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Crock Pot Taco Casserole

Crock Pot Taco Casserole is a hearty slow-cooker dinner with seasoned ground beef, beans, corn, and tender rotini pasta in a rich taco-inspired sauce. You’ll cook it on LOW until the pasta is soft, then melt a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack on top for a cheesy finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef and sauce base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion
  • 1 taco seasoning
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 2 cup salsa
Pasta and cheese
  • 8 oz rotini pasta uncooked
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef and build the sauce
  1. Brown the ground beef and diced onion in a skillet over medium heat until the beef is cooked through, stirring to break it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease so the casserole doesn’t turn greasy.
  2. Stir the taco seasoning into the browned beef mixture and cook for 1 minute to coat everything evenly.
  3. Transfer the beef mixture to the crock pot.
  4. Add the black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, beef broth, and salsa to the crock pot. Stir well to combine so the sauce is evenly colored.
Slow-cook until pasta is tender
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours. The sauce should look thickened and bubbling around the edges.
  2. Stir in the uncooked rotini pasta, making sure it’s submerged in the liquid. Cover and cook for 30–40 minutes on LOW until the pasta is tender.
Melt the cheese and serve
  1. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese over the top of the casserole in an even layer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until melted.
  2. Garnish with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro, then serve warm.

Notes

Pro tip: drain and rinse the black beans and corn, and drain grease after browning to keep the taco sauce thick instead of oily. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a sealed container; reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is yes—freeze portions up to 2 months and thaw overnight before reheating; the pasta may soften further. For a lighter option, use 90% lean ground beef or swap in ground turkey while keeping the taco seasoning and broth the same.