Taco night just got a major upgrade! This walking taco casserole recipe brings all the fun and flavor of sheet pan tacos, but in a scoopable, fork-friendly format, perfect for eating on the go! This crunchy, cheesy, satisfying casserole is easy to make and perfect for pool parties, BBQs, and last-minute dinners.
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This walking taco casserole recipe is the epitome of comfort food. All the familiar flavors of Tex-Mex mingled together in a heaping pile of meat, cheese, chips, and veggies. You may have also heard it referred to as "Frito pie."
This casserole is a one-pan take on "walking tacos", which are typically made by mixing taco meat, cheese, and all the fixings into a bag of Fritos. The result is a crunchy, spicy, cheesy side dish or appetizer that everyone will love!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You can easily customize this dish to include all your favorite taco flavors and ingredients.
- This walking taco casserole recipe is ready in under an hour.
- This recipe satisfies that taco craving, but is a lot less messy, especially when enjoyed with the kids.
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground beef: Ground turkey or ground chicken could work as well. You can also use TVP (textured vegetable protein) for a meat-friendly alternative with a similar taste and texture.
- Taco seasoning: I use pre-made seasoning here, but this homemade chicken taco seasoning can be whipped up in just a few minutes.
- Green chilies: Alternatively, you could use ¼ can of Rotel, but I prefer just plain chilies because diced tomatoes can result in a watery texture.
- Cheese: I like to use a combination of shredded cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and nacho cheese, but you can also use Velveeta, cotija cheese, or whatever you usually like with your tacos.
- Fritos: I prefer Chili Cheese Fritos, but plain corn chips work just as well. You can also use Doritos.
- Serranos: You can also use jalapenos or omit them to lower the spice level.
- Tomatoes: I like to use halved cherry tomatoes, but you can use diced Roma or beefsteak tomatoes too.
- Cilantro crema: I highly suggest making this creamy cilantro lime sauce, but you can also opt for other sauces like creamy guacamole, fire roasted salsa, green tomato salsa, or chipotle crema.
- Other topping options: Easy Mexican black beans, pinto beans, pico de gallo, avocado, sliced black olives, or your other favorite taco toppings.
🌮 How To Make A Walking Taco Casserole
Preheat oven to 375°F
Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add ground beef and diced onions. Cook until the meat is browned and the onions are translucent, then drain the excess grease and mix in the seasonings with ⅔ cup of water. Cook until the water is reduced.
Step 2: Line a 9"x13" casserole dish with meat mixture, then top with diced green chilies, nacho cheese, and shredded cheese.
Step 3: Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Layer corn chips, shredded iceberg lettuce, sour cream, and cilantro lime sauce.
Pro Tip: To get the perfect drizzle, you can use small piping bags or add sour cream and cilantro crema to ziplock bags and cut off a small portion of one corner to create a makeshift piping bag.
Step 4: Top the whole thing off with sliced cherry tomatoes, serranos, and green onions, then serve.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
A walking taco casserole is a one-dish spin on "walking tacos", a deconstructed taco made by mixing taco ingredients into individual-sized Frito bags.
Because they're served in individual snack bags, walking tacos are easy to eat while walking at fairs, sporting events, parties, etc.
Fritos and Doritos work best because they hold up well. Tortilla chips can also work, but they're more likely to get soggy.
80% lean, 20% fat is generally considered ideal for taco meat, but 85% lean is good too because it is slightly less greasy but still flavorful.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- You can prepare this dish ahead of time, but I recommend adding the chips and toppings right before serving so they stay fresh.
- If you're sharing with kids or picky eaters, you can serve the toppings in individual bowls and let everyone assemble their own portions.
- Leftovers can be stored for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store chips separately, if possible, for a better texture.
- The base of the casserole is freezer-safe, but I wouldn't try freezing portions that have chips or veggies on top.
- You can reheat leftovers by microwaving or heating in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through (smaller portions may require less time).
🌶️ More Taco Recipes
If you enjoy this walking taco casserole, check out these related posts!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add ground beef and diced onions. Cook until meat is browned and onions are translucent, then drain excess grease and mix in seasonings with ⅔ cup water and cook until water is reduced.
- Line a 9x13 baking dish with meat mixture, then top with diced green chilies, nacho cheese, and shredded cheese.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Layer corn chips, shredded iceberg lettuce, sour cream, and cilantro lime sauce.
- Top the whole thing off with sliced cherry tomatoes, serranos, and green onions, then serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- To get the perfect drizzle, you can use small piping bags or add sour cream and cilantro crema to ziplock bags and cut off a small portion of one corner to create a makeshift piping bag.
- You can prepare this dish ahead of time, but I recommend adding the chips and toppings right before serving so they stay fresh.
- If you're sharing with kids or picky eaters, you can serve the toppings in individual bowls and let everyone assemble their own portions.
- Leftovers can be stored for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store chips separately, if possible, for a better texture.
- The base of the casserole is freezer-safe, but I wouldn't try freezing portions that have chips or veggies on top.
- You can reheat leftovers by microwaving or heating in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through (smaller portions may require less time).
Nena Sterner says
We hope you enjoy this recipe!