Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.Place a large oven-safe Dutch oven or deep oven-safe skillet over medium heat.Add the ground beef and cook until completely browned, breaking it apart with a ground meat chopper or sturdy cooking utensil as it cooks.Turn off the heat once no pink remains. Carefully drain away the excess grease, then return the drained ground beef to the oven-safe dish.
- Sprinkle both packets of taco seasoning over the cooked ground beef.Alternatively, use a double batch of homemade taco seasoning.Stir thoroughly until the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the meat.
- Add the salsa, water, 1 cup of the red enchilada sauce, optional green chiles, and cream of chicken soup.Stir until the ground beef is evenly coated and no large streaks of condensed soup remain.Keep the remaining enchilada sauce nearby for adding later.
- Spread the frozen shredded hash brown potatoes evenly over the ground beef mixture.There is no need to thaw them first.Do not stir the potatoes into the beef mixture. Keep them in an even layer over the top.
- Transfer the uncovered casserole dish to the preheated oven.Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the casserole from the oven.Pour the remaining red enchilada sauce evenly over the hash brown layer.Sprinkle 1 to 2 cups of shredded Mexican-blend cheese over the top.Return the casserole to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and browned to your liking.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.The filling will be piping hot, and resting helps the layers settle slightly before scooping.
- Spoon generous portions into bowls.Serve with your favorite taco toppings, such as sour cream, jalapeño peppers, extra shredded cheese, taco sauce, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions, avocado, or crushed tortilla chips.
Notes
- Frozen hash browns go straight in from frozen. Do not thaw first.
- Drain the ground beef well before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Leave out the green chiles for a milder family-friendly casserole.
- Use 1 cup cheese for a lighter topping or 2 cups for extra cheesy goodness.
- Cheddar, Colby Jack, or Monterey Jack all work well if you don't have a Mexican blend.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving as the filling will be extremely hot.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until piping hot throughout.
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Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.