Taco Casserole with Fritos
An easy dinner, serve a Taco Casserole with Fritos (Pedros Special)–a Mexican casserole baked with corn chips; served with taco toppings!
Friends, if you’re reluctant to host, today I’m sharing an easy recipe for company: Pedro’s Special Mexican Casserole, otherwise known as Mexican Casserole with Fritos. Maybe your mama made it growing up like my mama made it :) I’m not sure where the name came from, but Pedro Special was on our menu rotation.
Taco Casserole with Fritos (Pedro’s Special)
This beef taco bake with fritos is a crunchy, cheesy ground beef taco casserole, made with kidney beans. It was a weeknight casserole, when I was a kid, and we always asked for seconds.
Why we love this recipe
- It’s an easy and delicious one pan meal that everyone loves.
- Think of your favorite taco toppings, and serve them with this taco bake.
- Use this recipe as a dip, on a Chips and Dips board!
Pedro’s Special Mexican Casserole Ingredients
- Meat: we use ground beef, but you can use ground turkey or chicken, too.
- Olive oil
- Sweet onion
- Jalapenos
- Tomato paste + water
- Taco seasoning
- Salt & pepper
- Beans: we use kidney beans, but it’s also delicious with black beans, or pinto beans, or a mix.
- Cheese: Mexican is the best!
- Frito chips: we buy Frito Lay Corn Chips, but we also love Trader Joe’s version.
Toppings:
- Iceberg lettuce, finely chopped
- Chopped fresh tomatoes
- Olives: black, sliced
- Sour cream
- Avocados
- Green onions
- White onions
- Salsa + hot sauce
- More Frito chips
How do you make a Mexican Casserole?
- In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Saute the chopped onion and then add jalapenos (optional) if you want a “kick”.
- Add the ground beef. Cook until well done; drain off any fat.
- Add to the meat mixture the tomato paste, water, taco seasoning, and salt and pepper (season to taste).
- Place in a prepared (sprayed) large baking dish; add the cheese on top. Sprinkle with Frito chips.
- Bake until hot, and cheese is bubbly.
- Serve immediately with fresh ingredients: Finely chopped lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, avocados, and green onions or your favorite toppings.
Tips and substitutions:
- Easy to double the recipe for a large gathering.
- Swap out the groung beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Add several types of cheese: Mexican and Cotija.
- Instead of iceberg lettuce, you can use a variety of (chopped) greens.
What I love about this dish is that you can bake the meat mixture, and while that is baking, get the toppings ready!
How do you serve a taco bake?
Everyone dishes up their own bowl, adds their toppings, and it’s super easy–and delish!
Thanks Mom!
Super easy entertaining tips
- Plan something easy to serve your guests. Set out the ingredients, and let everyone dish up.
- Don’t feel like you have to set the table (just make sure it’s cleaned off); simply pull up the chairs, and just be casual!
- There’s a time and place for casual, and a Friday night just may be the night when you serve this dish!
Friends, make yours an entertaining style that allows connection, instead of stressing over what will go wrong, or worrying about the menu, your house being clean, etc.
Set the stress aside for the weekend, and ENJOY the people in your life!
Enjoy!
More Mexican casseroles:
Ground Turkey Olive Pasta Bake
Slow Cooker Taco Casserole [Well Plated]
Cheesy Low Carb Taco Casserole [Kalyn’s Kitchen]
Get the Recipe:
Taco Casserole with Fritos (Pedro’s Special)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1-2 jalapenos, finely diced (optional, for a "kick")
- 2 small cans tomato paste + 2 cans water
- 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 15 oz. Bush’s Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups Mexican cheese or sharp cheddar
- 2 cups Frito chips
Toppings:
- Iceberg lettuce, finely chopped
- Chopped fresh tomatoes
- Olive, sour cream, avocados, green onions
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Saute the chopped onion for 4-5 minutes; add jalapenos (optional) if you want a "kick". Add the ground beef. Cook until well done; drain off any fat.
- Add to the meat mixture the tomato paste, water, taco seasoning, and salt and pepper (season to taste).
- Place in a prepared (sprayed) large baking dish; add the cheese on top. Sprinkle with Frito chips.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, until hot, and cheese is bubbly.
- Serve immediately with fresh ingredients: Finely chopped lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, avocados, and green onions.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I believe you mum’s recipe came from The I Hate To Cook Book, by Peg Bracken. My Father used to cook this although we lived in Reading, England so didn’t have tortillas and avocado in the 70’s so instead we had tomato soup instead of tomato paste and served it with boiled potatoes. It was our go to Saturday dish, swapped out with Sausages and mash or Pork chops. I’m so glad you posted this recipe as just found on Pinterest and it has brought back lots of good memories.
This recipe is from the “I Hate to Cook cookbook” by Peg Braken. And it was a favorite at my house too. Thanks for sharing so I don’t have to hunt down my mom’s old copy of the recipe…
That’s awesome! I’ve never heard of the cookbook! My mom started making this in the late 1960’s and it’s been an EASY family favorite all of these years!
Im adding taco seasoning to the hamburger for added mexican flavor with finely diced jalapenos sauted in with onions
This looks yummy! Do you add the beans to mixture when adding tomato paste?
Yes, Peggy. ENJOY!
Love how easy this is. You could always do the meat ahead of time and throw it in the crockpot too. Yum!!!