There are three things we can't get enough of here at Restless Chipotle: hearty casseroles, simple weeknight meals, and bold Tex-Mex flavor. My easy Ground Beef Nacho Casserole delivers all of that and more—this family favorite is so tasty, even picky eaters beg for second helpings!
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- Beef nacho casserole transforms the addictiveness of nachos into a budget-friendly, hearty meal that'll fill up the whole family.
- This simple casserole doesn't take much effort to make (and there are lots of variations), so it's a perfect meal on a busy weeknight.
- You'll learn my "secret sauce" that keeps the meat mixture juicy and makes this easy meal explode with bold flavor.
Ground beef nacho bake is one of those meals that you only need to make once, and you're already adding it to the regular rotation.
This easy recipe makes dinner fun again, so gather everyone up and enjoy a few blissful moments spent 'round the dinner table.
🧾Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Mix up the meat! Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
- Bulk it up—or clean out your pantry—by tossing in a drained can of sweet corn or diced, frozen veggies like bell pepper or zucchini.
- Add some chili powder for a little bit of spice, or use cayenne pepper to kick up the heat even more.
- I like sour cream as a topping, but some people stir it into the meat mixture for a slightly creamier casserole. Up to you!
- Feel free to add your favorite nacho toppings. Sometimes, I'll use diced red onion, candied jalapenos, lettuce, avocado, or grilled whole kernel corn for a sweet and smoky flavor.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
In a large skillet, cook the onion and garlic until it starts to turn translucent.
Add the beef and taco seasoning. Brown ground beef until no pink remains.
Then, stir in the chunky salsa, taco sauce, and beef stock. Let simmer.
Stir black beans and fresh cilantro into the sauce and meat mixture.
Assemble it
Grease a casserole dish with cooking spray. Add chips, half of the beef mixture, and more chips.
Top the chips with freshly shredded cheese. Then, add the remaining taco beef over top.
Add the remaining chips and the rest of the shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake, covered with foil, for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5-7 minutes.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Grate your cheddar cheese from a block. It melts and tastes way better. Avoid the pre-shredded stuff in a bag—it's not as good!
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- Large skillet or heavy-duty frying pan
- 9"x13" glass or ceramic casserole dish
- Measuring cups and spoons
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat
If your family loves Mexican recipes like mine does, chances are they'll gobble this casserole down in minutes. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container.
Beef nacho casserole will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. However, the chips will get softer the longer they sit. So, I definitely recommened enjoying any leftovers the next day.
Heat individual portions in the microwave in thirty-second intervals until it's hot again. Top with more crunchy tortilla chips to give it that crisp texture.
The chips won't freeze and thaw great, so I don't recommend freezing this casserole. If you must, it'll keep for three months. However, if you're looking for a great, freezer-safe option, try these Beef Green Chile Enchiladas!
Marye's Tip o' the day
I like to use lean ground beef (90/10 or 97/3) so I don't have to drain off excess grease. That way, I don't lose any of the zingy flavor from the taco seasoning packet.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Use a thick and chunky salsa so your beef nacho casserole isn't watery. However, pick any flavor you like—mild, spicy, whatever!
- Wrap green onions in a damp towel or put them roots-down in a jar with an inch of water (refrigerated) so they're fresh until you use 'em.
- You can crush up the chips easily and quickly in the bag they come in or put them in a large zip-top bag. Just don't make them too tiny.
- If you have the cilantro/soap gene, just leave it out.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Some people ask about this, but I think it tends to make the casserole mushier. Nacho cheese and nacho cheese soup soak into the chips quickly and make them soggy, but shredded cheese doesn't.
Sure. If you prefer pinto beans or don't have any black beans, this swap will work just fine.
I don't recommend it—the chips get softer the longer the casserole sits. However, if you're in a pinch, you could probably get away with prepping the casserole the night before or the morning of. Just top with extra chips after baking to ensure you get a good crunch!
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- If you liked this recipe, you'll love Frito Chicken Casserole—great for prepping ahead of time and absolutely packed with zingy taco flavor.
- One of my favorite flavorful, effortless dinners is Easy Beef Taquito Casserole. Prep is so simple that we usually call it "Lazy Enchiladas!"
- Budget-friendly, easy, and made in one pan, Skillet Beef Tamales bring the traditional Tex-Mex flavor you love but are much simpler to make.
🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
Jalapeno Popper Corn Salad is tangy, sweet, a little spicy, and super creamy. It's the perfect appetizer or side dish for quick summer dinners when you're just feeling done with cooking.
Prepped in just five minutes, Creamed Corn Cornbread is made with simple ingredients and goes great with your favorite Southern, Tex-Mex recipes.
Southern Chocolate Cobbler cooks in just ten minutes—and here's the kicker—in the microwave! Yes! Simply add the optional spices to create a Mexican cobbler, perfect for finishing off your beefy nacho casserole.
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
Use up your leftovers in a delicious and Creamy Breakfast Burrito Casserole. Essentially, you'll follow the same recipe but use the ground beef nacho casserole in place of the sausage, tortillas, and salsa.
Here's how I'd do it:
Follow steps one through seven in the breakfast burrito casserole recipe linked above. If you want more meat, you can cook the sausage according to steps eight and nine. Then, stir together the cream and soup and layer half of it in the baking dish—steps ten and eleven.
Here's where we'll switch it up a bit: alternate adding two layers of the leftover beef nacho casserole, scrambled eggs, and optional sausage.
Finally, back to the recipe. Top everything off with the remaining sour cream mixture. Add more cheese and bake according to steps fifteen and sixteen. Enjoy!
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
Can I just say that I'm more than a little excited that we're close to Fall and Fall comfort foods again?
Not that I don't make this stuff all year but there's just something about a creamy, cheesy dinner, like this ground beef nacho casserole, that hits different when the weather starts to cool down and the kids head back to school!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Ground Beef Nacho Casserole
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef, 90/10 or 97/3
- 1 ounce taco seasoning, 1 packet
- 1 ½ cups thick and chunky red salsa
- ¾ cup taco sauce
- 1 cup beef stock
- 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 6 cups tortilla chips, I recommend unsalted - coarsely crushed
- 3 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
Toppings
- black olives, sliced
- green onions, sliced
- sour cream
Instructions
- Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.
- Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
- Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add ground beef and taco seasoning.
- Cook, stirring often, until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
- Stir in salsa, taco sauce, and stock.
- Cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in beans and cilantro.
- Spread 2 cups of the chips on bottom of prepared pan.
- Top with half of the beef mixture.
- Spread another layer of tortilla chips over beef, and sprinkle with 1 ½ cups of the cheese.
- Top with remaining half of beef mixture, and add the remaining chips and cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture bubbles around the edges.
- Remove the foil and bake about 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted, and begins to be golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Use a thick and chunky salsa so your beef nacho casserole isn't watery. However, pick any flavor you like—mild, spicy, whatever!
- You can crush up the chips easily and quickly in the bag they come in or put them in a large zip-top bag. Just don't make them too tiny.
- If you have the cilantro/soap gene, just leave it out.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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