Taco Casserole Recipe | Diethood

Loaded with floor beef, rice, cheese, and extra, this crowd-pleaser Taco Casserole is topped with crunchy tortilla chips and smothered in an irresistible selfmade nacho cheese sauce.

You might be in for a critically 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 probably 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 an entire meal.
• Texture. I really 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 simple cleanup.
• Room for experimentation. Play with components to make it your individual. Attempt completely different meat or cheese, think about different toppings, use kind of (or completely different) spices, and many others…

Components & Substitutions

• Additional-virgin olive oil
• Onion
• Lean floor beef: You can use floor turkey or hen 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 can be pretty additions as properly.
• Cooked white rice: I counsel utilizing long-grain rice reminiscent of Jasmine or Basmati. Lengthy-grain brown rice would additionally work.
• Cheese: I used shredded cheddar and shredded Monterey Jack, however you can use what you might have available. Pepper Jack can be scrumptious.
• Bitter cream
• Crushed tortilla chips: If you happen to’d like to make use of Doritos or Fritos, you’ll be able to.
• 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 every other taco topping you’ll be able to consider.

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. Prepare dinner till translucent.
• Brown the meat. Add the meat and sauté till browned and cooked by way of.

• Make it saucy. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and cook dinner for 1 minute. Stir within the tomato paste, adopted by the hen broth, tomato sauce, and seasoning. Convey the combination to a simmer after which cut back the warmth to low. Prepare 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 cook dinner for 1 minute. Stir within the milk and produce the combination to a simmer. Prepare dinner till it thickens a bit, after which stir within the remaining cheese, whisking always. Season with salt and pepper.
• Put all of it collectively. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked casserole and garnish with toppings.

Serving Strategies

This taco casserole is a full meal in and of itself. That being mentioned, I really like serving it with some additional veggie sides. A lightweight salad with my Mild and Creamy Avocado-Lime Salad Dressing or a facet of Elote (Mexican Avenue Corn) can be my prime picks. And, if the temper is true, deal with your self to my Very Berry Margarita Spritzer.

Retailer & Reheat Extras

• To retailer. Word that taco casserole will get soggy because it sits, so it’s greatest to get pleasure from it sooner reasonably than later. Switch any leftovers to an hermetic container (ideally with out the toppings). You may 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 way of. Alternatively, microwave a portion in 30-second intervals till heat.

Extra Simple Casserole Recipes

Casseroles are such a good way to feed a crowd (or simply your family with loads of leftovers). Listed here are just a few of my different favourite cozy casserole recipes to get you thru the winter.