco Casserole

Prep 30 min
Total 1 hr 15 min
Ingredients 8
Servings 8

We're pretty much obsessed with make-ahead meals at Pillsbury, so we created this cheesy Mexican-inspired casserole specifically to be a freezer-friendly dinner. (We've even included instructions for baking it straight from the freezer as well as defrosting it first.) So whether you make it for dinner tonight or prep it now for a time-saving freezer meal later, you're guaranteed delicious results. MORE+ LESS-

By Pillsbury Kitchens

Updated October 25, 2018

Make with

Old El Paso

Ingredients

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ 25% less sodium taco seasoning mix

2/3

cup water

red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips

2 3/4

cups Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa

package (12 oz) frozen whole kernel sweet corn

Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas (6 inch)

cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)

Steps

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1

Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, water and bell pepper strips. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Stir in salsa and corn.
2

Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Cut tortillas in half; place 6 tortilla halves in bottom of baking dish.
3

Top with half of beef mixture (about 3 1/2 cups). Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the cheese and remaining tortilla halves. Top with remaining beef mixture and cheese.
4

Spray piece of foil large enough to cover baking dish with cooking spray. Cover baking dish with foil sprayed side down. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
5

To Make Ahead:Wrap foil-covered casserole in double layer of plastic wrap; label and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and bake:Thaw overnight or until completely thawed in refrigerator. Remove plastic wrap. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is hot (165°F) and cheese is melted. To bake from freezer (no thawing):Heat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes or until center is hot (165°F) and cheese is melted.

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Expert Tips

If you’re destined for a potluck, make, bake, and freeze the casserole in a 13x9-inch foil pan. Thaw in the fridge the night before so you can just reheat it before heading to the party.
Tear up a bunch of fresh cilantro for sprinkling on each serving, along with setting out a bowl of sour cream or fresh lime wedges for a little tang to complement the richness of the dish.
Sub in ground turkey or chicken for the beef—they’re leaner but just as substantial as the beef. Or skip the ground meat and swap in a drained 15-oz. can (or two) of black, pinto, or chili beans for a meatless meal.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 350
Calories from Fat: 150

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 17g; 26%
Saturated Fat 9g 44% Trans Fat 1/2g
Cholesterol: 60mg; 20%
Sodium: 990mg; 41%
Potassium: 260mg; 7%
Total Carbohydrate: 29g; 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11% Sugars 5g
Protein: 20g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 15%; 15%
Vitamin C: 15%; 15%
Calcium: 25%; 25%
Iron: 15%; 15%

Exchanges:

1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1 High-Fat Meat; 0 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choice

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

This taco casserole has all of the best flavors of your favorite taco packed in a 13x9 dish: taco-seasoned ground beef, tortillas, salsa and cheese (plenty of cheese). Plus, it’s freezer-friendly, which is a huge bonus for meal planning. This casserole is one of our most popular dinner dishes on Pillsbury.com, and people love it so much that we decided to make a chicken version of this recipe too (and don’t worry, it can also be stored in the freezer!). Not a huge fan of chicken or ground beef? This taco casserole would also taste delicious if you swapped out the ground beef and replaced it with ground turkey. This top-rated taco casserole is only the beginning. We have so many more taco recipes for you to try next! And when you’re craving even more Mexican meals, we have recipes at the ready for enchiladas and more.