Go Back
Spicy beef taco bake with ground beef, beans tortilla chips, chopped onions, and lettuce in a white bowl.
Print Recipe
4.80 / 5 votes

Spicy Beef Taco Bake

The spicy beef taco bake is essentially a Taco Tuesday casserole. Beef and onions are sautéed and then mixed with tomatoes, beans, cheese, broken taco shells, and spices, and then the whole shebang is baked until bubbly. Utterly irresistible.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Tex Mex
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Calories: 415

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or mild olive oil
  • 1 medium (8 oz) onion, finely chopped
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
  • 1 1/2 pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
  • Two (10-oz) cans Ro-tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained with 1/2 cup juice reserved
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
  • One (16-oz) can refried beans
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 1 1/2 cups Colby Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 12 taco shells, broken into 1 inch pieces, or coarsely crushed tortilla chips
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Your favorite taco toppings, such as shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped onion, and/or salsa
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, garlic, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no trace of pinks, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Stir in half the tomatoes, the reserved tomato juice, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
  • Mix the remaining tomatoes, refried beans, and cilantro together, then spread in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Colby Jack over the beans. Spread the cooled beef mixture on the cheese and sprinkle with another 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  • Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400℉ (205℃).
  • Unwrap the dish, scatter the crushed taco shells over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil slicked with oil and bake the casserole until hot throughout and bubbling around the edges, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the topping is spotty brown, about 10 minutes.
  • Let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 352mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g