Walking Taco Casserole

This easy Walking Taco Casserole is an easy weeknight meal that has all the flavors of tacos but with the added crunch of corn chips. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and will become a family favorite.

Walking taco casserole is the perfect dish to make anytime you want a quick and easy dinner that is ready fast. Walking Taco Casserole comes together all in one pan for a great alternative to your classic taco Tuesday family dinner. This dish is loaded with all your favorite taco flavors, and even has a home-made taco seasoning blend.

WHAT IS A WALKING TACO CASSEROLE?

A walking taco is basically your favorite taco ingredients in an individual bag chip bag such as Fritos or Doritos. Tacos in a bag are perfect for parties and just fun to eat. You then eat it with a fork while walking around-thus where the name came from.

You might have seen or even heard of a “walking taco.”. Walking tacos are not just perfect for parties. This recipe is perfect for camping or tailgating. It’s easy and portable. This is also a fun main dish to serve at a Cinco de Mayo party.

I still make the bagged version occasionally when it actually makes sense, but this walking taco casserole is so simple, making it the perfect weeknight meal.

Taco night just got more delicious with this yummy and easy meal. Instead of individual servings, everything is baked in one pot, so it’s to assemble, and you only have one pan to clean. I added cream cheese to this dish to make it even creamier, and adds a slight tang.

MORE EASY WEEKNIGHT MEALS

A couple of my easy weeknight meals include my Gluten Free Sloppy Joes and my Gluten Free Biscuits and Gravy.

TOOLS I RECOMMEND

TIPS AND TRICKS

• If you don’t have an oven safe skillet, then cook the beef or meat in a large nonstick pan, then transfer mixture to a casserole dish and then continue on with the instructions.
• This recipe doesn’t call for added seasoning due to the salty corn chips, and the fact that the taco seasoning has salt added as well. As always, taste and season to your liking.
• If you don’t care for Fritos, you can always use sweet potato chips or tortilla chips.
• Ground beef- I like to use 90% lean ground beef. It still has lots of flavor, but is not overly greasy.
• You can always top it off with plain greek yogurt, or your favorite dairy free substitute if you have a dairy allergy.
• Make it extra spicy by adding cayenne pepper or diced jalapeños tho the taco meat.
• I recommend covering with aluminum foil. You do not want to tightly cover it or else the cheese will stick to the foil.

CAN I USE GROUND TURKEY INSTEAD OF GROUND BEEF?

You definitely can. The crushed tomatoes add a lot of flavor. You might just need to add a little more salt and pepper to season the ground meat really well. As always, try to buy organic meat whenever possible.

DO I HAVE TO BAKE IT?

No, you do not. The baking really does allow the flavors to develop better and really melt the cheese and cream cheese. If you prefer, you can always make this into a walking taco skillet dinner and just top the taco meat in the skillet with shredded cheese and let it melt. Remove from the heat, then add the Fritos and your favorite toppings.

CAN I DOUBLE THIS RECIPE?

Yes. To make walking taco casserole recipe for a crowd, double the ingredients and bake.

ARE DORITOS GLUTEN FREE?

The only Doritos that say gluten free on the bag are Doritos Simply Organic white cheddar tortilla chips. On the Fritto Lays website it does put which products do not contain gluten.

MAKING YOUR OWN TACO SEASONING

Personally, I like to use home-made taco seasoning. It is an easy easy to customize how spicy you want the taco seasoning to be. I like spice, so for my recipe I added 2 tablespoons of chipotle chili powder. If you prefer it less spicy, use only 1 tablespoon of the chipotle chili powder.

• Chipotle Chili Powder- 2 Tbsp
• Ground Cumin- 2 Tsp
• Salt- 1 Tsp
• Black Pepper- 1 Tsp
• Garlic Powder- 2 Tsp
• Onion Powder- 1 Tsp
• Paprika ( I prefer smoked paprika)- 2 Tsp
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes- 1//2 Tsp
• Dried Oregano- 1 Tsp

PERFECT MEAL FOR GAME DAY

Walking Taco Casserole is great party food for game day because these tacos can be fully customized, meaning they can be made individually, or as one casserole. To make things easier, I have made it into a taco casserole.

In addition, you’ll also need ground beef (I prefer 90 precent lean ground beef for this recipe), cheddar cheese, corn chips, cream cheese, shredded lettuce, crushed tomatoes, red onions, and extras you might like: cilantro, salsa, pico de Gallo, jalapeños.

YUMMY ADDITIONS

• Gluten Free Doritos or Corn Chips
• Add refried beans or black beans to the meat
• Swap cheddar cheese for a Mexican Cheese blend
• Use shredded chicken instead of ground beef
• Use ground turkey instead of using ground beef
• Add black olives
• Jalapeños
• Pico de gallo
• Sliced Avocado
• Corn

STORING LEFTOVERS

If you think you’re going to have leftovers, I would recommend waiting to garnish the casserole until you’re ready to serve. Store the cooked meat and cheese in an airtight container, and store the toppings in separate containers until ready to serve.

REHEATING

To reheat, warm it up on the stovetop or in the microwave with just the ground beef. Then top with the corn chips and toppings and serve. If this is stored properly in the fridge, its a great make a head meal.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

• Ground Beef- 2 PoundS Lean Ground Beef ( I used 90 percent)
• Medium Red Onion- Chopped
• Cream Cheese- 1- 8 Ounce Block
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese- 8 Ounces Cheddar Cheese
• Corn Chips- 3 Cups
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 2 14.5 Ounce Cans Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies

Toppings-

• Shredded lettuce- 1 Cup
• Green Onions- 2 sliced
• Cilantro- 2 Tbsp
• Sour Cream- 1/2 Cup
• Salsa or Enchilada Sauce- 1/2 Cup
• Jalapeños are optional

Taco Seasoning-

• Chipotle Chili Powder- 2 Tbsp (use 1 Tbsp if you like it less spicy)
• Ground Cumin- 2 Tsp
• Salt- 1/2 Tsp
• Black Pepper- 1/2 Tsp
• Garlic Powder- 2 Tsp
• Onion Powder- 1 Tsp
• Smoked Paprika- 2 Tsp
• Crushed Red Pepper Flake- 1/2 Tsp
• Dried Oregano- 1 Tsp

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, mix the taco seasoning ingredients together and set aside.
• Chop a medium red onion.
• Heat a large oven safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the ground beef, and break into small pieces, and add the chopped onions. Cook until the beef is browned, and the onions are soft (about 10 minutes).
• Add in the crushed tomatoes once the ground beef is browned.
• Mix in the homemade taco seasoning and water. Let it simmer until the water is gone and the sauce has thickened. About 3-5 minutes on low heat.
• Taste to see if it needs anymore salt and adjust accordingly.
• Add the cream cheese and turn stove to medium low. Let most of the cream cheese melt before adding to the oven. If you add a lid, the cream cheese melts faster.
• Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• While the casserole is in the oven, you can prepare the toppings for serving.
• After removing the casserole, add the corn chips on top of the melted cheese. For each individual plate, garnish with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and sour cream. If you want to add salsa, pico de gallon and jalapenos now is the time.

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