Walking taco casserole bakes everything you love about a walking taco, the bag of Fritos loaded with taco meat, into one dish: taco-seasoned ground beef stirred with cream cheese, Rotel tomatoes and ranch-style beans, topped with a layer of Frito corn chips and melted Mexican-blend cheese. It’s ready in 40 minutes and serves 6 with all the toppings.
How to make it: Brown the beef to 160°F, drain it and stir in the taco seasoning. Melt in the cream cheese, then add the tomatoes and drained beans. Spread it in a greased 2-quart dish, cover with Fritos and shredded cheese, and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, until bubbly. Top with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and jalapeños.
Why You’ll Love It
- Kid-friendly: walking tacos in casserole form.
- 40 minutes: brown, stir, top and bake.
- Creamy filling: a little cream cheese makes the taco meat rich and saucy.
- Crunchy top: Fritos stay crisp under the cheese.
What Is a Walking Taco?
A walking taco is taco fixings spooned straight into a single-serving bag of corn chips, usually Fritos, and eaten with a fork, a favorite at ball games, fairs and school fundraisers. This casserole takes those same flavors, seasoned beef, beans, cheese and corn chips, and bakes them in a dish so the whole family can dig in at the table.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: 1 pound lean, so there’s little fat to drain.
Taco seasoning: 1 envelope, or your own blend.
Cream cheese: 2 ounces, cubed. It melts into the beef for a creamy filling.
Rotel tomatoes: one 10-ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, juice and all.
Ranch-style beans: one 15-ounce can, drained. Pinto or black beans work too.
Fritos and cheese: 3 cups of corn chips and 2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese.
Jalapeño: optional, sliced for garnish.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 envelope taco seasoning mix
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 10-ounce can Rotel-style tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can Ranch-style beans, drained
- 3 cups Frito corn chips
- 2 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- 1 jalapeño pepper (optional, for garnish)
How to Make Walking Taco Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble 1 pound of ground beef until browned and 160°F, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed, then add the taco seasoning mix and stir to combine.
3. Make it creamy. Stir in the cubed cream cheese, Rotel tomatoes, and drained Ranch-style beans. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and all ingredients are well combined.
4. Layer. Spread the beef mixture evenly in the casserole dish. Add a layer of Frito corn chips over the beef, then sprinkle with the shredded Mexican blend cheese.
5. Bake. Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
6. Top and serve. Remove the casserole from the oven and garnish with sliced jalapenos if desired. Serve with additional toppings such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, and black olives.
How to Make Good Walking Tacos
- Season the beef well. Taste the filling before it goes in the dish; it should be bold.
- Keep the chips on top. Fritos under the filling get soggy; on top they stay crunchy.
- Drain the beans. Extra liquid makes the filling runny.
- Add cold toppings after baking. Lettuce, tomato and sour cream go on at the table.
- Serve right away. The chips soften as the casserole sits.
Walking Taco Casserole vs. Frito Pie
They’re close relatives. Frito pie puts the corn chips on the bottom with a chili-style beef and bean filling on top, while this walking taco casserole keeps the chips on top for crunch and adds cream cheese to the beef for a creamier filling. Both are Tex-Mex comfort food made for a crowd.
Walking Taco Bar for a Party
For a crowd, make a double batch of the beef filling and keep it warm in a slow cooker. Set out single-serving bags of Fritos, shredded cheese and bowls of toppings, and let everyone build their own walking taco right in the bag. Bake the casserole version for the table, and use the bags for kids and game-day guests who want to eat on the move.
Variations
- Chili cheese Fritos: use them for extra flavor.
- Ground turkey: cook to 165°F before seasoning.
- Black beans: swap them for the ranch-style beans.
- Doritos: use nacho cheese chips instead of Fritos.
- Corn: stir a cup of corn into the filling.
Another Fritos casserole to try is Taco Casserole with Fritos, which serves 8.
If you like seasoned ground beef, Ground Beef Sweet Potato Bowl serves it over roasted sweet potatoes in about 40 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven until hot, to 165°F; top with a few fresh chips for crunch.
What to Serve With It
Set out shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, green onions and black olives. Mexican rice or a green salad rounds out the meal.
More Tex-Mex casseroles: Frito pie, taco casserole, layered taco bake, Mexican tortilla casserole and easy cowboy casserole. For a soup, try quick and easy taco soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a Frito walking taco casserole?
Mix taco-seasoned beef with cream cheese, Rotel and beans, top with Fritos and cheese and bake until bubbly.
How do you make good walking tacos?
Use well-seasoned beef, keep the chips crunchy and add fresh toppings at the end.
Can I make it ahead?
Make the beef filling ahead. Add the chips and cheese right before baking.
Why are my chips soggy?
The filling was too wet or the casserole sat too long. Drain the beans and serve it hot.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Final Notes
Season the beef boldly, keep the Fritos on top and add cold toppings at the table. If you try chili cheese Fritos or Doritos, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Walking Taco Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 envelope taco seasoning mix
- 2 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1 10-ounce can Rotel style tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can Ranch style beans drained
- 3 cups Frito corn chips
- 2 cups Mexican blend cheese shredded
- 1 jalapeno pepper optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and spray a 2-quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble 1 pound of ground beef until browned and 160°F, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed, then add the taco seasoning mix and stir to combine.
- Stir in the cubed cream cheese, Rotel tomatoes, and drained Ranch-style beans. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and all ingredients are well combined.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly in the casserole dish. Add a layer of Frito corn chips over the beef, then sprinkle with the shredded Mexican blend cheese.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and garnish with sliced jalapenos if desired. Serve with additional toppings such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, and black olives.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
