Slow Cooker Taco Potato Casserole
28 Comments Dec 13, 2022
Updated Mar 01, 2025
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Slow Cooker Taco Potato Casserole is made with ground beef, frozen hashbrowns, taco seasoning, cheddar cheese, and a few other Mexican dish staples for the perfect main course for taco night. This family-friendly recipe is sure to be a huge hit!
If you enjoy Mexican food, you must try my Mexican Bubble Up Casserole or Mexican Chicken Soup.
Table of Contents
Why this crock pot taco casserole works
This dish is a delicious twist on a Mexican-style hash! The potatoes cook to perfection, soaking up the flavors of the tomatoes, cheddar cheese soup, and sour cream, which pair beautifully with the savory ground beef. While taco dishes are often served with corn or flour tortillas, this recipe swaps them out for potatoes, offering a hearty and satisfying casserole that’s a must-try!
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Beef: Using lean ground beef will produce less fat and soak up more onion and garlic flavor when cooked.
- Frozen Hashbrowns: This adds a nice hearty touch to the casserole without being overpowering.
- Cheddar Cheese Soup: This helps provide a creamy texture to the meat mixture.
- Taco Seasoning: The primary seasoning to give it an authentic Mexican flavor.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic: Diced and sauteed with the ground beef to give it a bit of flavor before adding to the remaining ingredients.
- Green Chiles and Diced Tomatoes: The Old El Paso brand of these chiles and tomatoes are rated best. Having them in a can makes the recipe that much easier to make.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Purchasing a block of cheese and shredding it yourself will guarantee that it melts without having a residue (like bagged cheese).
- {The full recipe is in the recipe card below the images}
Variations
- Diced hashbrown potatoes can be used instead of the shredded (or the O’Brien variety). Tater tots can also be used, but expect them to break up a bit once cooked and bowled for serving.
- Don’t like cheddar cheese soup? Cream of mushroom, chicken or celery soup can be used instead.
- Vegetables can be added such as bell pepper, mushrooms or corn.
- For more protein, add a can of pinto or black beans.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Start by putting the hashbrowns on the bottom of the slow cooker. Then add the cooked hamburger meat mixture, shredded cheese, and all other remaining ingredients.
Step Two – Give everything a good stir until well combined.
Step Three – Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours.
Step Four – Serve immediately and enjoy!
Serving Ideas
- This taco casserole is perfect for topping with sliced green onions, diced tomatoes, a dollop of sour cream, creamy avocado, and gooey melted cheese.
- Black beans and crunchy tortilla chips make great non-filling sides to serve alongside this dish.
- A fresh green salad adds a light and refreshing touch to complete the meal.
Recipe FAQs
Ground turkey, shredded chicken, and beef stew meat would be great substitutions for this recipe.
Any leftover taco casserole can be stored in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can also be placed in a freezer bag and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For this recipe, it is okay to add the frozen potato directly to the bottom of the slow cooker. Though, you will find, it’s easier to mix the ingredients if the potatoes are thawed or at least partially thawed.
More crockpot hashbrown recipes
- Slow Cooker Potatoes Romanoff
- Slow Cooker Cracker Barrel Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Hashbrown Potato Leek Soup
- Slow Cooker Hashbrown Kielbasa Casserole
- Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
Slow Cooker Taco Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 4 oz. can diced green chilies
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 oz. packet of taco seasoning, (2 tablespoons)
- 10.5 oz. can cheddar cheese soup
- 16 oz. frozen shredded hash browns, (thawed or partially thawed)
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the diced onions and minced garlic over medium high heat.
- Drain and add to the crockpot.
- Next, add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot, stir to combine, and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Any leftover taco casserole can be stored in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can also be placed in a freezer bag and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Diced hashbrown potatoes can be used instead of the shredded (or the O’Brien variety). Tater tots can also be used, but expect them to break up a bit once cooked and bowled for serving.
- Don’t like cheddar cheese soup? Cream of mushroom, chicken or celery soup can be used instead.
- Vegetables can be added such as bell pepper, mushrooms or corn.
- For more protein, add a can of pinto or black beans.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I made this yesterday and I think it’s my new favorite!! I like my food on the spicy side so I used Old El Paso Hot & Spicy Taco Seasoning, Rotel Xtra Hot tomatoes with Ghost pepper and Great Value Diced Hot Fire Roasted Green Chiles. I think next time I make it, I’ll dial the heat back a little and use the Rotel Hot Tomatoes with Habanero peppers instead of the one with Ghost peppers! Either way, it’s delicious and great on a cold winter day! (it’s March but we’re still dealing with some cold & windy days).
Sounds great, I love your adaptions.
It’s definitely filling, but very bland in flavor.
I added A LOT of hot sauce. Without the hot sauce, I’d actually give it 2 stars, but it is one of those recipes you can add to or subtract from based on your personal taste….so that was a bonus.
I need to tweak it further, but for now, I will give it 3 stars.
Can this be cooked on low? And if so, how long of a cook time would it need?
I do cook this on low, for about 5 hours.
Your recent change, isn’t working. Tried to view this video and all I got was a blank page. This was and is not a good experience. I liked looking at what you did for the recipes, sadly nothing is showing. Please remove the wall that you set up to view the videos.
This looks heavenly. Going to make this tonight. Not crazy about cheese soup so I will use Valveeta. Thank you Sarah for all of your hard work for us. You are definitely helping us with all of your fantastic recipes!
I’m making tomorrow. I’m thinking of adding frozen bag of corn. Yum