Walking Taco Casserole transforms the beloved portable snack into a family-style feast that’s perfect for casual entertaining. This crowd-pleasing dish layers seasoned ground beef, crunchy corn chips, and melted cheese with fresh toppings for a fun twist on traditional tacos. It delivers all the flavor and excitement of individual walking tacos in an easy-to-serve format that’s perfect for feeding a crowd.
Walking Taco Casserole: A Fun Family-Style Fiesta
Transform the beloved Walking Taco Casserole into a crowd-pleasing casserole that brings all the fun of the fair food favorite to your dinner table. This ingenious dish takes the concept of a portable taco-in-a-bag and turns it into a hearty, shareable casserole that’s perfect for family dinners, game day gatherings, or potluck parties. It captures all the flavors and textures that make walking tacos so irresistible – seasoned ground beef, crispy corn chips, melted cheese, and fresh toppings – but presents them in a format that’s perfect for feeding a crowd.
What makes this Walking Taco Casserole particularly special is its ability to bring people together. Just like its portable inspiration, it maintains that perfect balance of flavors and textures while adding the comfort factor of a home-cooked meal. The layers of seasoned meat, crushed chips, and cheese create a delightful combination of textures – crunchy, creamy, and meaty all at once. The beauty of this dish lies in its versatility; it can be customized with different toppings to suit everyone’s preferences, making it a sure hit at any gathering.
The Walking Taco Casserole also solves the practical challenges of serving individual walking tacos to a group. Instead of juggling multiple bags and toppings, everything comes together in one dish that can be served hot and fresh from the oven. It’s a time-saver that doesn’t compromise on the fun factor that makes walking tacos so popular in the first place.
Storage Options
- Refrigerator: Store base mixture up to 3 days
- Freezer: Base mixture can be frozen up to 2 months
- Best served: Fresh and hot
- Make ahead: Prepare meat mixture in advance
- Note: Add chips and toppings just before serving
Summary
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 8-10
- Difficulty Level: Easy
Equipment
- 9×13 inch baking dish
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Can opener
- Cheese grater
- Aluminum foil
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 packets taco seasoning
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 onion, diced
For Assembly:
- 2 bags (9.25 oz each) Doritos or corn chips, slightly crushed
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 diced tomatoes
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 diced avocado
- Sliced black olives
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the base:
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Brown ground beef with diced onion
- Drain excess fat
- Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package
- Build the mixture:
- Stir in black beans
- Add diced tomatoes with juice
- Mix in corn kernels
- Simmer for 5 minutes
- Layer the casserole:
- Spread half the crushed chips in baking dish
- Top with meat mixture
- Sprinkle with half the cheese
- Add remaining chips
- Top with remaining cheese
- Bake:
- Cover with foil
- Bake for 20 minutes
- Remove foil
- Bake additional 5 minutes until cheese melts
- Add toppings:
- Let rest 5 minutes
- Top with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream
- Add avocado, olives, and cilantro
- Serve with lime wedges
Notes
- Keep chips slightly crushed, not pulverized
- Don’t add toppings until ready to serve
- Can substitute ground turkey for beef
- Add jalapeños for extra heat
- Use different chip flavors for variety
- Make it vegetarian with extra beans and corn
- Prepare meat mixture day ahead if desired
- Set up topping bar for customization
- Leftovers won’t retain chip crunch
- Great for potlucks and game day
- Can be made in disposable aluminum pan