Crock Pot Taco Casserole

This crock pot taco casserole recipe is amazing! It consists of seasoned ground beef with beans and tender veggies, all layered between tortillas and melty cheesy goodness. It might be the most delicious taco casserole recipe ever, and you'll love how easy it is to make!

The Best Crock Pot Taco Casserole

If taco night is your favorite night of the week, just wait until you try this crock pot taco casserole recipe. It's basically loaded tacos layered like a casserole in your crock pot!

The finished taco casserole is filled with flavor from the taco-seasoned ground beef, perfectly cooked veggies, and ooey-gooey cheddar cheese. The addition of flour tortillas makes this delicious casserole the ultimate one-pot comfort food meal!

As good as this cheesy taco casserole is, it definitely tastes better with some sides to go with it. I love serving these Taco Bell nacho fries and Taco Bell nacho cheese with the casserole for the ultimate Taco Tuesday meal!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Easy to prepare Every ingredient for this casserole comes together with just one skillet and your slow cooker. You barely have to do anything, and the prep will take you less than 10 minutes!

Fool-proof. The cooking process of this slow cooker taco casserole is effortless, and it always turns out perfect every single time.

Family favorite. Adults and kids alike always love this recipe. If your family loves tacos as much as mine does, I know they'll love this casserole too.

Ingredients

This slow cooker taco casserole recipe calls for really simple ingredients and those ingredients are:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ lb. ground beef
• ½ cup green bell pepper, seeded, chopped
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 8oz. can of red beans or black beans
• 8oz. navy beans or pinto beans
• 15oz. can of diced tomatoes with juices
• ½ cup grated carrots
• 6 small regular or wheat wheat flour tortillas
• 1 ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (reserve ¼ cup)

By the way, if you have any leftover ingredients from this recipe, you can use almost all of them to make this traditional taco casserole with tortillas or my chicken tortilla casserole. They're two of my most popular taco casserole recipes, so you'll want to check them out next!

How To Make Crock Pot Taco Casserole

1. Cook the meat: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or saucepot. When the skillet is hot, add the ground beef and bell peppers to it. Break the beef apart and cook until it's browned on all sides.

2. Combine the ingredients: Add the onion powder, salt, pepper, chili, and cumin and mix to combine the homemade taco seasoning with the beef. Then add the red beans, navy beans, chopped tomatoes, and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the meat mixture from the heat and adjust the seasonings if needed.

3. Layer the casserole: Spread 1 cup of the meat mixture on the bottom of the crock pot. Top the beef with two tortillas, overlapping them in the middle. Continue layering ⅓ of the beans and beef mixture, ⅓ of the shredded cheese, and 2 tortillas. Repeat the layers and finish with the remaining cheese on top.

4. Cook the casserole: Cover the crock pot with a lid and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

5. Finish the taco casserole: When it's done cooking, sprinkle the reserved shredded cheddar cheese on top and cook for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Cut the casserole into slices and serve warm. Enjoy!

Tips To Make The Best Recipe

• Cut the tortillas into half if you're using large tortillas.
• Swap ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken for leaner taco meat.
• Use black beans instead of red beans for a more traditional taco flavor.
• Use any flavored salsa you want instead of diced tomatoes to change up the flavor. 
• Top the taco casserole with green enchilada sauce and chopped green chiles for a spicier flavor. 
• Serve the casserole with sour cream, green onions, and avocados on top, and with this Moe's queso, and tortilla chips on the side.

How To Store Crock Pot Taco Casserole

In the fridge: Transfer your leftover crockpot taco casserole to an airtight container, and it'll stay good for up to 4 days.

In the freezer: To store your leftover taco casserole for even longer, you can transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.  

Reheating: Put the leftover casserole in a baking dish and warm it in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until it's fully heated. Add more time for the frozen casserole or let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

FAQS About This Crock Pot Taco Casserole Recipe

Will taco meat dry out in a crock pot?

Taco meat can dry out in a crockpot if it's left to overcook. You'll want to keep your eye on the time you set the crock pot and remove the casserole as soon as the time is up.

Do you have to brown beef before putting it in a crock pot?

No, you don't have to brown ground beef before putting it in a crock pot. However, browning the beef beforehand will give it a more delicious caramelized flavor. It's best to brown the beef first for this recipe since there are so many other ingreidents in the crock pot, and it won't cook fully if it's not browned. 

How to brown meat for crock pot?

Add oil to a large skillet, then add the ground beef to it. Break up the beef using a wooden spoon and cook on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until the meat is browned on all sides.

More Slow Cooker Recipes

• Frozen chicken in the crock pot
• Crock pot chicken enchiladas
• Crock pot chicken casserole
• Crock pot hashbrown casserole
• Olive Garden crock pot chicken pasta
• Crock pot salsa chicken
• Crock pot Buffalo chicken dip
• Crock pot taco meat