Mexican Ground Beef Casserole

5 from 6 votes

Mexican Ground Beef Casserole

A delicious and easy weeknight meal, this Mexican Ground Beef Casserole makes a ton and comes together in under 30 minutes. Tasty taco meat mixed with salsa, black beans, and tons of melted cheese makes this a family favorite that goes great over rice, tortilla chips, or in a tortilla shell.

Prep Time10

Cook Time24

Total Time34

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: Servings

Calories: 436kcal

Author: Aimee Mars

Equipment

Large Skillet
Wooden Spatula
Slotted Spoon

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Olive Oil divided plus more for coating the baking dish
1 lb Ground Beef
1 medium Yellow Onion diced
1 medium Bell Pepper seeded and diced
2 Garlic Cloves minced
1 15 ounce can Black Beans drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
15 ounces Salsa
1½ cups Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese shredded
1 cup Romain Lettuce chopped
1 medium Tomato diced
1/2 cup Sour Cream optional, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and coat a 9x13 casserole dish in oil.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, using a wooden spatula to break it apart as it browns for about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive to the skillet and place the onion, bell pepper, and garlic into the skillet and toss to mix. Continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes or until softened.
Return the beef to the skillet and add the black beans, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 1 minute.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the salsa and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Place the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Serve with romain lettuce, diced tomato, and sour cream.

Notes

Make this recipe into many meals. Any leftovers you have can be used as a nacho topping, dip, quesadillas, or burrito filler the next night. You can also just grab some hard taco shells and spoon some of this casserole on the inside or stuff some peppers and bake them with cheese on top.
To save prep time check the produce section of your grocery store to see if they have pre-chopped onions or tomatoes. Sometimes I can find a mix of the two, which work great for this casserole.

Storage and Freezing Information

Leftovers: Store any leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the fridge. It will last for 3 to 4 days after first making it.
Freezing Instructions: If you plan on freezing this casserole I recommend making it in a freezer-safe baking dish. Prepare the recipe as directed through step 6 and let it cool completely before covering it and placing it in the freezer. To reheat, let it thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake it at 350ºF for 30 to 40 minutes.
Make-Ahead Instructions: You can easily prepare this casserole the night before. Let it cool completely before covering it tightly and storing it in your fridge until ready to heat. To heat set the oven to 325ºF and heat for about 10 to 15 minutes until the dish is warm throughout.

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