Kid-Friendly Dinner: Beef & Bean Taco Casserole

I LOVE Mexican food. No, I don't just love it, I'm OBSESSED with it! In fact, I probably serve a Mexican recipe for dinner at least once a week. And since I have little kiddos at home, tacos are always a fan favorite. But the problem with serving tacos to little ones is that they are so hard for them to eat! Hard shell tacos break and fall apart after the first bite, and soft shell tacos never end up staying rolled and all the filling falls out.

Here is my solution: Taco Casserole.

My Mom served this to my sister and I all the time growing up, and it's perfect for messy kids and messy husbands alike (sorry Hunny). In fact, when I came home from the hospital after giving birth to my son, Wyatt, my Mom asked what she could make for dinner while she was staying with us. Out of all the recipes in the world I could choose from, all I could think about to make my poor, abused body feel better, was Mom's Taco Casserole. It's the epitome of comfort food from my childhood.

I recently saw a recipe from Six Sister's Stuff for Beef and Bean Taco Casserole, and I decided to make a couple upgrades to Mom's original recipe. Here's my version:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook 1 pound of lean ground beef until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any fat.

Stir in one 16 ounce can refried beans,

one 16 ounce jar salsa,

and one packet taco seasoning. Reduce heat to low, and cook 3-4 minutes until mixture is heated through.

Meanwhile, crush 2 1/2 cups of tortilla chips.

 Spread all but 1/2 cup of the chips in the bottom of an ungreased 2 quart baking dish.

Evenly spread the meat mixture over the chips. 

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top of the casserole. Pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese would also be good options. 

Then top the casserole with the remaining tortilla chips. 

Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until casserole is hot and cheese is melted.

Now choose your garnishes. We like chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce, but you could also use chopped green onions, sliced black olives, diced green pepper, or whatever you like on your taco!

Load your toppings onto the casserole, 

And serve yourself a nice portion. 

Oh yeah, and your family too.

I like mine topped with a good dollop of sour cream. 

This Taco Casserole next to a good helping of Mexican Rice (recipe to come soon!) is a plate of heaven.

Your children will inhale this casserole! It's a quick and easy way to please the whole family, and you can easily customize this recipe to suit your family's taste: omit the refried beans and salsa, substitute taco sauce for the beans and salsa, add chopped onion to your ground beef, switch up the cheeses... whatever you like! Promise me you'll try this one... It will surely go in your go-to meal rotation!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe!

Beef & Bean Taco Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef

One 16 ounce can refried beans

One 16 ounce jar salsa

1 packet taco seasoning

2 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Garnishes: chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook ground beef until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any fat. Stir in refried beans, salsa, and taco seasoning. Reduce heat to low and cook 3-4 minutes, until mixture is heated through. Spread 2 cups of the crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of an ungreased 2 quart baking dish. Evenly layer the meat mixture on top of the chips. Sprinkle cheese and remaining tortilla chips on top of the casserole. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until casserole is hot and cheese is melted. Top with tomato, lettuce and sour cream.

*If you're not a fan of beans, substitute 1 cup of taco sauce for the refried beans and salsa

Other garnish options: chopped green onions, sliced black olives, or diced green pepper.

Enjoy!