Our Most Saved Dinner Recipe of 2024 So Far

We love casseroles, and it’s easy to see why these loaded dishes are a favorite. They can be prepared ahead of time, frozen for future meals, easily feed a crowd, and can be made with just about any ingredient. From sweet breakfast casseroles to simple budget-friendly options, most casseroles bake up in less than an hour for a meal that’s time-efficient without sacrificing flavor. 

Last year, our readers loved making Bourbon Chicken so much that it became the Most Saved Recipe of 2023. Now we are halfway into 2024, and a new recipe is gaining popularity among the Allrecipes community: Best Taco Casserole.

Its simplicity and versatility have quickly earned it a spot in the meal rotation for many. Home cooks love how easy taco casserole is to customize, the straightforward ingredient list, and that it bakes up in just 30 minutes.

What Makes Our Best Taco Casserole So Good?

Lean ground beef and canned beans create the base for this dish, making each serving filling and flavorful. Jarred salsa and shredded cheese liven things up, while crunchy tortilla chip crumbles add irresistible texture, resulting in a thick, scoopable dish. The casserole is topped with a generous layer of cheese along with diced tomatoes, green onions, and black olives for a fresh taste in every bite. 

What Fans Have to Say About the Best Taco Casserole Recipe 

“This was amazing. Easy and fun to make, but even better to eat.” — Laura Rogers

“Easy, delicious. Minimum effort, great taste.” — soonercat1

“This was an awesome recipe. I have a big family so I had to double the recipe last night. I woke up this morning and there was only a 1/4 of the dish left.” — Allrecipes Member

How to Make Taco Casserole Your Own

One of the great things about this casserole is that you can use what you have on hand if you don’t want to run to the store. 

“I switched out the ground beef for chicken. I baked and shredded [the chicken] and I also added a green chile sauce with the salsa to spice it up a little. We didn't have tortilla chips so we used taco shells crumbled. It was great. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can change it to whatever you have and make it work,” said reviewer JoMom.

“It’s so good,” says recipe reviewer Sherry Higgins. “I added taco seasoning to the salsa and meat and bean mixture, used ground turkey, added a touch more cumin (we love cumin!), and doubled the recipe. I also used one regular container of salsa and one pico-type salsa container. The last variation I made was that I added a layer of Mexican rice over the meat/bean/salsa layer and before the sour cream. And yes, this dish will be added to the rotation!”

Tips for Making the Best Taco Casserole Even More Delicious

As always, we encourage you to customize recipes to your liking and share your findings. Here are some additions that our readers are loving:

• Stir in taco seasoning: Add a store-bought packet of taco seasoning or utilize your pantry for a homemade version to add extra flavor. Simply stir the seasoning into the meat mixture during step 4 of the casserole’s instructions until it’s well combined with the other ingredients. 
• Swap the protein: This recipe calls for ground beef as the base, but you can swap in chicken or ground turkey. To save time, you can also use chopped rotisserie chicken. 
• Add extra veggies: Add sautéed onions and peppers, jalapenos, or canned corn (be sure to drain it first) into the casserole for extra flavor and nutrients. Top with additional fresh elements such as tomato, avocado cubes, and chopped cilantro. 
• Mix in cooked rice: Rice will make this dish more hearty and stretch servings further. Add in 1 cup of cooked Mexican rice or grab a microwave steamer bag of rice from the grocery store for a speedy addition.
• Lighten it up: In addition to using leaner meat such as turkey or chicken, you can lighten up this meal by altering the sour cream and cheese. You can use low-fat counterparts, reduce the amount used, or opt for plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. 

No matter how you make it, there’s no doubt that this easy dish will become a fast favorite and find its way to your table again and again.