Description
Hearty Taco Potato Casserole blends Mexican and American comfort food flavors into one delightful dish. Cheese, ground beef, and layered potatoes create a satisfying meal that combines classic ingredients with zesty spices you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 bag (850g) frozen diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 can (298g) condensed cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
- 1 ½ cups (6 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 packet (28g) taco seasoning mix
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup salsa or diced tomatoes (optional, for extra flavor)
- ¼ cup diced green onions (for garnish)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheating: Calibrate oven to 350F (175C) and mist 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray for seamless release.
- Meat Preparation: Sizzle ground beef in expansive skillet, fracturing into delicate crumbles while methodically draining excess lipids; integrate taco seasoning and hydrate with water, simmering until mixture condenses into robust sauce.
- Creamy Foundation: Whisk condensed cream soup with sour cream, orchestrating harmonious blend with cheddar cheese, then tenderly fold in thawed hash brown potatoes and seasoned beef until ingredients intertwine uniformly.
- Assembly: Cascade potato-beef fusion into prepared vessel, smoothing surface and crowning with additional cheese for decadent golden mantle.
- Baking Transformation: Nestle casserole within heated oven, allowing 45-50 minutes of culinary metamorphosis until periphery bubbles and cheese caramelizes into molten crust.
- Garnishing: Embellish with vibrant green onions, cilantro, optional salsa, or diced tomatoes; serve piping hot accompanied by complementary accouterments like sour cream, guacamole, or zesty salsa.
Notes
- Optimize Meat Browning: Ensure ground beef is thoroughly browned and excess fat drained to prevent a greasy casserole texture.
- Control Seasoning Intensity: Adjust taco seasoning quantity based on personal spice preference; taste-test mixture before combining with other ingredients.
- Prevent Potato Sogginess: Pat thawed hash browns dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture and maintain crisp casserole structure.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute ground beef with turkey or plant-based meat alternatives for lighter protein options; use low-fat cheese and cream soup for reduced-calorie version.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 60mg