Crockpot Taco Casserole combines seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, rice, and plenty of melted cheese in one hearty slow cooker dinner. It delivers the familiar flavors of taco night without requiring you to assemble individual tacos at the table.
This simple casserole starts with ground beef and onion cooked in a skillet. Taco seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, and black pepper give the meat plenty of flavor. Then everything goes into the slow cooker with beans, corn, tomatoes with green chilies, salsa, uncooked white rice, and beef broth.
Once the rice becomes tender, a generous layer of Mexican-blend cheese melts across the top. Finally, everyone can customize their Crockpot Taco Casserole with sour cream, avocado, jalapeños, fresh tomatoes, cilantro, or green onions.
I started appreciating taco casseroles when I wanted all the fun flavors of taco night without setting out a dozen separate bowls and shells. This version makes serving especially easy because the rice, beef, vegetables, and beans cook together. However, I learned quickly that rice needs a little attention in the slow cooker. I begin checking it near the early end of the cooking range rather than automatically leaving it for several extra hours. Once the rice turns tender, I add the cheese and let it melt. Then I put a few fresh toppings on the table so everyone can finish their bowl exactly how they like it.
Crockpot Taco Casserole: Easy Cheesy Slow Cooker Dinner
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Lightly grease a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cook the ground beef and diced onion in a skillet over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink and the onion has softened. Drain the excess grease.
- Stir the taco seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper into the cooked ground beef.
- Transfer the seasoned beef to the slow cooker. Add the black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and salsa.
- Add the uncooked white rice and beef broth. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly combined.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, checking near the early end of the range, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Sprinkle the shredded Mexican-blend cheese evenly over the casserole.
- Cover and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted.
- Spoon the warm taco casserole into individual bowls.
- Serve with sour cream, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, avocado, or other preferred taco toppings.
Notes
Preparing the Seasoned Taco Beef
Brown the Ground Beef and Onion
Place 1 pound ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add ½ cup diced onion.
Cook the beef and onion together, breaking the meat into small crumbles as it browns.
Continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink and the onion has softened.
Next, carefully drain away excess grease.
Browning the meat before adding it to the slow cooker improves the texture of Crockpot Taco Casserole. It also gives you an opportunity to remove excess fat before combining the beef with the rice and broth.
While the beef cooks, lightly grease the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker.
Add the Taco Seasonings
Return the drained beef and onion mixture to the skillet.
Stir in 1 packet taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Mix until the spices evenly coat the beef.
You don’t need to cook the seasoned mixture for long. Simply stir everything together thoroughly before transferring it to the slow cooker.
The taco seasoning creates the main flavor profile, while cumin adds another warm, earthy note.
Meanwhile, garlic powder complements the fresh onion without requiring additional preparation.
Because taco seasoning blends vary in saltiness, you don’t need additional salt in the base recipe. You can always adjust individual servings after the Crockpot Taco Casserole finishes cooking.
Building the Crockpot Taco Casserole
Combine the Beans, Corn, Tomatoes, and Salsa
Transfer the seasoned ground beef and onion to the prepared slow cooker.
Add one drained and rinsed 15-ounce can black beans.
Next, add one drained 15-ounce can corn and one 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies.
Pour in 1 cup salsa.
These ingredients give Crockpot Taco Casserole plenty of color, texture, and Southwestern-inspired flavor.
The black beans make each serving more substantial, while corn provides mild sweetness. Meanwhile, tomatoes with green chilies and salsa add moisture and tangy tomato flavor.
Stir the mixture gently so the beef and vegetables become evenly distributed.
Add the Rice and Beef Broth
Add 1 cup uncooked white rice to the slow cooker.
Pour in 1½ cups beef broth.
Stir everything thoroughly so the rice gets distributed throughout the liquid rather than sitting in a dry layer on top.
Cover the slow cooker.
Cook the Crockpot Taco Casserole on LOW for approximately 3 to 4 hours, or until the rice becomes tender and absorbs the liquid.
Slow cookers can vary considerably in temperature. Therefore, begin checking the casserole toward the earlier end of the cooking range.
Avoid cooking it much longer than necessary once the rice becomes tender. Extended cooking can make the grains overly soft and change the casserole’s texture.
Finishing the Casserole With Cheese
Check the Rice Before Adding Cheese
After approximately 3 hours, check the rice for tenderness.
Gently stir the casserole, paying particular attention to the rice around the edges.
If the grains remain firm, cover the slow cooker and continue cooking.
Once the rice becomes tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, the Crockpot Taco Casserole is ready for cheese.
If the casserole appears slightly loose at first, remember that the rice can continue absorbing some moisture as the dish rests.
However, don’t continue cooking solely to make the mixture completely dry. A little moisture helps keep the beef and rice pleasantly tender.
Melt the Mexican-Blend Cheese
Sprinkle 1½ cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese evenly over the top.
Cover the slow cooker again.
Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or just until the cheese becomes completely melted.
There’s no need to stir the cheese into the casserole.
Instead, leaving it on top creates a gooey layer that stretches across each serving.
Once the cheese has melted, turn off the slow cooker and prepare your toppings.
This final step transforms the Crockpot Taco Casserole from a simple beef-and-rice dish into a cheesy taco-inspired dinner.
Serving and Customizing Taco Casserole
Create a Taco Topping Bar
Spoon the warm Crockpot Taco Casserole into bowls.
Then let everyone customize their serving.
Sour cream provides a cool, creamy contrast to the seasoned beef and salsa. Fresh diced tomatoes add brightness, while sliced jalapeños provide additional heat.
Chopped green onions and cilantro bring fresh flavor and color.
Finally, diced or sliced avocado adds a creamy texture that pairs particularly well with the beans, corn, and rice.
You can serve all the toppings in separate bowls for an easy family taco night.
Store and Reheat Leftovers
Let leftover Crockpot Taco Casserole cool before transferring it to an airtight container.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
The rice will continue absorbing moisture during storage. Therefore, add a small splash of beef broth or water before reheating if the casserole seems dry.
Warm individual portions until thoroughly hot, then add fresh toppings afterward.
Keep sour cream, avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, and other fresh garnishes separate during storage.
This approach keeps the toppings fresh and lets you customize every reheated serving.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained
- 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 1½ cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Sour cream, for topping
- Diced tomatoes, for topping
- Sliced jalapeños, for topping
- Chopped green onions, for topping
- Fresh cilantro, for topping
- Avocado, for topping
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cook the ground beef and diced onion in a skillet over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink and the onion softens. Drain the excess grease.
- Stir the taco seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper into the cooked beef.
- Transfer the beef mixture to the slow cooker. Add the black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and salsa.
- Add the uncooked white rice and beef broth. Stir thoroughly until everything is evenly combined.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, checking toward the early end of the range, until the rice becomes tender and absorbs most of the liquid.
- Sprinkle the shredded Mexican-blend cheese evenly over the casserole.
- Cover and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted.
- Spoon the casserole into bowls while warm.
- Top with sour cream, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, green onions, cilantro, avocado, or your favorite combination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put uncooked rice directly into Crockpot Taco Casserole?
Yes. This recipe uses 1 cup uncooked white rice, which cooks directly in the slow cooker with 1½ cups beef broth and the moisture from the salsa and tomatoes.
How do I keep the rice from becoming mushy?
Start checking the casserole near the 3-hour mark. Once the rice becomes tender, add the cheese and finish the recipe rather than continuing to slow cook it unnecessarily.
Can I make Crockpot Taco Casserole spicy?
Yes. Choose a hotter salsa and add sliced jalapeños when serving. You can also use hot diced tomatoes with green chilies if you want more heat throughout the casserole.
What toppings work best with taco casserole?
Sour cream, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, green onions, cilantro, and avocado all work well. You can offer several toppings separately so everyone can customize their bowl.
How many servings does Crockpot Taco Casserole make?
This recipe makes approximately 6 to 8 servings. Portion size will depend on whether you serve the casserole alone or alongside additional sides and toppings.
Conclusion
Crockpot Taco Casserole packs the flavors of taco night into one easy slow cooker meal.
Ground beef, onion, taco seasoning, black beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, and rice cook together until savory and tender. Then Mexican-blend cheese melts across the top for a creamy, satisfying finish.
The fresh toppings make every serving easy to customize. Add cool sour cream and avocado, brighten the bowl with cilantro and tomatoes, or turn up the heat with sliced jalapeños.
With about 20 minutes of preparation and a few hours of hands-off cooking, Crockpot Taco Casserole makes a practical choice for busy family dinners and relaxed taco nights.
