This turkey taco casserole is loaded with all the flavors of your favorite tacos in a convenient casserole dish. In this easy recipe, turkey taco meat is layered with refried black beans, cheese, flour tortillas and topped with crispy corn tortilla chips.
Change up taco night without giving up your favorites. My family loves Mexican and Tex-Mex inspired foods and so do I because they’re easy to make using affordable ingredients. Like this taco bake, these shredded chicken tostadas and our tacos with ground beef recipe make great weeknight meals.
Ingredients
- Oil – We use Olive Oil to brown the turkey, use your favorite oil.
- Ground Turkey – use lean turkey but not turkey breast. We use 85/15 but if you want to go a little leaner 93/7 will work too.
- Spices – chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper make a great homemade taco seasoing.
- Pantry – Tomato sauce, chicken broth, flour tortillas, tortilla chips, and canned refried beans (if not making your own) make this taco casserole easy and convenient.
- Cheese – We use Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, use your favorite.
- Topping suggestions – Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, green onions, sliced black olives, sour cream, hot sauce, sliced avocados, sliced jalapenos.
Recipe tips
- If you are making the refried beans start them first so they have time to set before building the taco casserole. If you need a recipe our creamy refried black beans are quick and easy, and if you prefer pinto beans try these refried beans.
- Canned refried beans will be much easier to spread if you warm them up a bit and add a tablespoon or two of broth (or water) to loosen.
- It is best to hand shred the cheese. Pre-shredded, packaged cheese doesn’t melt as smooth because it contains cellulose and sometimes potato starch to prevent caking.
- An easy way to crush the tortilla chips is to place them in a zip top bag and press them gently with the palm of your hands. Alternatively, you can place the chips on a clean, lint-free kitchen towel, fold the towel over and press down gently.
Instructions
Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Combine the ground turkey with the spices. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes.
Stir, arrange in a single layer and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir and cook about 1-2 minutes until brown.
Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth, stir to combine.
Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook 12-15 minutes to cook through, stir occasionally.
Build the turkey taco casserole
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Line a casserole dish with two flour tortillas.
Spread half of the refried beans on the tortillas in an even layer.
Top with half of the ground turkey taco meat, spreading it in an even layer.
Next, sprinkle with half of the cheese (4 ounces).
Arrange the remaining two tortillas over the refried beans and meat.
Then spread the rest of the refried beans and top with the remaining taco meat.
Reserve the remaining cheese to melt on top later. Bake the taco casserole for 30 minutes.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven. Sprinkle the top with half the cheese (2 ounces). Arrange the crushed tortilla chips on top and add the remaining cheese.
Return the casserole to the oven and bake another 10 minutes to melt the cheese and warm the tortilla chips.
Let the casserole rest for 10-15 minutes to allow it to set, it will be easier to cut. Garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, green onions, or your toppings of choice.
Serve with a side of sour cream, lime wedges, and hot sauce, if desired. Enjoy!
Make ahead and storing
You can prepare the refried beans and the taco meat for this turkey taco casserole 1 day ahead of time, but don’t put it together until ready to bake.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until hot all the way through. Because of the tortillas and chips this casserole will not freeze well, it is best to enjoy it right away.
You may also like these ground turkey recipes:
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📖 Recipe
Turkey Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil we use olive oil, use your favorite
- 1 pound Ground Turkey lean but not turkey breast (we use 85/15)
- ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt we used kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
- 8 ounces Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chicken Broth
- 16 ounces Refried Beans use canned or homemade, black bean or pinto bean, use your favorite
- 4 large Flour Tortillas 8 inch
- 8 ounces Cheddar Jack Cheese shredded
- 2-3 ounces Tortilla Chips slightly crushed
Instructions
- You will also need: Casserole dish – we used a 2.3 quart that’s 11x7 inch
- Heat the oil in a large skillet (that has a tight-fitting lid) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the ground turkey, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper. Stir to mix the turkey and seasoning well.
- Arrange the ground turkey in the skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed for 3 minutes.
- Stir, arrange in a single layer again and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir and break up any large pieces, continue cooking until browned, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth, stir well to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook 12-15 minutes until cooked through, stir occasionally.
Build the casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Line a casserole dish (roughly 2.3 quart - 11x7 inch) with two flour tortillas. It is ok if they overlap in the middle and come up the sides a little bit.
- Spread half of the refried beans on the tortillas in an even layer. Top with half of the ground turkey taco meat, spread it in an even layer. Next, sprinkle with half of the cheese (4 ounces).
- Arrange the remaining two tortillas over the refried beans and meat, then spread the rest of the refried bean and top with the remaining taco meat.
- Reserve the remaining cheese to melt on top later.
- Bake the taco casserole for 30 minutes.
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven. Sprinkle the top with half the cheese (2 ounces). Arrange the crushed tortilla chips on top and add the remaining cheese.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake another 10 minutes to melt the cheese and warm the tortilla chips.
- Let the casserole rest for 10-15 minutes to allow it to set, it will be easier to cut. Garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, green onions, or your toppings of choice.
Notes
- If you are making the refried beans start them first so they have time to set before building the taco casserole. If you need a recipe our creamy refried black beans are quick and easy, and if you prefer pinto beans try these refried beans.
- Canned refried beans will be much easier to spread if you warm them up a bit and add a tablespoon or two of broth (or water) to loosen.
- Topping suggestions: Shredded lettuce diced tomatoes, green onions, sliced black olives, sour cream, hot sauce, sliced avocados, sliced jalapenos.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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