Ingredients
Scale
For the Casserole:
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- 1 (20-count) box frozen beef or chicken taquitos
- 1½ cups queso blanco or cheese dip
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- ½ cup pickled jalapeño slices
- ¼ cup water
For Topping (after baking):
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup guacamole
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- Sliced green onions (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. This should take about 6-8 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Add the taco seasoning and ¼ cup water to the beef. Stir well and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Spread the refried beans evenly across the bottom of your prepared baking dish. You can warm them slightly first if they’re too thick to spread easily.
- Layer the seasoned ground beef over the refried beans, spreading it out evenly.
- Arrange the frozen taquitos in a single layer on top of the beef mixture. You can line them up in rows or arrange them however they fit best.
- Drizzle the queso generously over the taquitos, making sure to get some on each one.
- Sprinkle the cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Mexican blend cheeses evenly over the entire casserole.
- Scatter the pickled jalapeño slices across the top. Use more or less depending on your heat preference.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden and the taquitos are heated through and slightly crispy on top.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven.
- Top with dollops of sour cream and guacamole, then spoon pico de gallo over everything. Garnish with cilantro and green onions if desired.
- Serve hot, making sure each portion gets some of those crispy taquitos, melted cheese, and all the fresh toppings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
