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With layers of refried beans, zesty ground beef, cheese, corn, and crunchy chips, this taco bake with Fritos is an easy, family-friendly dinner casserole that’s ready in about 30 minutes!
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Did you ever have a walking taco, where they put the taco filling directly in the small bags of corn chips? This yummy taco bake with fritos is so simple and delicious — a cross between everyone’s favorite Frito Pie (usually made with chili) and those nostalgic walking tacos!
The layered casserole includes refried beans, corn, ground beef, cheese, and cream cheese, and gets a crunchy topping from Frito corn chips. Garnish individual servings with any of your favorite taco toppings, like sliced black olives, salsa, sour cream, onions, peppers, chopped iceberg lettuce, or other vegetables that you enjoy. It’s a fun twist for your next Taco Tuesday!
Walking Taco Bake with Fritos
If there’s one thing that everyone in the house can agree on, it’s tacos. I’ll never hear whining or complaining when they’re on the menu, so of course I’ve dreamed up about a zillion different ways to prepare the classic dinner. From Taco Pizza to Taco Salad, Taco Stuffed Potatoes to Taco Pie and Taco Soup…there’s a taco-inspired recipe for every mood imaginable.
Have you heard of walking tacos? The general idea is that you add all of the taco fillings (meat, cheese, salsa, lettuce, etc.) to a mini bag of chips (typically Fritos or Doritos), and eat the “taco” as you walk around — straight out of the bag! While they’re fun, walking tacos aren’t as easy or conducive for weeknight family dinners. Instead, I’d much rather just combine all of those delicious ingredients in a single casserole dish and pop it in the oven!
This taco bake with fritos is a perfect cross between the traditional Frito Pie and old-school Walking Tacos. Maybe we should call it a Walking Taco Bake with Fritos!?!
Ingredients for Frito Taco Casserole
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for this frito taco bake. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Refried beans: use any variety that you like, such as fat-free, vegetarian, or regular.
- Ground beef: sub with ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork if you prefer.
- Taco seasoning: I use a packet of taco seasoning mix for convenience, but you can sub with homemade taco seasoning.
- Salsa: look for a “thick and chunky” style salsa so that it doesn’t water down your filling. I used Tostitos brand chunky salsa here, but any similar variety will work.
- Cream cheese: adds a creamy texture and rich flavor to the filling. More cheese is always better!
- Corn: a drained can of corn works well here, but you can sub with fresh or frozen corn kernels if that’s what’s available.
- Cheese: use any grated cheese that you like with tacos. I used a Mexican shredded cheese blend, but sharp cheddar is also nice. For some “kick,” try Pepper Jack cheese.
- Fritos corn chips: that crunchy, salty topping on the casserole that mimics taco shells — or walking tacos!
How to Make Taco Bake with Frito Corn Chips
This beef taco bake with fritos is one of those great weeknight dinners that the whole family can agree on — and it’s ready in about 30 minutes! I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Spread refried beans in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Cook the beef filling in a large skillet.
- Spread the meat over the beans in the pan.
- Sprinkle with cheese, and add Fritos on top.
- Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is heated through, about 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish with optional toppings, and serve!
Serving Suggestions
We serve this taco casserole with fritos and cream cheese as an entrée, and pair it with tortilla chips or additional Fritos for scooping. It’s also nice to garnish the dish with a bright, fresh sprinkling of chopped cilantro, parsley, or green onions.
Here are a few more easy options that go well with the taco casserole:
- A simple green salad dressed in a cool Buttermilk Dressing
- Healthy and Easy Corn Salad or Corn and Black Bean Salad
- Tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Ranch style beans or seasoned black beans
- Rice
Walking Taco Casserole Preparation and Storage Tips
- Prep ahead: You can assemble this casserole in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. Just let the casserole sit on the counter and come to room temp before baking. If it’s still cool when it goes into the oven, you may need to increase the baking time slightly.
- To freeze: Assemble the casserole, cover tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then allow to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Have leftovers? The cooked casserole will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Cover the dish loosely with foil to avoid excess browning. Warm in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes, or just until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Recipe Variations
- Omit the refried beans if your family doesn’t like them, or use black beans, pinto beans, or even a layer of cooked rice on the bottom of the dish.
- The cream cheese adds flavor and creamy texture to the beef filling, but you can omit this ingredient if you like. The casserole will still be delicious!
- Swap out the Fritos corn chips and use chili cheese Fritos, plain tortilla chips, or Nacho flavored Doritos instead.
- Use ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken in lieu of the ground beef.
- Any variety of grated cheese will work. I use a Mexican blend, but sharp cheddar cheese, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, or Colby are tasty.
- Instead of a package taco seasoning, make your own homemade taco seasoning blend with spices like chili powder, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder.
Tips for the Best Frito Taco Casserole Recipe
- Don’t forget to soften the cream cheese before adding it to the filling, or it will not blend in as smoothly.
- Use frozen pre-diced onion for a convenient shortcut. Then you won’t even need to pull out a cutting board!
- Garnish the casserole with your favorite fresh taco toppings for the best flavor and texture. Good options include fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped green onions or minced red onion, chopped lettuce, sliced jalapeno, sour cream, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, or sliced black olives.
- Keep a close eye on the casserole as it’s baking. Since all of the ingredients are cooked through, it only needs about 10 minutes in the oven for the cheese to melt. The chips should be lightly toasted, but not burned. If the top starts to get too dark before the rest of the casserole is warmed through, just tent the top loosely with foil.
More Taco Casserole Recipes to Try
Taco Bake Casserole
30 minutes mins
5-Ingredient Taco Casserole
35 minutes mins
Dorito Casserole
45 minutes mins
Taco Bake with Fritos
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning
- 1 (15-16 ounce) jar “thick and chunky” style salsa
- 4 ounces (half of a block) cream cheese, diced into cubes and softened at room temperature
- 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (or about 1 ¾ cups frozen corn)
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
- 2 cups Fritos corn chips, plus more as needed
- Optional, for serving: fresh cilantro or parsley, sliced avocado, guacamole, sour cream, sliced olives, chopped fresh tomatoes, shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch (or 3-quart) baking dish.
- Spread the refried beans in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared dish. Set aside.
- In a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, cook the beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the fat. Reduce the heat to low; stir in the taco seasoning and salsa. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add the softened cream cheese cubes. Stir over low heat just until the cream cheese melts and blends smoothly into the meat mixture, about 1 more minute. Stir in the corn.
- Spread the beef mixture over the refried beans. Sprinkle with cheese and add the Fritos on top. Bake, uncovered, until warmed through and the cheese melts, about 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish with optional toppings and serve!
Notes
- Don’t forget to soften the cream cheese before adding it to the filling, or it will not blend in as smoothly.
- Use frozen pre-diced onion for a convenient shortcut. Then you won’t even need to pull out a cutting board!
- Garnish the casserole with your favorite fresh taco toppings for the best flavor and texture. Good options include fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped green onions or minced red onion, chopped lettuce, sliced jalapeno, sour cream, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, or sliced black olives.
- Keep a close eye on the casserole as it’s baking. Since all of the ingredients are cooked through, it only needs about 10 minutes in the oven for the cheese to melt. The chips should be lightly toasted, but not burned. If the top starts to get too dark before the rest of the casserole is warmed through, just tent the top loosely with foil.
We liked this. I liked that the Fritos were only on the top.
Thank you for the feedback, Toni! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe.