Taco Casserole

I’ve seen a few easy taco casserole recipes online recently which made me want to try making one of my own. I served this delicious ground beef taco casserole topped with avocado, lettuce, tomato, green onion, and lots of cilantro. My son loved it as is, while my daughter loved hers doused with hot sauce just like her dad, and I had mine topped with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. A quick, easy, and tasty dinner that we all enjoyed – I love that.

Taco Casserole

Casserole Ingredients:

• Tortilla chips to taste (I used a couple of handfuls)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• ½ sweet yellow onion finely diced
• ¾ lb ground beef
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1 can of black beans drained & rinsed
• 1 jalapeno seeded, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• Sharp cheddar cheese shredded, to taste
• Black olives sliced

Serving:

• Tomato, diced
• Avocado, diced
• Green onion, sliced
• Lettuce finely, chopped
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Hot sauce
• Salsa
• Guacamole
• Sour cream

 

How to Make a Taco Casserole

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray. Layer the bottom of the baking dish with some tortilla chips.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes. Add the ground beef, making sure to break it up into crumbles as it cooks. Add the cumin, chili powder, paprika, coriander, oregano, garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cook the ground beef mixture for 3-4 minutes, or until nearly cooked through.

Add the black beans and the jalapeno and garlic then cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Spoon the meat over the tortilla chips in the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with cheese and some sliced olives.

Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.

Remove from the oven and top with tomato, avocado, green onion, lettuce, and cilantro. Serve with hot sauce, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, if desired. Enjoy!