Loaded with floor beef, rice, cheese, and extra, this crowd-pleaser Taco Casserole is topped with crunchy tortilla chips and smothered in an irresistible home made nacho cheese sauce.
You might be in for a significantly savory, extremely scrumptious deal with. This taco casserole is comprised of completely browned floor beef, rice, and loads of cheese, all in a fantastically seasoned creamy tomato sauce topped with a layer of crunchy tortilla chips and maybe essentially the most wonderful nacho cheese topping ever. From the nostalgia of the cheese sauce to the crunch of the chips to the ooey-gooey taco-esque filling, this casserole is unmissable.
Why You’ll Love This Taco Casserole Recipe
- Nice taste. Who doesn’t love nachos? This casserole takes all the flavors of your favourite Mexican appetizer and turns them into a whole meal.
- Texture. I like the crunch of the tortilla chips sandwiched between the hearty, gooey beef filling and the velvety nacho cheese.
- One pan surprise. Do your whole sauteing, simmering, and baking in a single giant ovenproof skillet for straightforward cleanup.
- Room for experimentation. Play with elements to make it your individual. Attempt totally different meat or cheese, contemplate different toppings, use roughly (or totally different) spices, and many others…
Components & Substitutions
- Further-virgin olive oil
- Onion
- Lean floor beef: You may use floor turkey or rooster should you’d like.
- All-purpose flour
- Tomato paste
- Hen broth: Be at liberty to make use of beef or veggie inventory as a substitute.
- Tomato sauce
- Seasonings: Chili powder, cumin, paprika, and pepper. Smoked paprika and/or oregano could be pretty additions as properly.
- Cooked white rice: I counsel utilizing long-grain rice equivalent to Jasmine or Basmati. Lengthy-grain brown rice would additionally work.
- Cheese: I used shredded cheddar and shredded Monterey Jack, however you possibly can use what you have got readily available. Pepper Jack could be scrumptious.
- Bitter cream
- Crushed tortilla chips: Should you’d like to make use of Doritos or Fritos, you possibly can.
- Butter
- Milk
- Toppings: I went with tomatoes, avocado, sizzling sauce, and inexperienced onions, however be at liberty to make use of black olives, pickled jalapeños, black beans, or some other taco topping you possibly can consider.
Tips on how to Make a Taco Casserole
- Prep. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Saute the onions. Warmth the oil in a big ovenproof skillet over medium warmth and add the onions. Cook dinner till translucent.
- Brown the meat. Add the meat and sauté till browned and cooked by means of.
- Make it saucy. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and prepare dinner for 1 minute. Stir within the tomato paste, adopted by the rooster broth, tomato sauce, and seasoning. Carry the combination to a simmer after which scale back the warmth to low. Cook dinner for 10 minutes.
- Bulk it up. Stir within the rice, 1/2 cup cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, and bitter cream.
- Bake. Cowl the filling with tortilla chips and bake for 18 to twenty minutes.
- Make nacho cheese sauce. Soften the butter over medium warmth. Whisk within the remaining flour and prepare dinner for 1 minute. Stir within the milk and produce the combination to a simmer. Cook dinner till it thickens a bit, after which stir within the remaining cheese, whisking continuously. Season with salt and pepper.
- Put all of it collectively. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked casserole and garnish with toppings.
Serving Options
This taco casserole is a full meal in and of itself. That being stated, I like serving it with some further veggie sides. A light-weight salad with my Gentle and Creamy Avocado-Lime Salad Dressing or a facet of Elote (Mexican Avenue Corn) could be my prime picks. And, if the temper is correct, deal with your self to my Very Berry Margarita Spritzer.
Tips on how to Retailer & Reheat Extras
- To retailer. Observe that taco casserole will get soggy because it sits, so it’s finest to get pleasure from it sooner somewhat than later. Switch any leftovers to an hermetic container (ideally with out the toppings). You possibly can retailer it within the fridge for as much as 3 days or within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
- To reheat. Switch the leftover taco casserole to a baking dish, cowl with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or till heated by means of. Alternatively, microwave a portion in 30-second intervals till heat.
Extra Simple Casserole Recipes
Casseroles are such an effective way to feed a crowd (or simply your family with loads of leftovers). Listed below are a couple of of my different favourite cozy casserole recipes to get you thru the winter.
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Preheat oven to 375˚F.
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Warmth oil In a big oven-proof skillet over medium warmth.
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Add onion and prepare dinner for two minutes or till it begins to melt.
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Stir within the floor beef and, utilizing a wood spoon, break up the meat, and prepare dinner till the meat is browned and cooked by means of. Drain the fats and return the pan to the burner.
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Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and prepare dinner for 1 minute, then add tomato paste and stir to mix.
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Add rooster broth, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
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Carry the combination to a simmer. Cut back warmth to low and let simmer 10 minutes.
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Stir within the cooked rice, 1/2 cup cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, and bitter cream.
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Prime with tortilla chips and bake till the highest is golden brown, about 18 to twenty minutes.
Within the meantime, make the cheese sauce:
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Soften the butter in a small saucepan over medium warmth.
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Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons flour and prepare dinner for a couple of minute.
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Stir within the milk and produce to a simmer.
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When milk begins to thicken, stir within the remaining 2 cups of cheddar, whisking continuously till the sauce is clean. Season with salt and pepper.
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When the casserole comes out of the oven, pour the cheese sauce over the tortilla chips.
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Garnish the casserole with inexperienced onions, drizzle with sizzling sauce, and serve.
Energy: 514 kcal | Carbohydrates: 37 g | Protein: 29 g | Fats: 27 g | Saturated Fats: 14 g | Ldl cholesterol: 92 mg | Sodium: 761 mg | Potassium: 655 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 5 g | Vitamin A: 1225 IU | Vitamin C: 5.9 mg | Calcium: 405 mg | Iron: 3.4 mg
Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values might fluctuate in response to the elements and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
