Taco Pie is a delicious way to mix up Taco Tuesdays! Layers of seasoned meat and cheese are baked in one pan for an easy way to satisfy your taco cravings any night of the week, in under 30 minutes. All the convenience of a casserole and all the satisfying flavor of tacos come together in this easy recipe.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:
Layers of beef and cheese. There’s nothing quite like digging your fork into five layers of cheesy beef, spicy salsa and flour tortillas.
Easy to make and serve. No need to assemble individual tacos for everyone. Just slice and serve!
Simple ingredients with big flavor. This recipe transforms inexpensive ingredients into a delicious Tex-Mex feast.
Spicy or mild options. Switch up the type of salsa you use to give this taco bake more or less heat, depending on your palate.
When I can’t decide what to make for dinner, there’s always one answer that makes everyone happy: tacos. But serving the same tacos week after week isn’t always the most exciting. This easy taco pie is an ideal way to add some variety to taco nights!
Recipe Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients you will need to make this Taco Pie recipe. Important notes and substitutions for certain ingredients are discussed. The full printable recipe, with amounts and specific details, can be found at the bottom of the page.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Ground Beef – When it comes to ground beef for tacos, I like to use 80-85% lean beef. That little bit of fat goes a long way with the flavor in tacos.
- Corn – Corn is a great addition to the beef in this recipe. That said, if you aren’t a fan of corn in your tacos, then simply leave it out. If using frozen corn, bring it to room temperature by placing it in a strainer and running it under hot water.
- Salsa – Use whichever salsa your family enjoys – ready made or a favorite recipe. The type of salsa you use can really influence the level of heat in the tacos. If you don’t have salsa, you can also use a can of Rotel.
- Taco Seasoning – if you don’t have taco seasoning, you can make your own. A quick recipe is to use a tablespoon of chili powder (this is my favorite) and then add in 1/4 teaspoon of each of the following: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, salt and ground cumin.
- Flour Tortillas – Whichever tortillas your family enjoys, those will work in this recipe.
- Cheese – While a Mexican blend is ideal, feel free to also use cheddar, Monterey jack or whatever cheese your family enjoy. I prefer to grate my cheese, as I find it melts better than the pre-grated varieties.
How To Make Taco Pie
Let’s discuss the steps you’ll take to make this delicious layered taco pie. If you want to skip my discussion, tips, information and answers to frequently asked questions, just scroll to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe.
Begin by preheating your oven and preparing your ground beef according to directions. To see step by step instructions for this, visit my How To Cook Ground Beef For Tacos Post.
To assemble the taco pie recipe, here are the steps to take.
1. Place one tortilla in the springform pan.
2. Layer on about 1 cup of the meat mixture.
3. Sprinkle on ½ cup of cheese.
4 & 5. Create layers of tortilla, meat mixture, and cheese until you’ve done 4 full layers.
6. Finish with the 5th tortilla topped with the remaining cheese, then bake.
Allow pie to cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the springform pan and cutting. You may also serve it directly from the pan.
Tips and Advice
Storage
Store tightly covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure to fully reheat it prior to eating.
Turn Up The Heat
The salsa you use in this recipe really impacts the heat and flavor of the dish. If your family prefers things more mild, make sure to use a mild salsa. On the other hand, if you like some heat, go with the hot variety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you could easily substitute ground turkey or shredded chicken. Or, if you want to make it meatless, you could use canned beans or refried beans.
Both should work well. You can also use corn tortillas, but it makes it a bit harder to cut and chew.
While this makes a great all in one meal, you can always pair it with Spanish Rice or Refried Beans.
More Recipes To Try
If you enjoy this recipe, here are a few others I think you’ll like as well.
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