Try this Mexican Bubble Up Casserole that is slow-cooked to perfection with all the Tex-Mex flavors of a traditional Mexican-inspired pizza dish. Who knew just five ingredients could come together for a mouth-watering meal that will leave your family wanting more?
Another biscuit style meal we love is Chicken Biscuit Casserole! Recipes with biscuits always hit the spot.
What is a bubble-up casserole?
In short, a bubble-up casserole is a dish made with refrigerated biscuits. While cooking, the biscuits “bubble up” when they are baked – or in this case, slowly cooked in the crockpot. These casseroles are quite popular and can be made with a number of ingredients.
For this Mexican bubble up casserole recipe, there are minimal ingredients that are all combined and cooked together, leaving prep time short and sweet. Cooking time is also short, which means you can start this casserole dish just a few hours before mealtime.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Beef: If you can, go with a pack of lean ground beef.
- Taco Sauce: I use the Oretgo brand, about two 8-oz. jars.
- Taco Seasoning Mix: The original kind adds the perfect flavor.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese is added to the top of the Mexican bubble up casserole and melted to perfection.
- Biscuits: Refrigerated (buttermilk or homestyle) Pilsbury biscuits work perfectly, although any brand will do.
- Water: Used to mix taco seasoning and sauce together.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Cook ground beef and add taco sauce, water, and taco seasoning. Bring the beef mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and allow it to simmer for five minutes or until sightly thickened.
Step Two – Add the beef mixture into a parchment paper-lined crock pot (parchment paper optional) and add in cut biscuit pieces. Stir, or you can mix the meat mixture and the biscuits together in a bowl first.
Step Three – Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 – 3.5 hours or until the biscuit dough is cooked through.
Step Four – Remove the lid and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Re-cover the slow cooker until the cheese is melted.
Variations
- Toppings: light and flavorful toppings to consider are sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, diced onion, sliced jalapenos, and extra salsa. Sharp cheddar cheese and green onions are great toppings as well.
- Sides: since this dish is fairly hearty on its own, keeping the side options light is best. A few sides to consider are Mexican street corn, a nice helping of nacho or tortilla chips, and/or Mexican refried beans.
- Spice & Flavor: switch up the flavors by adding chili powder, green peppers, and hot sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Black beans would make a perfect meat swap and cut back on cook time even more since you won’t have to brown the ground beef.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Make sure you store any toppings separately. It should keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. It can also be frozen, making it a great freezer meal option.
Yes! Any kind of biscuits will work with this recipe.
Instead, simply spray your slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent and sticking of your pizza casserole.
Slow Cooker Mexican Bubble Up Casserole
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 16 oz. mild taco sauce (I use Oretgo brand, can use two 8-oz. jars)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1.25 oz. mild taco seasoning packet
- 16.3 oz. can refrigerated home style or buttermilk biscuits
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- Toppings: shredded lettuce sliced black olives, pickled jalapeños, diced avocado, sour cream, additional salsa, etc.
Instructions:
- Prepare the slow cooker with two sheets of parchment paper to create a sling for the pizza. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray. Note- You DO NOT have to use parchment. I've made this without parchment and works great. Still be sure to spray with non-stick spray.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink, crumbling as it cooks. Drain well and return the beef to the skillet.
- Add the taco sauce, water, and taco seasoning to the skillet. Bring the beef mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and allow it to simmer for five minutes or until sightly thickened.
- Meanwhile, cut each biscuit into 6 pieces. Place the biscuit pieces into a large bowl or directly into the slow cooker on top of the parchment.
- Fold the beef mixture and half of the cheese into the biscuits, evenly distributing the beef mixture throughout.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 – 3.5 hours or until the biscuit dough is cooked through.
- Remove the lid and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Re-cover the slow cooker until the cheese is melted.
- Lift the casserole from the slow cooker using the parchment foil sling. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and carefully slice into pieces.
- Serve the casserole with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, or your choice of toppings.
Recipe Notes:
- For a meatless meal, black beans would make a perfect meat swap and cut back on cook time even more since you won’t have to brown the ground beef.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Make sure you store any toppings separately. It should keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. It can also be frozen, making it a great freezer meal option.
- You do not need to use parchment paper; you can spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray or use aluminum foil.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I have read the recipe and it sounds simple but I am confused in one instruction you put the biscuits on top of mixture but then you put biscuits at the bottom of the crockpot which works better
They are mixed into the beef mixture, you can mixt it in the slow cooker or in a bowl. Not on top or on bottom, instead mixed all together.
You can also use Gardein vegetarian “meat” crumbles for a vegetarian option…you don’t have to cook those either 🙂
Hi I haven’t made this yet but plan to tonight. I am wondering how to cook this in the oven. What temperature and how long would it take to cook?
Hi! I’m unsure for I only test my recipes in the slow cooker.
Can you make it low carb and leave out the biscuits?
You could! Though you would only need to cook for about half the time.
This was delicious! It’s definitely a keeper and very easy to make. Thanks for the recipe.
I use the Reynolds crockpot liners (gods I wish I’d discovered these things like 15 years ago)… will that work in place of the parchment paper?
Yes! The liners are meant for recipes like this one.
I do not understand how to do biquits???
Cut each Pillsbury biscuits into 6 pieces; cut in half then twice the other way.
Can you make taco sauce out of anything else?
Yes, you can do enchilada sauce or salsa.
In the directions it calls it a pizza and then calls it a casserole. Which is it please?
I 100% believe this is a casserole.
I have the 9×13 casserole crock pot and think that would be perfect for this recipe.
Living alone I halved the recipe and it is
a keeper. I will rotate into my calendar for every two weeks. Thanks Delicious Recipe and very easy.
Hi. What size crock pot did you use for 1/2 of the recipe? Same size? Thanks. Jen
Did you cook it for the same amount of time as the full recipe?
Pizza????
Thanks for catching that. It was originally supposed to be called Mexican bubble-up pizza, but I changed the name! No pizza components at all.