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.
Why this crock pot taco casserole works
This is one of those slow cooker recipes to keep on hand for busy weeknights (or weekends). Slow cooker taco casserole requires minimal prep time – thanks to the dump and go directions. The cooking time is moderate, meaning you have time to get a few things done around the home before putting this delicious casserole on the dinner table.
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).
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!
How to serve:
- This taco casserole is perfect for all your favorite toppings: diced potatoes, chopped bell peppers, sour cream, sliced avocado, and melty cheese.
- Black beans, guacamole, and tortilla chips are non-filling sides that can be served with this dish.
- With this being a Mexican food, you can’t go wrong with experimenting with using the casserole to make tacos, a taco salad, burritos, and/or enchiladas.
Recipe FAQs
Although the casserole will look slightly different, you can use cubed hashbrowns. Tater tots can also be used, but expect them to break up a bit once cooked and bowled for serving.
Ground turkey, shredded chicken, and beef steak (or carne asada) 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.
Yes! Adding black beans, bell peppers, and corn can quickly add heartiness to the casserole dish.
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.
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Slow Cooker Taco Potato Casserole
Equipment Needed:
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!
Recipe 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.
- Ground turkey, shredded chicken, beef steak (or carne asada) would be great substitutions for this recipe.
- Although the casserole will look a bit different, you can certainly use cubed hashbrowns. Tater tots can also be used, but expect them to break up a bit once cooked and bowled for serving.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Do I need to drain the tomatoes and chilies?
No, don’t drain.
Do you thaw the hash browns? Thanks
Yes, at least partially. I’ll add that to the recipe.
Delicious!! My family enjoyed it. Hubby said he will eat it for breakfast with egg Kid approved as well. You’re single handedly making my life easier with your recipes. Thank you!!!
I just now put this on to cook.
I hope my husband likes it because he’s taking leftovers for lunch. I didn’t have cheddar cheese soup but I had Velveeta so I substituted and also added a small amount of a Pablano pepper.
There’s a wonderful aroma wafting through the house.
Have you made this in advance and reheated in a crockpot the next day? I would like to take it to a party.
I don’t think this would be as good reheated. I think that potatoes would fall apart too much.
This sounds so good and easy! However, I always have dehydrated hash browns on hand. Could I use those instead? Thinking I would just rehydrate them and then add them to the pot.
I have not tested those. I apologize.
Not a problem, just thought I would ask! I will be making it tomorrow and will try them out.
We enjoyed this very much. I rehydrated 4 ounces dried hash browns with 12 ounces boiling water which is the normal ratio. Otherwise, I followed the recipe, except I added a can of drained and rinsed pinto beans, prefer them to black beans. I served it with corn tortillas and a salad. My husband put butter on his tortilla, but I tore mine into small pieces. Next time I will make burritos with flour tortillas.
Can I cut most of your recipes in 1/2 to use in a 3.5 qt slow cooker? Would I then also cut the cooking time in 1/2?
Most can be cut in half but the cooking time would need do be tested for each recipe. Hard to say.
Can you cook this in the oven?
I’m sure you could. I do not have timing for that though, I apologize.
Could I sub in a can of rotel for the tomatoes and green chilies?
Yes! That will work great.
The picture shows cream of chicken soup, the recipe says cheddar cheese soup.
It’s cheddar cheese soup, I fixed it. Thank you so much.