beef

Get ready for one of your favorite meals of all time! Crock pot beefy potato taco casserole is filled with a cheesy Mexican sauce, diced potatoes with bell peppers, onions and ground beef! This simple, gluten free recipe will become a quick dinner the whole family can dig into and enjoy.

Taco Potato Casserole

Crock pot casseroles or one-pot dinners, like this one, are a great go-to for a dinner. Casseroles are my jam because I like to have everything ready to go since I have no energy to cook at the end of the day.

You can prepare this Mexican ground beef and potatoes dish in less than 10 minutes and it is so easy to make. Plus, it is made in one pot so you will be able to dig into dinner right away and will only have one dish to clean up! That is always a plus in my book.

Disclaimer- Some links below are Amazon affiliate links, meaning at no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Crockpot Taco Casserole

Potatoes are one of my favorite go-to comfort foods and make a perfect addition to any casserole. Crockpot Taco Casserole is one of my most popular recipes for a reason. It has all the ingredients everyone loves in a casserole. I love adding potatoes to any casserole like my Kielbasa Casserole.

Since I’m from Arizona I am a big fan of Mexican food. I can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So anytime I can incorporate more Mexican dishes into my life I will! This recipe combines all of my favorites into one with potatoes, cheese, ground beef, and Mexican spices.

The potatoes add a great balance to all the cheese and meat and the flavors come together to make a crowd-pleasing dish that everyone will enjoy.

Taco Casserole Recipes

Using a Mexican spice packet adds a delicious flavor to any taco casserole recipe or meal with almost no work. I use this McCormick Mild Mexican Spice Packet because I know it’s gluten-free.

If you want to make it spicier you can use the spicy version or make your own spice mix. Here’s a link to my make your own spices including a Mexican spice version. A quick pour of the spices over everything and this meal goes from bland to fiesta for your mouth!

Frozen Hash Browns or Diced Potatoes?

So I know what you are thinking… Should I use hash browns or diced potatoes for this beef potato casserole? While both are a good choice, I’ll tell you why I opted for diced hash browns.

When I was shopping for hash browns I spotted diced hash browns in the freezer section that already had onions and peppers in them. Because I’m always a fan of simplifying, I grabbed a bag.

Something that makes my life easier? Don’t mind if I do. If I can save time and don’t have to chop anything I’m always going to opt for that shortcut. If you’re not able to find diced hash browns or potatoes with onions and peppers already in the bag, you can easily add regular hash browns to this recipe.

They will work the same but you’ll want to add some diced onions and peppers to them to give it the extra flavor. You can even add diced potatoes that aren’t frozen. Just make sure to dice them into small bites and cook beforehand just long enough that they are soft.

Tips for Making Crock Pot Beef Potato Casserole

• Make sure to use frozen potatoes. Do not thaw them first or they will be mushy by the time they are finished cooking. Again, if you use regular potatoes cook them until they are soft.
• Shred your own cheese. If you buy pre-shredded cheese it has an anti-caking agent on it that makes it hard to melt. It’s important that the cheese melts in this so shred your own.
• Add traditional Mexican toppings to this dish like lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, and jalapenos.
• This is a great dish for a taco bar! You can just make a big pot of it and keep it in the Crock-Pot on warm. Layer out all the toppings mentions above and everyone can serve themselves!
• This dish makes a lot so be prepared for leftovers. The best part is it is just as delicious reheated.
• If you don’t like Velveeta cheese you can swap it out for more shredded cheese.

Food Allergies- Gluten Free

All of my recipes are gluten free! And this Mexican potato recipe is no different. I make everything without gluten in our house because my husband has Celiac disease, which is an allergy to gluten.

Here are a few things you’ll want to pay attention to if you’re dealing with food allergies in your family.

Taco Spice Packets

Taco spice packets commonly have gluten added to them. Always make sure and check the label before you buy any spice packets, gravy packets, or really anything that comes in a packet.

McCormick Spices makes this gluten-free Taco Mix so you know it is safe! But Old El Paso also has one that is gluten-free and you can always make your own spices too.

Cream of Cheddar Soup

Don’t swap the Velveeta in this recipe for Cream of Cheddar Soup. This also has gluten in it as do most “cream of” anything soups. I’m not sure why but they love to add gluten to canned soups, but they do.

You can use condensed Cheddar Cheese soup but make sure it’s gluten-free. There is a brand called “Gluten Free Pantry” that makes a gluten-free cheddar cheese soup, or if you want to save the calories I just leave out the Velveeta and add more shredded cheese than normal.

Easy Crock Pot Camping Recipe

We’re big campers in our family and this recipe is a great option to throw together for a hearty meal after a long day playing. When we go camping I always bring my Crock-Pot along.

Most of the camping we do is in KOA’s so we usually have electricity to power the Crock-Pot. Of course, we always like to make some of our food over the campfire like s’mores or hot dogs.

But I like to have a real meal I can make, especially for the adults that are usually starving from a full day of fishing, hiking, and playing.

And since the only thing I have to prep for this meal is the ground beef, which I cook before and throw it in a Ziploc bag, it’s easy to throw everything in the slow cooker and head out to swim.

Camping is always easier when I have a plan for meals and I like to use this free Camping Planner to put together our menu plan and its packing checklist to make sure everything is organized for our getaway.I also like bring Crock-Pot liners for easy clean-up while cooking at the campsite. No one wants to have to soak and scrub a Crock-Pot while their camping.

How to Make Crock Pot Beefy Potato Taco Casserole

Step 1. Brown ground beef and garlic and add to slow cooker.

Step 2. Pour potatoes, Velveeta, 1 cup shredded cheese.

Step 3. Stir all ingredients together and top with remaining shredded cheese.

Step 4. Cook on high for 2- 2 1/2 hours or low for 4 hours. (If you are able to stir one time halfway through cooking.

Step 5. Once finished cooking, stir to thoroughly incorporate cheese throughout. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Mexican potato taco casserole is a hearty and filling dish that is perfect for feeding a crowd. It’s easy to make in the slow cooker and you can customize it with your favorite toppings, making this recipe perfect for camping trips or family gatherings alike. So why wait? Grab all your ingredients and get cooking!

Crock Pot Beefy Potato Taco Casserole

Author: Allison Treadwell

Crock Pot Beefy Potato Taco Casserole is filled with a cheesy Mexican sauce, diced potatoes with bell peppers, onions and ground beef! This simple, gluten free recipe will become a quick dinner the whole family can dig in and enjoy.

PRINT PIN

4.37 from 132 votes

Course : Main Course

Cuisine : Mexican

Servings : 8 servings

Calories : 437

Total Time : 4 hrs 10 mins

Prep Time : 10 mins

Cook Time : 4 hrs

Equipment

• Slow Cooker 4 Qt or larger

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 28 oz Diced Potatoes or 32 oz Hash browns
• 16 oz Velveeta cut into small cubes
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 Taco Seasoning Mix Packet

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

• Brown ground beef and garlic and add to slow cooker.
• Pour potatoes, Velveeta, 1 cup shredded cheese.
• Stir all ingredients together and top with remaining shredded cheese.
• Cook on high for 2- 2 1/2 hours or low for 4 hours. (If you are able to, stir one time halfway through cooking.)
• Once finished cooking, stir to thoroughly incorporate cheese throughout. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1145mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 758IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 488mg | Iron: 2mg