The Easiest Taco Bake (with Tortillas)

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ortega. All opinions and text are my own.

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Need a quick, easy, and delicious dinner for Taco night tonight? Same!  Taco Bake to the rescue! 

I’ve teamed up with the makers of America’s #1 Taco Sauce, Ortega, and today we’re making this cheesy, layered, taco bake!

There are so many versions of taco bake and taco casserole recipes out there, but this one is the one my boys ask for the most! “Can you make that Taco lasagna thing,” as they call it.  And I don’t mind one bit because it checks all the boxes for a weeknight dinner contender: quick, easy, and delicious!

About Ortega

For over 100 years, Ortega has been helping families (including my own) make festive Mexican meals at home using their creative shells, special seasonings, and flavorful skillet sauces!

In this recipe, I used Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix, Ortega Mild Fire Roasted Whole Green Chiles, Ortega Original Mild Taco Sauce, and Ortega Flour Tortillas.

Let’s get into it!

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Ingredients You’ll Need

(Full recipe with measurements in recipe card below)

CAST OF CHARACTERS

•  Ground beef- Protein base that absorbs all of the seasonings and carries that taco flavor throughout the dish.
• Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix: Conveniently delivers that signature taco flavor and helps thicken the meat mixture.
•  Ortega Taco Sauce mild- Add moisture and binds the meat mixture.
• Ortega Green Chiles, minced- Add mild heat and flavor.
• 8-inch Ortega flour tortillas-  This creates the “lasagna” layers for the taco bake
•  fresh salsa, juices drained (can use more if desired) – add freshness and balance the meat mixture and the cheese.
• Monterey Jack cheese, shredded- Melts smoothly and helps bind the ingredients.
• Toppings: sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, green onions- The chef’s kiss! These are like adding accessories to a great outfit. It’s not needed, but it just takes it over the top! don’t skip them!

How to make Taco Bake (with Tortillas)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef.
3. Drain and stir in water and taco seasoning mix.
4. Simmer until the liquid is dissolved.
5. Stir in taco sauce and green chiles, and then remove from the heat.
6. Place a tortilla in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate or baking dish.
7. Layer with 1/2 cup of taco meat mixture, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1/2 cup cheese. Spread in an even layer (can use more if desired)
8. Repeat layers, ending with a tortilla.
9. Top with the remaining cheese.
10. Bake in a preheated oven on the middle rack for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted throughout. Slice and serve.
11. Top with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, and green onions.

Recipe Tips for the BEST Taco Bake

• Use block cheese and shred it yourself. This melts down the smoothest and gives the perfect cheese stretch.
• Drain the juice from the salsa. To keep the tortilla from becoming mushy, be sure to drain the salsa’s juices.
• Serve immediately. This meal tastes best when it’s hot, cheesy, and served immediately with your favorite toppings!

Optinal Add-Ins

This taco bake can be customized in numerous ways. Here are a few of our favorite add-ins

• black beans
• fire-roasted corn
• diced red bell peppers
• Refried beans
• Rice
• Melting cheese
• Pickled Jalapenos

Topping Ideas

Besides those gorgeous, beefy, cheesy layers, it’s the toppings that bring this dish to life! Here are a few topping ideas.

• sour cream
• shredded lettuce
• shredded cheeses
• diced fresh tomatoes
• guacomole
• black olives
• green onions or red onions

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What to serve with Taco Bake

Honestly, this dish is hearty enough to stand alone, but I always add sides. Here are a few of the best side dishes to go with Taco Bake.

1. Mexican rice, yellow rice, or cilantro lime rice.
2. Black beans, kidney beans, or refried beans
3. Pico de galla or a fresh chopped salad with lime vinaigrette.
4. Feista corn or avocado salad.

How to store leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

To reheat, warm in a 300°F oven until heated through. You can also microwave in short intervals to reheat individual slices if desired.

Reheating tip: Add extra cheese to the top!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas? Yes, you can! They will give a more rustic texture. Slightly warm or toast them first to prevent them from tearing.

Can I make this taco bake gluten-free? You sure can! Use gluten-free tortillas and a gluten-free taco seasoning.

Can I use a different cheese? Absolutely! This taco bake tastes great with cheddar cheese, melting cheese, and even smoked cheeses.

Can I add additional spices? Yes, if you’d like to add more spices, try using cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano.

How can I make this for a crowd? When making multiple taco bakes, I like to bake them in disposable foil pie pans.

My tortillas are soggy. Why? Be sure to simmer the meat until all the liquid has been absorbed. Also, be sure to drain the fresh salsa. This will prevent extra juices from soaking into the tortilla.

Is this similar to a Taco Bell pizza? No, quite, this does not have refried beans in the mix.

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Need the perfect dessert for this dish? Try these incredible Mexican Fried Ice Cream Balls!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ortega. All opinions and text are my own.