Walking taco casserole puts the beef, corn chips and cheese in one baking dish, with the fresh toppings added at the table. The filling is simple: ground beef, taco seasoning and a can of tomatoes with green chilies. Two layers of Fritos and cheddar turn it into a dinner you can scoop straight from the pan.
Serves 6. Ready in about 50 minutes.
What to expect from the corn chips
The chips inside the casserole take on some of the tomato juices and soften while it bakes. You’ll still get their salty corn flavor, but they won’t all stay as crisp as chips straight from the bag.
For a crunchy finish, put out a few extra Fritos and add them to each serving just before eating. Keep the chips for the two baked layers separate from these extras. The recipe uses one 9.25-ounce bag in the dish; any chips at the table are additional.
Keep the beef filling lightly saucy
Start heating the oven to 350°F while you cook the beef. Break the meat into small crumbles so it spreads easily between the chips. Ground beef labeled 85/15 or 90/10 works well here. Drain excess fat before adding the seasoning.
Stir in the taco seasoning and the whole 10-ounce can of Ro-Tel, including its juices. That liquid helps spread the seasoning through the meat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the filling looks moist but there isn’t a pool of thin liquid in the skillet.
If it still looks watery, let it simmer a little longer. If it becomes dry before the seasoning has mixed in, stir in a tablespoon of water at a time. You don’t need to automatically add the full amount of water printed on the seasoning packet.
Set aside what goes in each layer
Use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and divide the beef mixture and corn chips into two roughly equal portions. Measure the cheddar into two 1-cup portions. Getting these ready first makes it easier to spread the layers evenly.
First layer: Scatter half the Fritos over the bottom. Spoon on half the warm beef mixture, then add 1 cup of cheddar. Keep the chips in pieces rather than crushing them into crumbs.
Second layer: Repeat with the remaining chips, beef and cheddar. Spread the filling gently. There’s no need to pack it down or make every layer perfectly level.
Grating cheddar from a block gives you loose shreds that spread easily over the beef. Bagged shredded cheddar is also fine for this recipe. Use the full 2 cups, with half in each layer, so there’s cheese throughout.
Bake until the cheese has melted
The beef is already cooked when the dish goes into the oven. Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges are bubbling. A few light golden spots are fine, but you don’t need to wait for a deeply browned crust.
Use the look of the casserole as your final check. The filling should be hot and the top should have an even melt of cheese. Leave the lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream off during baking.
Add the cool toppings at the table
Let the pan stand for about 5 minutes after baking. Then add whichever toppings you want, or set them out separately so each person can choose. Shredded lettuce, diced tomato and onion are the basic choices in the recipe.
Pat rinsed lettuce dry and drain excess juice from the diced tomatoes. Sour cream adds a cool, creamy spoonful; salsa adds more tomato flavor and heat. Jalapeños are optional, especially if you’ve already used a hotter can of tomatoes.
You can keep the toppings simple. A little tomato and sour cream work well without covering the whole dish. Add the extra corn chips last so they keep their crunch.
A few easy swaps
For a milder dinner, use mild tomatoes with green chilies and a mild seasoning packet. Check both labels, since the heat comes from two places.
For a different cheese, replace some or all of the cheddar with Monterey Jack or a cheddar-Jack blend. Pepper Jack adds heat. Keep the total at 2 cups.
For turkey instead of beef, use the same 1-pound amount and cook it through before adding the tomatoes and seasoning. Lean turkey releases less fat, so there may be little to drain.
Two quick questions
Can I use a larger bag of Fritos?
Yes. Measure out 9.25 ounces, about 262 grams, for the casserole and divide that amount between the layers. Use the rest as an extra topping. Adding the entire larger bag changes the balance of chips to filling.
Can I use regular tortilla chips?
You can, though the corn flavor and texture will be different. Leave them in larger pieces and follow the same layering method. Very thin chips tend to soften more quickly when they meet the saucy beef.
More taco-night dinners
For another ground beef bake, try easy burrito casserole. If you prefer soft tortilla layers, Mexican tortilla casserole is another option.
Printable recipe
Walking Taco Casserole
Ingredients
For the casserole
- 1 lb ground beef 85/15 or 90/10; drain excess fat after browning
- 1 packet taco seasoning about 1 ounce
- 1 10-ounce can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies undrained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 9.25-ounce bag Fritos Original corn chips divided; about 262 grams
For serving (optional)
- 2 cups shredded lettuce pat dry
- 1 cup diced tomatoes drain excess juice
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- sour cream to taste
- salsa to taste
- jalapeños to taste
- extra Fritos Original corn chips for adding crunch just before serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread half of the 9.25-ounce bag of Fritos across the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Keep the remaining half for the second layer.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef for about 8–10 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until cooked through. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and the undrained 10-ounce can of Ro-Tel. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly saucy without a pool of thin liquid. Simmer a little longer if needed; if the mixture gets dry, add water a tablespoon at a time.
- Spoon half of the warm beef mixture evenly over the chips in the baking dish. Scatter 1 cup of the shredded cheddar over the beef.
- Add the remaining half bag of Fritos, then the remaining beef mixture. Finish with the remaining 1 cup cheddar. Spread each layer gently without packing it down.
- Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. A few light golden spots are fine; the top does not need to become deeply browned.
- Let stand for about 5 minutes. Add whichever lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, sour cream, salsa and jalapeños you like, or offer them separately at the table. Add these after baking.
- Serve warm. Add optional extra fresh Fritos to each serving just before eating for crunch. The chips baked inside the casserole will soften as they take up some of the filling’s juices.
