Beef Burrito Casserole

This casserole is exactly what it sounds like — all the flavors of a beef burrito baked into a layered pan you can cut into squares. We’ve got seasoned ground beef, refried beans, a creamy sour cream and cream of mushroom sauce, flour tortillas, and of course, melted cheese. It’s quick to prepare, feeds a family of 6 with plenty of leftovers, and the best part it’s fully assembled hours in advance making dinner a breeze at only 20 minutes in the oven when you’re ready.

If you’ve never made a casserole like this before, cream of mushroom soup in the sauce may sound strange. That’s not the case though — the soup thickens the sour cream layer so when you cut the casserole, it doesn’t run all over the plate. Every time, this method works. It’s classic casserole logic.

Why This Bakes Up Just Right

• The sour cream and cream of mushroom mixture acts as a binding layer between the tortillas — the casserole holds together when you cut it instead of falling apart on the plate
• Refried beans in the meat mixture add body and stretch one pound of beef into a pan that comfortably feeds six
• Baking covered first, then uncovering to broil gives you fully melted cheese underneath and browned, slightly crispy edges on top — both textures in one pan
• Six-inch tortillas fit the 9×13 pan in two full pieces and two halves, which covers the pan without awkward overlapping or tearing

What to Know Before You Start

Pick up 6-inch flour tortillas rather than the bigger burrito sized tortillas. The bigger ones hang over the edges of the pan and the layers do not stack up evenly. Standard 6-inch tortillas fit perfectly.

After browning, drain the ground beef thoroughly. The layer of sour cream has enough moisture by itself; grease from the un-drained beef thins it out and makes the bottom layer sloppy.

While the last broiler step is optional, it is worth doing. The difference it makes it immeasurable for only 3 to 5 minutes. Melted cheese is one thing, but it takes the dish up another notch with golden, slightly crispy edges that everyone comes back for seconds to get.

Ingredients

Ground beef (1 lb, 80/20) — Has enough fat to stay flavorful throughout baking. If you use a leaner beef, it will work, but will taste noticeably drier after you mix in the taco seasoning and beans. Regardless of the situation, drain well after browning.

Taco Seasoning (1 Packet) – One packet is calibrated for 1 pound of beef. A reliable choice is Old El Paso or McCormick. If you use a homemade blend, about 2 tablespoons does the same job.

Refried beans (1 can, fat-free) – Fat-free is perfectly acceptable here. You won’t even notice once everything is cooked together with the beef. The beans help to thicken the mixture and stretch that pound of beef a lot further. Don’t skip them, thinking it will be fine without. The filling gets loose, and the layers separate.

Mushroom soup is used for creaminess only and not for flavor. It also helps thicken the sour cream so the sauce layer hangs onto the soup and does not soak into the tortillas. If you only have cream of chicken, that one works as a swap too — the flavor is just slightly lighter but structurally the same.

Sour cream (1/2 cup) – Full fat sour cream works best for baking. Light sour cream gets watery in oven and that is not ideal for the layer that is holding everything together.

6-inch flour tortillas (1 pack) — The size does matter. Two whole tortillas and two halves will be used per layer to cover the pan. Typically, most packs will have 8 to 10 tortillas, so you will have some extras. Rolls are good for any leftover filling, if there is any.

For the cheese, use 2 cups Mexican mix shredded cheese — Pre-shredded is perfectly acceptable. The blend cheese melts evenly and has enough cheddar in it to brown nicely under the broiler. Don’t use fresh-grated mozzarella — it doesn’t have the right taste for this one.

How to Make Beef Burrito Casserole

Spray a 9×13 baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet on medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and diced onion together, breaking up the meat as it cooks. It should be cooked completely with no pink, and the onion should be soft and translucent. For fat drainage, tilt the pan and spoon it out, or you can briefly transfer the beef to a colander.

Stir in the taco seasoning and refried beans to the beef. Combine until the beans are completely blended and everything is heated. It will be thick, and that’s the goal. Put it aside.

In another bowl, combine the sour cream and cream of mushroom soup and mix until smooth. It may look a little runny, but it will firm up while baking.

Take two of your tortillas and cut them in half. Stack them on top of each other and cut straight across. Leaving it a little rough is fine. You will use two full tortillas and two halves for each layer.

Start with the first layer: spread half of the sour cream mixture onto the bottom of the pan, then add two whole tortillas and two halves to cover the surface. Spread half of the beef and bean mixture on top of the tortillas and top with 1 cup of cheese.

Remaining beef mixture, remaining tortillas, remaining cheese, remaining sour cream mixture.

Tightly seal with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350°. Uncover and move oven settings to broil for 3-5 minutes watching closely to ensure the cheese is golden and bubbling at the edges. Allow 5 minutes for the casserole to rest before cuts. The casserole holds together better after it’s rested.

Helpful Tips

Don’t skip draining the beef. Most people rush this step, but without it, excess grease thins out the sour cream layer, and the casserole won’t hold together when you cut into it.

Be careful with the broiler. It can turn the cheese from a nice golden brown to burnt in a matter of seconds. Usually you want to do three minutes, and five is absolutely the max before you need to take that out.

If you want more spice, use hot taco seasoning or throw in a diced jalapeño while the ground beef cooks. The base recipe is designed to be kid-friendly since this is intended to be a family weeknight dinner.

This scales cleanly. Please double the recipe and use two pans instead of trying to stack more into one. Deep-layered casseroles don’t cook evenly all the way through at this bake time.

Storage and Make-Ahead

After reheating, the layers become firmer, and they hold together even better the next day. Keep covered in the refrigerator and it will last for 4 days.

To prepare ahead of time, put the casserole together, cover it, and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. If baking straight from the fridge, add an extra 5 minutes to the covered bake time.

Single portions should be reheated in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. For the full pan, reheat in the oven at 325°F for 20 minutes, covered with foil, until heated all the way through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?

Yes, you can use 93/7 ground turkey — just brown it, drain it, and then proceed the same way. The taste is slightly milder, but most will not notice a difference once the taco seasoning and beans go in.

Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

Feel free to do it, but it will affect the experience. Since corn tortillas don’t soak up food moisture as well as flour tortillas, the layers will be crumbly and fall apart when you cut into the casserole. For the layered format, flour tortillas will be better.

What should I serve with beef burrito casserole?

This recipe was built around Spanish rice, so of course, it’s the most obvious choice. A simple green salad, corn on the cob, or chips and salsa can add a little more variety without adding a lot more work. Most people want sour cream and salsa right at the table, and that’s an easy finish.

Can I freeze beef burrito casserole?

Yes, you may freeze it assembled (before it’s been baked) and wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Just remember to thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking. It’s also totally fine to freeze it after it’s been baked, but the tortilla layers can get a little soft when you reheat it. Still delicious, just not as neat when you cut it.

Can I substitute a different soup for the cream of mushroom?

Cream of chicken works instead of just fine; the difference in taste is insignificant once it is all baked. Do not use condensed cheddar soup. It makes the sauce layer too thick and the result is a gummy texture.

More Easy Casserole Dinners

Taco Crescent Bake uses its crescent roll crust, a layer of taco beef, cheese, and sour cream. It’s the same weeknight energy, just a different format.

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos means you can have the taco taste even when you don’t want to turn on the oven! Chicken goes into the slow cooker to cook all day and is ready when you are!

Weeknight Deep Dish Taco Squares — a crescent roll base layered with taco meat and cheese, which allows you to cut it into tidy squares. Ideal for potlucks.

Canned Tomato Salsa — Salsa made in the blender in five minutes. This salsa is so good, it is better than anything you could buy.