Taco Casserole

A family friendly easy baked taco casserole that has great spiciness just in time for Cinco de Mayo. Think of it as a Mexican comfort food.

My version is somewhat inspired by Taco Pasta Bake at Valerie's Kitchen along with several others. As usual, I had some changes but mostly for personal preference.

Rating

A nice solid 4.

Notes: You need a tomato base of some type. I used Rotel but 3-4 cups of salsa or diced tomatoes and some sauce with green chilies would do also. 

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cook 2 cups of pasta of your choice to the minimum recommended time.

While cooking the paste, work on the taco meat. Start with chopping a small onion.

Over medium high heat add 1 t oil to a nonstick pan. Add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes until clearing.

Add 1 pound of ground beef and continue over medium high heat, breaking the meat apart and cook until browned. About 4-5 minutes.

. Drain the fat.

Drain and rinse on 14 oz can of black beans.

Clean and slice 2-3 green onions. Also crush 1 1/2  cups of tortilla chips to make about 3/4 cup of small bits.

Add the drained black beans, two 10 oz cans of Rotel, and 1/2 cup water. Add 3 T of my homemade taco mix. You can use a package here instead but add 1/2 t garlic powder and use the other recommended components from the package. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes.

Remove from heat. Add pasta and 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese.

 Transfer to a large oven safe baking dish.

Top with the green onion, then the remaining 3/4 cup cheese and crushed chips. Mix the together a little.

Bake until browned. About 25 minutes.

Taco Casserole

by Dan Mikesell April-28-2013

A family friendly easy baked taco casserole that has great spiciness just in time for Cinco de Mayo. Think of it as a Mexican comfort food.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion chopped
• 3 T taco seasoning - home made preferred
• 2 cups pasta
• 2 - 3 green onions cleaned and sliced
• 1 - 14oz can black beans drained and rinsed
• 2 - 10 oz cans Rotel
• 2 cups mexican shredded cheese
• 1 1/2 cup tortilla chips crushed

Instructions

1) Preheat the oven to 350. Cook 2 cups of pasta of your choice to the minimum recommended time.2) While cooking the paste, work on the taco meat. Start with chopping a small onion. Over medium high heat add 1 t oil to a nonstick pan. Add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes until clearing. 3) Add 1 pound of ground beef and continue over medium high heat, breaking the meat apart and cook until browned. About 4-5 minutes. Drain the fat.4) Drain and rinse on 14 oz can of black beans. Clean and slice 2-3 green onions. Also crush 1 1/2 cups of tortilla chips to make about 3/4 cup of small bits.5) Add the drained black beans, two 10 oz cans of Rotel, and 1/2 cup water. Add 3 T of my homemade taco mix. You can use a package here instead but add 1/2 t garlic powder and use the other recommended components from the package. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes.6) Remove from heat. Add pasta and 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Transfer to a large oven safe baking dish. 7) Top with the green onion, then the remaining 3/4 cup cheese and crushed chips. Mix the together a little.8) Bake until browned. About 25 minutes.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 6 servings

Updated

April 28 2013

Dan Mikesell