RECIPE: Taco Bake Casserole
This has quickly become a staple in our home. It is easy and the boys love it.
The combination of tacos and macaroni and cheese in this Taco Bake Recipe is perfect for any child’s palate! This is one of my favorite easy casserole recipes!
No worries about sharp and crunchy chips, just delicious Tex Mex flavors.
Be sure to check out my easy ground beef recipes! Everyone in my family loves how quick and simple this easy dish is!
You’ll love having simple and easy recipes to make! My family loves easy recipes a lot – so be sure to also give this Rotel Cheese Dip with Ground Beef Recipe a try!
Specialty Ingredients:
The following ingredients are affiliate links on Amazon because they may be a bit hard to find in your normal store. I wanted you to be able to see exactly which things we are using.
Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
Taco Seasoning Mix – or make your own following this great Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe from Crystal and Comp
For your next Taco Tuesday, blow the minds of your family. Switch things up from plain Tacos and serve this delicious Taco Bake recipe!
Make it Meal:
Chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownies
I got this recipe from a Kraft Foods recipe and changed it just a hair for my family… we like more cheese than they called for and we love the 5-cheese mexi mix.
Guess what… this taco inspired casserole freezes very well. So, you could make a few of them and stash them away until your next busy evening!
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More Delicious Taco Recipes:
Impossibly Skinny Taco Pie
Over 55 Unique Taco Inspired Recipes
Tacos for breakfast? Yes, please! This recipe from Crystal and Comp is sure to delight those taco-loving family members of yours!
Tender Instant Pot Tilapia Lime Tacos
What are good toppings for taco-inspired dishes?
Toppings are an important factor in creating the perfect taco-inspired dish. For those who want to maximize that all-important ‘taco’ flavor, cooking and topping with classic ingredients like cilantro, lime juice, red onions, and jalapeños is a must.
If spices are more your thing, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika can add a nice kick.
To top it off (literally!), shredded cheese, sour cream, and guacamole can be sprinkled over the finished dish. Pico de gallo (chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro) or salsa are also among the classic choices for taco toppings; if you want something different though, roasted corn or black beans may be worth exploring.
Whatever toppings you choose, however, make sure they enhance your dish’s taste by adding some crunch or creaminess. With such an array of options at hand, there’s no reason every taco-inspired creation shouldn’t be a mouthwatering success!
What type of prep work can be done before cooking meals?
Before cooking a meal, it is important to engage in the prep work necessary to produce an excellent result. Such prep work often includes stocking one’s pantry with the ingredients needed to make the desired dish, taking out and measuring any spices or seasonings that are to be used, chopping vegetables and herbs or portions of meat if necessary, and preheating ovens.
Before actually beginning the physical act of cooking, any steps that could occur should be undertaken beforehand for foods to be cooked swiftly and efficiently.
Additionally, it is essential to ensure that one has all of their cooking tools ready, such as mixing bowls, colanders, spoons, ladles, and cutting boards, as forgetting even one item can slow down the process considerably.
Preparing one’s kitchen and resources prevents needless delays during what should be an enjoyable experience!
What are simple tips to make a dish spicy?
Incorporating spicy flavors into your dishes is easy with a few simple tips. First, it’s important to remember that spiciness comes from the capsaicin in peppers, so using ingredients like jalapeños or cayenne pepper will help kick things up quickly.
For a smoky flavor, consider adding smoked paprika or even chipotle peppers. Additionally, when adding these ingredients, start small and gradually increase the amount until you achieve the desired heat level.
Finally, ensure the balance is maintained by incorporating complementary ingredients such as sour cream or yogurt, which can cool off a dish if it becomes too hot.
With this knowledge and a little culinary creativity, you’ll be able to spice up any dish easily!
You can easily lighten the meals as well and give this Clean Eating Tilapia Recipe a try!
Taco Bake Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pkg 14 oz Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 pkg Taco seasoning mix
- ¾ Cup(s) water
- ¾ Cup(s) sour cream
- ½ Cup(s) shredded cheddar
- ½ Cup(s) shredded Mexican cheese mix
- 1 Cup(s) Thick N Chunky Salsa
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Prepare mac & cheese as directed on package. Brown beef and drain while mac & cheese is cooking. Add taco seasoning to meat and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir sour cream into prepared Dinner. Spoon half of the Dinner mixture into 8 inch square baking dish; top with layers of meat mixture, cheddar cheese and remaining Dinner.
Bake 15 minutes. Top with salsa and Mexican Cheese. Bake, uncovered, an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
I’m going to make this today! I already have a container of Bob Evans precooked Mac & Cheese. This will be so quick & convenient. Thank you!
Yay! Easy recipes are the best!
This was a delicious, quick and easy meal to make. My husband liked it as well as the kids. It’s a huge success when not 1 person complains about the dinner I cook. Thank you for sharing!
Wow…that looks delish! I would have never thought of using mac & cheese – thank you for linking up to last weeks Creative K Kids’ Tasty Tuesday don’t forget to link up to this weeks, if you haven’t done so already!
Our family will love your Taco Bake Recipe! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
I love Mexican food!
Thanks for sharing at #bloggerspotlight
Taco bake sounds like a delicious family dinner recipe. Thank you for sharing it with us at the #HomeMattersParty this week.
Looks delicious!
Hi Kelli! Thanks for linking up at #BloggersPitStop. I love your twist on the traditional tacos and I’m sure the whole family would enjoy it. Have a great week!
Ohh – this looks so good! It even has those crispy corners that are the best part! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up!
This sounds easy but so yummy!!! Thanks for the great recipe. Rita
I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe!
MMM, this sounds super easy with a great taste. I will be making it next week. Thanks for sharing.
gourdsrmylife(at)yahoo(dot)com
looks so yummy! Would love for you to come over and link up to my Tasty Tuesday party! http://nap-timecreations.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-cookies-and-tasty-tuesday.html
Blog hopping from Temp My Tummy Tuesdays. This looks soooo yummy! I MUST try this! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much for linking up to my Budget Recipe linky!! This looks delicious! (-:
OMG this is one of my favourite meals EVER!!! I also add finely diced green onions and broken tortilla chips. YUMMM! Now I need to make this.
Yummy! This sounds easy and uses ingredients I always have around the house. Great idea! I think I’ll use it this week.
This looks so easy to make.I think I will give this a try! I am glad you added more cheese. We like cheese too! Thanks again.
This will be Saturdays dinner lol
thanks
Yum! I found this receipe on I’m an Organizing Junkie. Can’t wait to try it out. Our family likes cheese, too!
Yum! My family would love this. Can’t wait to try it next week.
Girl, it is seriously yummy! Make some mexican cornbread to go with it! MMM! LOL
This recipe is perfect when you have unexpected company. I had my daughter and four kids come visit unexpectedly and I had just saved this recipe, so I made it for them and they were actually fighting over the last bit in the pan. I will definitely be making this one again. Thanks for posting this.
Isn’t it great!? And it really makes quite a bit. We love it, it is one of those “go tos” as we almost always have the ingredients on hand for this one
Thanks for sharing!! I’m from MBC – following you 🙂
Mmmmm… this sounds good. and easy, which is sometimes better than good 🙂