Best Beef Taco Bake One-Pot Recipe
This flavorful and hearty one-pot recipe brings together all the best parts of a taco—melty cheese, spiced beef, crunchy shells, and creamy refried beans—in an easy, layered casserole.
Equipment
- 8-inch square baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
- 1 onion chopped fine
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
- 2 10-ounce cans Ro-tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained
- 1 16-ounce can refried beans
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
- 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese shredded (2 cups), divided
- 12 taco shells broken into 1-inch pieces (2 cups), divided
- 2 scallions sliced thin
Instructions
Preheat & Cook Beef:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°F.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Microwave, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat, until most of the beef is cooked (some pink will remain), about 5 minutes.
- Stir in vinegar, brown sugar, and half of the Ro-tel tomatoes.
Assemble Layers:
- In a separate bowl, mix remaining Ro-tel tomatoes, refried beans, and cilantro. Spread this mixture evenly into an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Sprinkle with ½ cup cheese and scatter 1 cup broken taco shells over the top.
- Crumble cooked beef mixture over the dish and sprinkle with ½ cup cheese.
- Top with remaining 1 cup broken taco shells and remaining 1 cup cheese.
Bake & Serve:
- Bake until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is melted and browned, about 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions before serving.
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