Cheesy Beef Taquito Casserole
Cheesy beef taquito casserole transforms frozen taquitos from appetizer to an indulgent for dinner. Switch up taco night and make this fun Mexican casserole instead. With big bold flavors of enchilada sauce, refried beans, and taquitos, this dish is a taste explosion you’re sure to love!
In a house with 4 growing boys- 5 if you count my husband- you can bet my freezer is full of quick snacks.
Frozen beef taquitos are a favorite of my boys. And for good reason- they are absolutely delicious especially when you dunk them in salsa. But they are normally just a snack.
So I thought I would change that shaking our snack game up, and making them into a hearty Mexican casserole like this Doritos casserole – perfect for feeding a hungry family.
What are taquitos anyway?
If you aren’t familiar with taquitos, friends, you are missing out.
Taquitos generally are soft corn tortillas rolled around a small amount of filling, in this case beef and cheese. The whole thing is fried so it is nice and crunchy.
You might also see taquitos sometimes called a flauta or a taco dorado.
In a Mexican restaurant, you’ll find them served with toppings like sour cream and guacamole.
What is a taquito casserole?
Cheesy beef taquito casserole is a hearty casserole that relies on a base of taquitos nestled on top of a seasoned bed of enchilada-flavored rice.
This Mexican inspired casserole specifically combines a bunch of the flavors you’d find served with taquitos in a Mexican restaurant to create a one dish dinner.
Aside from taquitos this casserole has:
- rice
- corn
- enchilada sauce
- beans
- cheese
- taco seasoning
- your favorite taco toppings like sour cream
How to Make This Cheesy Beef Taquito Casserole
Making this cheesy beef taquito casserole is easier than getting everyone rounded up for a trip to the local Mexican restaurant!
To make this Mexican dinner recipe, spray an oven safe 9×13 dish with nonstick spray.
Then in a small bowl, mix together the cheeses and give them a toss so they are evenly combined.
In a separate large bowl toss the cooked rice, beans, corn, taco seasoning, 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture and enchilada sauce together so it is evenly mixed. Pour the casserole mixture into the prepared dish.
Now use a spatula to spread the mixture out evenly and then top it with a layer of frozen taquitos. Use all the taquitos in the 20 ounce box! Make sure the casserole filling is covered but the taquitos aren’t overlapping though.
That’s it! Just pop it in the oven at 375 for 35 minutes. Then sprinkle on the remaining cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and melts.
Take it out of the oven and let the casserole rest before adding your favorite toppings & serving.
TIPS & TRICKS For Making Your Best Version Of Taquito Casserole:
- The meat in this casserole comes exclusively from the beef taquitos. Sometimes though, my guys need a heartier dish for dinner. Saute a pound of lean ground beef (diced white onion, optional) and when cooked through strain it of excess grease and mix it into the rice mixture. Then assemble the dish as instructed.
- Depending on what store I go to I can’t always find a 10 ounce can of enchilada sauce, you can use up to a 15 ounce can without the mixture becoming soupy. Also, while we use red enchilada sauce here (and most often) this is just as yummy when using green enchilada sauce instead.
- In this version we used cannellini beans, but a variety of beans work well in this recipe. We’ve also used black beans, kidney beans (both light & dark), and pinto beans- all with delicious results.
Customize this Mexican Casserole
I love this casserole as is, but you can absolutely adjust it to suit your personal tastes. Some easy things you can do to make this your favorite Mexican casserole ever include:
- Adjust the heat level. Add diced jalapenos or use hot enchilada sauce to give it more kick.
- Use your favorite kind of taquitos. Not a fan of beef? No worries, substitute cheese or chicken taquitos instead!
- Add your favorite toppings. I like sour cream and chopped tomatoes, but other good toppings would be avocado slices, fresh salsa, red onions, scallions, and cilantro.
- Finish it off with some seasoning. My kids love a little sprinkle of extra taco seasoning on top of theirs. The Hubs prefers a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Me? A little bit of Tajin seasoning on top is the perfect finishing touch.
This Tex Mex style casserole reheats beautifully, which I love. If all the kids are home there’s no leftovers, but on nights it’s just some of us I know it will taste just as good the next day.
In that same vein, this meal can also be made ahead of time when you have time making it a great family recipe for meal prepping or just batch freezer cooking.
Prepare the recipe as instructed, but before baking cover the dish tightly and then transfer to the freezer. When ready to eat, just bake and enjoy!
Looking for other Mexican casseroles? Try these!
This cheesy beef taquito casserole is one of my favorite alternatives to taco night. Make it today and see for yourself how delicious it is.
Looking for other Mexican casseroles? Try these:
- Mexican Street Corn Beef Casserole
- Santa Fe Style Cheesy Chicken & Lentil Casserole
- Ranch Chicken Enchilada Lasagna
If you’ve tried this CHEESY BEEF TAQUITO CASSEROLE, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Cheesy Beef Taquito Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 15.5 oz can corn kernels drained
- 1 15 oz can beans drained
- 2 packed cups cooked white rice
- 2 1/2-3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
- 1 20 oz box frozen beef taquitos
- assorted taco-style toppings
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish liberally with non stick cooking spray, and set aside.
- In small mixing bowl, add the cheeses tossing them to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl add the corn, beans, rice, taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, and 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese mix. Stir everything together to evenly combine.
- Transfer the casserole mixture into the prepared baking dish, and use a spatula to spread it out as evenly as possible.
- Top with the frozen beef taquitos, placing them so they all fit but don't overlap.
- Bake the casserole at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the remaining half cup of cheeses evenly out over the top, and bake an additional 5-10 minutes- or until the taquitos are cooked through and the cheese is bubbly.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, let it rest for 2-3 minutes, before topping with your family's desired garnishes, and serving.
Nutrition
Wow this looks delicious! So perfect for a winter’s night, and when you’re in need for some comfort food xo