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This is one of my favorite mash-ups! This beef and bean burrito bake is hearty, cheesy, and perfect for any night you’re craving Tex-Mex comfort food. Layers of flour tortilla strips, refried beans, salsa, and seasoned ground beef bake together into a bubbly, satisfying casserole the whole family will love.
The best part? It’s flexible. Use what you have on hand and dress it up with your favorite toppings—sour cream, guacamole, green onions, or cilantro—for a fully loaded finish. Serve it straight from the pan with plenty of napkins!
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Easy to assemble. Layered like a lasagna but with tortillas, this casserole comes together in minutes.
Family favorite flavors. Classic taco-seasoned beef, beans, and cheese make it irresistible.
Customizable toppings. Add your favorite salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or chopped veggies to make it your own.
Great for leftovers. This reheats beautifully, making it perfect for next-day lunches.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef for less grease, or try a beef/pork blend or ground turkey.
- Taco Seasoning: A standard 1-ounce packet or about 2–3 tablespoons of homemade seasoning.
- Refried Beans: Canned refried beans keep it simple, or substitute 1 ½ cups of homemade.
- Salsa: Chunky store-bought salsa works well, or use your favorite homemade version.
- Tortillas: Medium (soft taco–size) flour tortillas are sliced into strips for easy layering.
- Cheese: Cheddar Jack, pepper jack, or a shredded Mexican blend all work here.
Steps to Make Beef and Bean Burrito Bake
- Lightly grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the tortillas into strips and layer half in the bottom of the dish.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet, then add the onions and cook until softened.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and refried beans; cook until hot and combined.
- Spread the beef and bean mixture over the tortilla layer, then spoon salsa on top.
- Top with the remaining tortilla strips and sprinkle evenly with cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Tips
- Make it ahead: Assemble the casserole up to 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Use what you have: This is a great recipe for using leftover taco meat or beans.
- Spice it up: Add a few dashes of hot sauce or chopped jalapeños to the beef mixture for extra heat.
Recipe Variations
- Meat: Replace the beef with ground turkey or chicken, or use a combination of beef and pork or beef and chorizo.
- Beans: Add 1 cup of drained canned beans to the beef and refried bean mixture.
- Vegetables: Sauté about ½ cup each of chopped onions and bell peppers along with the beef.
- Chile Peppers: Add minced jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers to the beef mixture or stir in a small can of mild chopped green chiles.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole on the side.
- Add a chopped green salad with a citrus vinaigrette for freshness.
- Pair with Spanish rice or Mexican-style corn.
- Slice and reheat for quick lunches or game-day snacks.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Wrap the baked and cooled casserole tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
To Reheat: Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm larger portions in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Beef and Bean Burrito Bake
Ingredients
- Butter, oil, or cooking spray, for greasing the baking dish
- 6 medium flour tortillas
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 pkt taco seasoning, about 1 ounce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
- 1 cup salsa, plus more for serving (store-bought or fresh)
- 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, or pepper jack or a Mexican blend
- Sour cream (optional), for serving
- Guacamole (optional), for serving
- Sliced green onions (optional), for serving
- Coarsely chopped cilantro (optional), for serving
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish and preheat the oven to 350°F.Butter, oil, or cooking spray (for greasing the baking dish)
- Slice the flour tortillas into 1 1/2-inch strips. Arrange half of the tortilla strips at the bottom of the baking dish and set the remaining strips aside.6 medium flour tortillas
- Add the beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, until well browned on the bottom. Break the beef up, add the onions, and continue cooking and stirring for 4 to 6 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are softened.1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef | 1 cup chopped onion
- Add the taco seasoning, water, and refried beans, then continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is hot and bubbly.1 pkt taco seasoning (about 1 ounce) | 1 (15-ounce) can refried beans | 1/4 cup water
- Spoon the filling mixture evenly over the tortilla layer. Spoon the salsa over the beef mixture.1 cup salsa (plus more for serving (store-bought or fresh))
- Top the beef and bean mixture with the remaining tortilla strips and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (or pepper jack or a Mexican blend)
- Bake the casserole for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the casserole filling is bubbly.
- Serve with additional salsa, sour cream, guacamole, sliced green onions, and cilantro, as desired.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
