Beef & Bean Taco Casserole

By carvalhohm

Want to feed a crowd? This beef and bean taco casserole is a delicious and easy way to put dinner on the table for your family in under 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (at least 80%)
• 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
• 1 (16-ounce) jar Thick ‘n Chunky salsa
• 1 (1-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 2 1/2 cups tortilla chips, coarsely broken
• 3/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 medium green bell pepper)
• 4 medium green onions, sliced, about 1/4 cup
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
• 1 cup Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, about 4 ounces
• 1/4 cup ripe olives, sliced
• 1 cup lettuce, shredded

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F.

In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in refried beans, salsa and taco seasoning mix. Reduce heat to medium. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.

In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place 2 cups of the broken tortilla chips. Top evenly with beef mixture. Sprinkle with bell pepper, onions, 1 cup of the tomato, the cheese and olives.

Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Top baked casserole with lettuce, remaining 1/2 cup tomato and remaining 1/2 cup tortilla chips.

This is an easy recipe to take and bake. Just save the toppings to take and serve with the hot casserole.

In place of the Cheddar cheese, try using a taco-flavored cheese.