Our Healthy Taco Casserole is a delicious and nutritious meal that the whole family will love! Made in under 30 minutes featuring ground turkey, black beans, and corn, this casserole is packed with wholesome ingredients and bursting with flavor. This dish is not only a breeze to prepare but also a surefire way to satisfy those taco cravings.
Casserole dishes offer an array of benefits for busy families seeking convenience, nutrition and comfort in their meals.
First and foremost, they can be assembled ahead of time, refrigerated then baked when needed. This has been a game changer for our family during weeks when the to-do list is a mile long.
Plus, casserole bakes can incorporate vegetables, protein and grains into a single dish to ensure the whole family gets a balanced meal even on hectic days.
For more casserole recipes, check out our Beef Enchilada Casserole, Chicken and Stuffing Casserole, Cheesy Green Bean Casserole, Easy Sweet Potato Casserole, Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Tot Casserole and Baked Chicken Ziti Casserole.
Table of Contents
Ingredients & Variations
- Ground turkey: swap with ground beef, chicken or an additional can of beans for a vegetarian version.
- Onion: substitute with 2-3 Tablespoons of onion powder.
- Gluten-free taco seasoning: use a packet for ease or make a batch of homemade taco seasoning.
- Mild salsa: for a spicy option, sub with a hot salsa or add a splash of hot sauce to the mild salsa.
- Black beans: swap for pinto or kidney beans.
- Canned corn: swap for frozen corn.
- Shredded Mexican cheese: if Mexican cheese is unavailable, substitute with 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup Monterey jack shredded cheeses.
- Fritos: crushed tortilla chips or Doritos are both delicious alternatives to corn chips.
Taco Toppings
Optional toppings include shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado and black olives. Place these ingredients on top of the baked casserole.
Taco sauce, hot sauce, guacamole and sour cream also make delicious toppings when scooped or drizzled on the top prior to serving.
How To Make Taco Casserole
- Preheat the oven and prep the meat. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and ground turkey. Brown until cooked through.
- Add ingredients to the turkey. To the skillet with the ground turkey add the taco seasoning, salsa, black beans, corn, and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Stir and heat over medium heat until cheese is melted.
- Layer the casserole. Add the turkey mixture to the baking pan. Add the rest of the cheese on top then sprinkle the Fritos on top.
- Bake. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, and black olives if desired. Serve hot.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Add the Fritos to the top. Instead of layering Fritos as a base layer, add as a topping. This adds a crunch and prevents a soggy layer of chips on the bottom when reheating.
- Add veggies. If you have a picky eater or child struggling to eat enough vegetables, consider adding chopped bell peppers into the meat mixture.
- Pick flavored Fritos. Chili cheese or spicy jalapeno can be swapped for the original flavor for variety.
- Drain the ingredients. Avoid a soggy casserole by draining the canned beans and corn properly.
- Create a creamy version. To make this baked taco casserole creamier, mix 1/2 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt into the cooked meat mixture.
- Use leftover taco meat. Have leftover meat from the night before? Mix with the salsa, corn and cheese then bake as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this dish can be prepared ahead of time. You can assemble and refrigerate overnight. Hold off on adding the Fritos until right before baking. If gifting this casserole to friends or family, assemble then wrap the dish in aluminum foil and serve with a bag of corn chips on the side.
To maintain the crispiness of the chips, layer on top instead of on the bottom of the casserole. You can also add extra chips on the side for added crunch. When serving as leftovers, add new chips to the top.
10 minutes at 350°F or until the cheese is bubbling on top. With the meat fully cooked prior to baking, it speeds up the cooking process and gets dinner on the table quickly.
Yes, swap the cheese for a dairy-free alternative or skip the cheese altogether. You will also want to verify the chips you pick do not contain milk ingredients.
This recipe is great for any busy weeknight or weekend meal. It is also a crowd favorite on game days, Superbowl and Cinco de Mayo.
What To Serve with Taco Casserole
This taco casserole recipe is a flavorful dish that can be served as is. If looking to add variety, there are several side dishes that can complement it nicely.
Consider Mexican Rice or Spanish Rice for a heartier dish or homemade guacamole and Pico de Gallo for chilled sides.
Our Canned Corn Salad also makes for a colorful and refreshing side dish that balances the richness of the casserole.
Many times, we will serve this dish with additional Fritos on the side. The kids love to scoop the casserole with the corn chips instead of using utensils.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Allow the casserole to cool to room temperature before storing. If you still have a large batch left, consider diving it into smaller portions. This prevents the entire casserole from being reheated multiple times.
- Once cooled, transfer to airtight container(s). You can also cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil if you plan to consume within 1-2 days.
- Store taco casserole in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- If you want to freeze this casserole, wrap the casserole or divided portions in plastic wrap then place in a resealable freezer bag or container. Store frozen casseroles for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, place in a preheated 350°F oven until it’s heated through, and the internal temperature is 165°F. You can also microwave in 30-second increments until hot.
- If expecting leftovers, store the Fritos separately and layer before reheating the casserole in the oven. If microwaving to reheat, add Fritos after warming. This way, you can maintain their crunchiness.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- To brown the ground turkey, carefully add to a hot sauté pan. Break into large chunks then let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Continue to break and cook until there is no more pink. Remember to prevent the oven to 350°F before you start browning the ground turkey.
- It is very important to drain both the beans and corn for this recipe to prevent a watery casserole. Ask for help when using a can opener. Drain by dumping the ingredients into a colander over the sink. Hold the colander over the sink until the dripping stops. Gently shake the colander to remove any excess liquid then pour the ingredients into the pan with the cooked turkey.
- You will be adding a lot of ingredients to the sauté pan after the meat is browned such as corn, beans, salsa, seasoning and cheese. Pick a pan that is large enough to fit all these ingredients. If you are unsure, ask a kitchen helper to help you find the best pan.
More Tex-Mex Recipes
- Oven Baked Chicken Tacos
- Taco Dip with Ground Beef
- Oven Baked Tacos
- Gluten Free Vegan Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers
- Gluten Free Tacos
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Taco Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 packet gluten-free taco seasoning
- 16 ounces mild salsa
- 15 ounces black beans drained
- 15 ounces canned corn drained
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese, divided
- 1 cup Fritos
- shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, black olives optional toppings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prep the meat. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and ground turkey. Brown until cooked through.1 pound ground turkey, 1 small onion
- Add ingredients to the turkey. To the skillet with the ground turkey add the taco seasoning, salsa, black beans, corn, and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Stir and heat over medium heat until cheese is melted.1 packet gluten-free taco seasoning, 16 ounces mild salsa, 15 ounces black beans, 15 ounces canned corn, 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese, divided
- Layer the casserole. Add the turkey mixture to the baking pan. Add the rest of the cheese on top then sprinkle the Fritos on top.1 cup Fritos, 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese, divided
- Bake. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, and black olives if desired. Serve hot.shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, black olives
Notes
- Add the Fritos to the top. Instead of layering Fritos as a base layer, add as a topping. This adds a crunch and prevents a soggy layer of chips on the bottom when reheating.
- Add veggies. If you have a picky eater or child struggling to eat enough vegetables, consider adding chopped bell peppers into the meat mixture.
- Pick flavored Fritos. Chili cheese or spicy jalapeno can be swapped for the original flavor for variety.
- Drain the ingredients. Avoid a soggy casserole by draining the canned beans and corn properly.
- Create a creamy version. To make this baked taco casserole creamier, mix 1/2 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt into the cooked meat mixture.
- Use leftover taco meat. Have leftover meat from the night before? Mix with the salsa, corn and cheese then bake as directed.
Nutrition
If you enjoyed these recipes make sure to leave a comment and a star rating below!
Then follow us on social media and tag #createkidsclub if you make the recipe. We love seeing what you come up with!
Leave a Reply