Taco Casserole with Fritos recipe is an all-in-one meal! With ground beef, corn chips, and toppings, it has all of the flavors of a walking taco wrapped up into a hearty casserole.
Ever heard of a walking taco? It’s a mini bag of Fritos, opened and filled with taco meat and toppings. This Taco Casserole with Fritos is a spin a walking taco, but even easier to make!
I pulled the recipe from a 1980s church cookbook, and it was an absolute winner at my house. The real stand-out to this casserole is the addition of Fritos corn chips. They’ll soften in the casserole but add the perfect Mexican-style flavor to the dish.
If you’re feeling bored with tacos, this is the perfect way to jazz up the flavors and transform Taco Tuesday into a fun dinner!
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My Top tips
- I love serving this casserole with a generous amount of shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes on top. It’s the perfect contrast to the warm, cheesy casserole.
- You can make the casserole up to 24 hours in advance of baking it. See below for more tips on that.
- Don’t like olives? Just leave them out!
- Don’t drain the canned corn! The liquid goes into the casserole.
Ingredients
Check out the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities!
- The casserole starts with a layer of ground beef, onion, and taco seasoning.
- We’ll add olives and canned corn to the casserole itself, and the lettuce and tomato are for the top (after it bakes).
- The tomato sauce and the beef broth create a rich sauce to soften the Fritos corn chips.
- Shredded cheese goes on top!
How to make Taco Casserole with Fritos
Start by browning the ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet. Cook, stirring to break up the beef, until cooked through.
Add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, undrained can of corn, olives, and beef broth. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in the Fritos, and pour in a 13×9 inch casserole dish. The Fritos will soak up the tomato sauce mixture.
Top with the shredded cheese.
Bake the casserole for 25 minutes at 350°F. Then remove from the oven and top with shredded lettuce and chopped tomato. Serve!
Variations and Substitutions
This is a very adaptable casserole! Here are some ideas:
- Don’t like olives? Just leave them out.
- Substitute a can of black beans or pinto beans for the can of corn.
- Substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef.
- Use store-bought pico de gallo for the top instead of the diced tomatoes. A spoonful of guacamole on top is delicious too.
- Make your own taco seasoning with 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
What to do with the leftovers
Leftover Taco Casserole with Fritos can be kept in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or in the oven.
I don’t recommend freezing it, as the texture will be compromised by the freezing/thawing process.
What to serve with Taco casserole
Taco Casserole is a great all-in-one meal, but here are a few ideas to round it out:
- A leafy green salad
- Rotel Guacamole with tortilla chips
- Old Fashioned Cornbread
- Authentic Mexican Rice
- 7 Layer Taco Dip with tortilla chips
📖 Recipe
Taco Casserole with Fritos
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, undrained
- 1 (2¼ oz) can chopped black olives, drained
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 (10 oz) bag Fritos corn chips
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- For the top: shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Place the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the beef is cooked through and the onion is soft.
- Add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, undrained can of corn, olives, and beef broth. Stir to combine and let cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the Fritos. Pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Don’t like olives? You can leave them out.
- You can substitute defrosted frozen corn (1 cup) for the canned corn. Add ⅓ cup water along with the corn if you’re using frozen corn.
- Substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
- Use homemade or store-bought pico de gallo on top, in place of the tomatoes.
trying tonight. can you use onion powder or flakes instead of actual onion?
Yes, absolutely! Start with a half teaspoon and try it once the meat is cooked, then you can more to taste.