Lawnmower Taco Casserole Recipe (2024)

4.87 from 15 votes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Author: Jessica Fisher

• 1 lb ground beef (ground turkey, pork, or chicken can also be used)
• 2 tablespoon Taco Seasoning Mix
• ¼ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 2 cup chicken stock beef broth can also be used
• 1 9-ounce package tortilla chips crushed
• 8 oz cheddar cheese (shredded) (2 cups), can also use jack or pepper jack
• taco toppings for serving: shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream, sliced black olives

US Customary – Metric

• In large skillet, brown ground beef. Stir in taco seasoning. Sprinkle flour over top. Stir to combine.

  

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• Stir in broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce thickens.

  

To assemble in a baking dish:

• Grease 9×13 inch baking pan. Place ½ of crushed chips across bottom of dish. Layer with half the meat sauce and then half the cheese. Repeat layers: chips, meat, cheese.

  

• Bake at 325° for about 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with toppings.

To make in the slow cooker:

• Prepare the meat sauce as directed above. Grease the crock of a casserole slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Assemble the casserole as directed. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Serve with toppings.

Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. These can be packed for lunch as well. Just reheat in the microwave prior to serving.

Nutritional values are approximate and based on ⅛ the casserole.

Variations: Taco casserole is a very flexible meal. Feel free to vary the meat, use beans instead of meat, and/or add a layer of beans, corn kernels, or diced tomatoes.

To make vegetarian taco casserole: Use a plant-based meat grind or beans instead of the meat and vegetable broth instead of the chicken stock.

To make a vegan taco casserole: Use a plant-based meat grind or beans instead of the meat and vegetable broth instead of the chicken stock. Substitute a plant-based cheese for the dairy cheese.

To make a gluten-free taco casserole: Use gluten-free baking mix, such as Bob’s Red Mill instead of the flour. Read the labels of the other ingredients to make sure they don’t contain added gluten.

To make taco casserole as a freezer meal: Assemble the dish, but do not bake. Instead, cover with foil, label, cool, and freeze. On serving day, thaw casserole and follow baking directions, adding up to 10 to 15 minutes baking time, depending on how cold or frozen the casserole is at the start.