Taco Bake with Bisquick is taco night turned into an easy casserole: ground beef and onion simmered with taco seasoning, tomato sauce and corn, covered with shredded cheddar, then topped with a simple Bisquick, milk and egg batter that bakes into a soft, golden crust. It serves 8 and bakes in about 35 minutes.
How to make it: Brown and drain a pound of ground beef with a chopped onion, stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce and corn, and spread it in a greased 13×9-inch pan. Sprinkle with cheese, pour a smooth batter of Bisquick, milk and eggs over the top, and bake at 325°F until a knife in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then top with sour cream, tomato and lettuce.
Why You’ll Love It
- No rolling or layering tortillas: the batter pours right over the filling.
- Pantry staples: canned tomato sauce, canned corn, a taco seasoning packet and baking mix.
- Feeds 8: one 13×9-inch pan.
- Top it your way: sour cream, tomato and lettuce, or olives and green onions.
Ingredient Notes
Lean ground beef and onion: One pound of beef and one medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup), browned together and drained.
Taco seasoning, tomato sauce and corn: A 1-ounce packet of taco seasoning mix, a 16-ounce can of tomato sauce and a 15.25-ounce can of whole kernel corn, drained. Together they make a saucy filling.
Cheddar: Two cups (8 ounces) of shredded cheddar, or process American cheese, sprinkled over the beef before the batter goes on.
Bisquick, milk and eggs: Two cups of Original Bisquick mix, 1 cup of milk and 2 eggs, stirred until smooth.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning mix
- 1 can (16 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (15.25 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 ounces), or process American cheese
- 2 cups Original Bisquick mix
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- Sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce, if desired
How to Make Bisquick Taco Bake
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch pan.
2. Brown the beef. Cook the ground beef and onion in a 10-inch skillet, stirring frequently, until the beef is brown and no longer pink (160°F); drain.
3. Season. Stir in the taco seasoning mix, tomato sauce and corn. Spoon into the pan and sprinkle with the cheese.
4. Make the topping. Stir the Bisquick mix, milk and eggs until smooth. Pour over the beef mixture.
5. Bake. Bake about 35 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the center reaches 165°F.
6. Cool and serve. Cool 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce.
How to Get a Topping That Bakes Through
The batter on top is what turns taco meat into a casserole you can cut into squares. A few details decide whether it comes out soft and golden or doughy.
Mix it smooth. Stir the Bisquick, milk and eggs until the batter is smooth. Another way is to whisk the eggs and milk together first, then add the Bisquick and whisk just until combined.
Cheese first, then batter. Sprinkle the cheese over the hot filling, then pour the batter evenly over the cheese so it covers the whole pan.
Use the knife test. At about 35 minutes, slide a knife into the center. If it comes out clean, with no wet batter, the topping is done. If not, give it a few more minutes and test again.
Let it cool. Ten minutes out of the oven before cutting. Add the cold toppings after that.
Tips for Success
- Drain the beef well: pour off the fat before the seasoning, sauce and corn go in.
- Drain the corn: the canned corn goes in drained.
- Grease the pan: grease the 13x9x2-inch pan before filling it.
Taco Pie with Bisquick
The same idea works in a pie plate. Brown 1 pound of ground beef with 1/3 cup of finely chopped onion, drain, and stir in a packet of taco seasoning. Spread it in a 9-inch pie plate and sprinkle with 4 ounces of drained, diced mild green chilies. Beat 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of Bisquick and 2 eggs until smooth, pour it over the beef, and bake uncovered at 400°F for 30 to 35 minutes. Top with sliced tomatoes and 1 cup of shredded cheddar and bake 8 to 10 minutes more, until golden brown. Serve with sour cream, chopped tomato and lettuce.
Variations
- Bigger batch: use 2 pounds of beef with 1 cup of onion, 2 envelopes of taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon each of cumin and dried oregano, the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of salsa and the corn, under the same cheese and batter. It serves 8 to 12.
- With refried beans: stir a small can of refried beans into the taco meat.
- Different toppings: shredded lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and sliced black olives.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat to 165°F, and add fresh toppings after reheating.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with the toppings and a simple green salad. For more taco dinners, try taco casserole, walking taco casserole or layered taco bake. For other Tex-Mex bakes, there is Mexican tortilla casserole, tamale casserole and one pot Mexican rice casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to make a taco bake?
Ground beef, an onion, a packet of taco seasoning, a can of tomato sauce, a can of corn, shredded cheddar, and Bisquick, milk and eggs for the topping.
How to make taco pie with Bisquick?
Spread seasoned taco beef and green chilies in a 9-inch pie plate, pour a batter of 1 cup each of milk and Bisquick with 2 eggs over it, and bake at 400°F. Add tomatoes and cheese for the last 8 to 10 minutes.
What is the difference between taco bake and taco casserole?
In this taco bake, a pourable Bisquick batter bakes into a soft crust on top of the beef. Our taco casserole recipe is layered with tortillas instead.
How do I know when it is done?
A knife inserted in the center comes out clean, and the center reaches the temperature in step 5.
Final Notes
Mix the batter smooth, pour it over the cheese, and trust the knife test. If you make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Taco Bake with Bisquick
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion chopped, 1/2 cup
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix 1 ounce
- 1 can tomato sauce 16 ounces
- 1 can whole kernel corn 15.25 ounces, drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 8 ounces, or process American cheese
- 2 cups Bisquick mix Original
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce for serving, if desired
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch pan.
- Cook the ground beef and onion in a 10-inch skillet, stirring frequently, until the beef is brown and no longer pink (160°F); drain.
- Stir in the taco seasoning mix, tomato sauce and corn. Spoon into the pan and sprinkle with the cheese.
- Stir the Bisquick mix, milk and eggs until smooth. Pour over the beef mixture.
- Bake about 35 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the center reaches 165°F.
- Cool 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce.
