Easy Layered Taco Bake (+Video)
This layered Taco Bake is a simple and quick weeknight meal with layers of tortillas, ground beef and salsa con queso!
A SIMPLE TACO-INSPIRED DINNER
One food item I always seem to have in my pantry or in my fridge are flour tortillas. They are good for so many things. Tortillas can be made into so many different types of snacks for kids (and grownups). You can cut them up and fry them or bake them. You can make cinnamon chips, quesadillas, tortilla pizzas. The possibilities are endless and easy on the wallet too.
TIPS FOR MAKING LAYERED TACO BAKE:
- Flour tortillas work best in this but if you absolutely must have corn tortillas, then you can certainly switch it out.
- Ground turkey and chicken can be substituted for the ground beef.
- Try making your own Taco Seasoning for this recipe!
- If you like this recipe, you should give these Navajo Tacos a try!
- A springform pan makes this easy to remove but an 8-inch round baking pan will work as well.
- This meal is delicious served with Spanish style rice
- If you are very sensitive to spices, you can certainly use a regular cheese dip instead of the salsa con queso.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- ground beef
- taco seasoning
- water
- flour tortillas (8-inch size)
- salsa con queso
- shredded Mexican cheese blend
HOW TO MAKE TACO BAKE:
Brown and crumble ground beef. Drain excess grease.
Stir in taco seasoning and water (following directions on back of seasoning packet.) Once the taco meat is ready, turn off heat and add in 1/2 cup salsa con queso. Give it a good stir, until thoroughly combined.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Layer the bottom of the pan with a flour tortilla.
I like to use a springform pan just to make it a bit easier to get out after it is finished baking. But this taco bake is pretty easy to slice up and serve even without the springform pan. Now add about 1/3 of the ground beef taco filling on the the first layer.
Then add 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
Continue until you are done with all the layers: another tortilla, more taco mixture, more cheese.
Bake at 350F degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Until cheese is melted and edges are slightly golden brown.
Allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Then slice and serve. I like mine with some sour cream and diced tomatoes on top.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Crock Pot White Queso Dip
- Taco Rice
- Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
- Easy White Chicken Enchiladas (For Two)
- Crock Pot Taco Meat
- Crock Pot Taco Soup
- Taco Bubble Up
- White Chicken Enchiladas
Originally published: August 2013
Updated and republished: January 2022
Easy Layered Taco Bake (+Video)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- water as called for on back of seasoning packet (usually 3/4 cup water)
- ½ cup salsa con queso
- 3 (8-inch) flour tortillas (soft taco size)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (divided use)
Instructions
- Brown and crumble 1 pound ground beef. Drain excess grease.
- Add in 1 packet taco seasoning and water as called for on back of seasoning packet (usually 3/4 cup) following directions on back of seasoning packet.
- Once the taco meat is ready, turn off heat and add in 1/2 cup salsa con queso. Give it a good stir until thoroughly combined.
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Layer the bottom of the pan with one of the 3 (8-inch) flour tortillas.
- Now add about 1/3 of the ground beef taco filling on the the first layer.
- Then add 1/3 of the 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend.
- Continue until you are done with all the layers: another tortilla, more taco mixture, more cheese.
- Bake at 350F degrees for about 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are slightly golden brown.
- Allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Slice and serve. Top with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
- Serve with sour cream and diced tomatoes on top, if desired.
- Use as little or as much cheese as you like.
- If the salsa con queso is too spicy for you, just use a regular cheese dip.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I always have trouble printing out your recipes! It just shows up dark and I’ve tried different ways but they won’t show up to print. I’m subscribed to your website so I thought I would be able to print off the recipes I want? Thanks!
Hi Julie!
Just scroll down to the end of the post and you’ll see a printable recipe copy. Just click on the “Print” button under the thumbnail photo and a one-page printable copy will pop up for you to print. Hope that helps 🙂
This is delicious and so easy to make. As a "senior citizen" I am always looking for something that does not require a lot of prep but is a meal that my husband and I will enjoy. This reheats very well, so we get the bonus of at least one more meal! I love your recipes, as they are for the everyday cook, not gourmet and complicated. Keep up the good work, Brandie!!!
This is one of our favorite meals! So glad you were able to find something easy to make for the two of you.
Robin- that sounds like a great addition.
Made this tonight and I added a layer of refried beans and green chiles before I added the meat…..delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed it Tamela, this is one of my top viewed recipes of all time. It is certainly a favorite!
Just made this tonight and it was so good! I will make this probably once a week! Thank you for sharing.
I have to say that this is an amazing recipe. I think I found this last year, and it has become a montly recipe for us. It's delicious! Add some sour cream, diced tomatoes, and a bit of salad, and this is an easy spin on tacos. We also use Uncle Ben's spanish rice (minute rice), and it's SO good. Thank you!
We made this and our family loved it! The only modification we made was we used half ground beef and half black bean burger substitute.
I am so happy I found this recipe on Pinterest. It was one of the first meals I made that wasn't a passed on family recipe (I was 20 at the time). The meal is a HUGE hit with my family! I make it about every other week. It is so easy to make and absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing!
I can't find one of the metal round pans, but I have a glass round casserole dish would this be okay or does it affect the cooking temperature and time? I want to make this for dinner tonight if I can use the glass one! Thanks!
Does it get crunchy in the oven or is it soft?
Saw it, had to cook it and in the words of my son "it's outstanding" and it truly is…..
WE MADE THIS LAST NIGHT AND WE CHANGED IT JUST A LITTLE AS WE HAD 10 INCH NOT THE 8 INCH SO JUST ADDED A LITTLE MORE AND ON EACH LAYER WE SPREAD WARMED REFIRED BEANS ON THE TORTILLA BEFORE THE MEAT. IT WAS SO GOOD HE WANTS IT AGAIN TONIGHT FOR DINNER. THANK YOU. DIANNA
I just made this for dinner tonight! It looks amazing! Cooling off now! Can't wait ????
Thank you, thank you for this post. I've been missing the Taco Bake by Old El Paso. Now I have something even better-homemade! I love your recipes.
I made my own salsa con queso with salsa and white cheese! Love the idea of adding in the refined beans! This is one of our favorite dishes.
I love this recipe. I replace the meat on the middle layer with refried beans. Its so delicious.
Thank you for such a tasty recipe! It was easy to make, delicious and my son (the pickiest of eaters) downed two servings! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I like to make this with kidney beans mixed in the beef as well, and I also add a layer of salsa underneath each layer of cheese.
Just had this for dinner and my husband has proclaimed it his second favorite meal…steak beats out everything! 🙂 We had sour cream on top and a lettuce/pico salad on the side. It is definitely a keeper! Thanks so much for sharing it!!
I found this recipe on pinterest. I'm not really into spicy foods, so I thought I would mix together a mild salsa with some cheese whiz. After looking in the Mexican food aisle at Walmart, I found Taco Bell's brand of Salsa Con Queso. It comes in Mild too! Problem solved!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I'm looking forward to making this!
Christina Caswell
Anon, it is pretty much cheese sauce and salsa mixed together. So you could do Cheez Whiz and Salsa, Velveeta and Salsa, or make your own Nacho Sauce (google easy recipes) and add salsa. That's what I use. Homemade Nacho Sauce and Salsa together. 🙂
Hi Im in Australia and can't find Salsa Con Queso in the shops is there something else I can use instead?
Yes. Just make a basic cheese sauce. You can add a bit of spice if you like. Mine turned out great.
I will definitely be trying this recipe tonight! I make my own homemade cheese sauce that's similar to the store bought, so that's all I'm changing. Can't wait to try it.
I and my husband love this recipe and I add both the black beans and the refried beans to each layer. It's great and grandchildren think you're awesome when I set it out !! Very easy for the younger set to make and impress !!