Casseroles might be some of the best comfort foods. A hot and cozy dish with everything all nestled together. Yes, please! This beef burrito casserole takes your classic burrito and makes it into a hearty and healthy casserole!
You guys LOVE our chicken taco casserole, and this beef casserole is a fun spin on it. We are taking your favorite burrito fillings, mixing them all up, and baking. And, of course, it’s topped with some cheese to finish it off. It’s full of flavor, has the perfect amount of spice, and totally hits the spot.
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Better yet, it’s super easy to make – simply saute your beef, mix everything together, and bake. While it takes a little over an hour from start to finish, most of that time is the casserole baking in the oven. It can easily be prepped ahead of time for busy weeknights.
Why we love this burrito casserole
- easy to make
- packed with protein – each piece has 30 grams of protein!
- a healthy and macro-balanced meal – we have protein from the beef, carbohydrates from the rice, some healthy fats from the cheese, and fiber from the beans and veggies.
- super comforting and cozy and something the whole family will love
- great for meal prep – the leftovers save great and it works well for meal prep.
Ingredients
- olive oil
- onion
- ground beef – I used lean 90/10
- taco seasoning
- bell peppers
- black beans
- salsa – any kind you like will work, you just don’t want it to be super thick
- white rice – I like jasmine rice
- broth
- cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper
How to make beef burrito casserole
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Make your beef mixture. Heat up a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and let it get hot (about 30 seconds). Add your onions and salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes until softened. Next, add your beef and break it up with the back of a spoon or meat chopper. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning and saute until meat is browned. Add ground beef mixture to the casserole dish, leaving behind most of the excess grease.
- Assemble casserole. Add diced peppers, beans, salsa, rice, and salt and pepper to your casserole dish and mix well to combine, making sure everything is evenly distributed. Pour in broth and stir again until well combined, pushing down the ingredients so they are evenly incorporated. The ingredients should be mostly covered by the liquid.
- Bake. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes until veggies are softened. Remove the foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes uncovered until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Enjoy! Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
What to serve with burrito casserole
I find this casserole is a complete meal, but my favorite thing is all toppings you can serve it with! These are some of my favorites:
- corn or flour tortillas – stuff the casserole in there for the full burrito effect!
- tortilla chips – eat like a dip
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- avocado or guacamole
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- cilantro or green onions
- hot sauce
Meal prep
This beef casserole is perfect for meal prep. It should last in the fridge for 4-5 days. To save even more time, make the beef mixture ahead of time and then just mix everything together when you are ready to bake. It will take the same amount of time since the rice needs to cook through.
Storage and reheating
- refrigerator – store it in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
- reheating – reheat it in the microwave or a skillet until warmed through.
- freezer – this recipe would be perfect to freeze. I would suggest leaving off the cheese and chips and then adding them when you are ready to heat it up after it defrosts. You can either freeze the whole recipe in a large container or in individual servings. It should last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Substitutions
- olive oil – any kind of neutral oil will work.
- ground beef – ground turkey or ground chicken will work instead.
- black beans – kidney or pinto beans will work the same.
- salsa – red or green will work. Use your favorite kind! You just it to be a little runny as it helps add to the amount of liquid to cook the rice.
- white rice – I do not think brown rice will work as it will change the cooking time.
- taco seasoning – you can use a mix of garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
- broth – beef broth, chicken broth, or veggie broth will work.
- cheddar cheese – most kinds of cheese will work. Pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or shredded Mexican blend cheese would work great.
More healthy casserole recipes
- jalapeno popper chicken casserole
- chili spaghetti squash casserole
- chicken taco casserole
- buffalo chicken casserole
- chicken fajita casserole
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Burrito Casserole
equipment
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion (120 grams)
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (I used 90/10)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 cups diced bell peppers (240 grams)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup uncooked white rice (rinsed)
- 1 1/2 cups broth
- 1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- for servings – tortilla chips, tortillas
- toppings of choice – shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream, greek yogurt, avocado, salsa, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño…
instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Make your beef mixture. Heat up a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and let it get hot (about 30 seconds). Add your onions and salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes until softened. Next, add your beef and break it up with the back of a spoon or meat chopper. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Stir in taco seasoning and saute until meat is browned. Add ground beef mixture to the casserole dish, leaving behind most of the excess grease.
- Assemble casserole. Add diced peppers, beans, salsa, rice, and salt and pepper to your casserole dish and mix well to combine, making sure everything is evenly distributed. Pour in broth and stir again until well combined, pushing down the ingredients so they are evenly incorporated. The ingredients should be mostly covered by the liquid.
- Bake. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40-45 minutes until veggies are softened. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes uncovered until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and slice into 8 equal-size pieces.
- Enjoy! Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
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I loved this recipe. I’m a rule follower and take each step of a recipe. Easy to follow, doesn’t take long, and oh so tasty. I make my own homemade salsa, so that was a bonus. Great for a family gathering or meal prep that lasts all week long. This will definitely be in my recipe rotation!
Homemade salsa sounds delicious! Glad it was so easy to follow and you enjoyed it. Thanks, Stacy!
Aaamazing! I just made this for meal prep for the week. I had a little sample after it finished baking and it’s perfect! I followed the recipe as written. Will definitely add this into my normal rotation. Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Grace! It really is great for prep too. Thanks for trying it!
Quick and easy to make! Tastes great! Meal prepped it and had it for lunches all week. Would recommend and will be making again!!
Happy to hear that! Thanks, Adah!
This recipe was incredible! I have a family of 6, and every one of my kids loved it. My 7 year old did most of the prep. I chopped veggies of course and monitored her, but she was so excited she could almost make the meal by herself! And we had leftovers! Such a great casserole, so easy and delicious. I highly recommend trying it!
So happy to hear it was a hit with everyone and that the kids could help prep!! Thanks for trying it Holly and glad you guys enjoyed it!
this is fantastic!!! made it last night and it makes good leftovers too.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Cindy!
Great and easy
Thanks, Dan!
Loved it and easy
Glad to hear it! Thanks for trying it!
Ummm ya gotta make this tonight! So easy and so yummy. I didn’t go the GF route but I’m sure it’s still great. I did do half ground beef half ground Turkey. It makes a ton so great for freezing or for a crowd!
Love the meat sub – I’m sure that was delicious! Thanks for trying it Julie and glad you enjoyed it!