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Beef Taco Bake

Source of Recipe

From "One-Hour Comfort" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Tacos are fun no matter how you eat them, and this layered, 'deconstructed taco' casserole is no exception. You could think of it as a slightly more refined Frito pie. First layer: Canned refried beans combined with spicy Ro-Tel tomatoes and fresh cilantro. Second layer: Colby Jack cheese. Third layer: broken taco shells. Fourth layer: 90 percent lean ground beef flavored with tomatoes, onion, garlic, chili powder, and oregano. Top it all off with more cheese and more taco shell pieces, and bake it all into a beefy, cheesy, crunchy delight. You can substitute one 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained, and one 4-ounce can of chopped green chiles, drained, for the Ro-Tel tomatoes. You can also substitute Monterey Jack for the Colby Jack. Serve with all your favorite taco toppings (naturally!), such as shredded lettuce, chopped avocado, salsa, and sour cream."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped fine
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chili powder
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon pepper
â—¦ 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
â—¦ 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
â—¦ 2 (10-ounce) cans Ro-Tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles, drained, divided
â—¦ 1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
â—¦ ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
â—¦ 8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups), divided
â—¦ 12 taco shells, broken into 1-inch pieces (2 cups), divided
â—¦ 2 scallions, sliced thin


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine beef, onion, chili powder, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in bowl and microwave, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat, until most of beef is cooked (some pink will remain), about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, sugar, and half of tomatoes.

Combine beans, cilantro, and remaining tomatoes in second bowl, then spread evenly into 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle with ½ cup Colby Jack and scatter 1 cup taco shells over the top. Crumble beef mixture into dish and sprinkle with ½ cup Colby Jack. Top with remaining 1 cup taco shells and remaining 1 cup Colby Jack.

Bake until filling is bubbling and cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 25 minutes. Remove dish from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.

Serves 4 to 6