This Whole30 taco casserole is an awesome meal prep recipe or perfect for a paleo or gluten-free weeknight meal. Preparation is simple, just mix everything together, oven bake it, and pull out a delicious beef taco casserole for the family! It’s a great way to use up ground beef, and it’s healthy recipe option that’s loaded with veggies that can be enjoyed with a ton of different toppings depending on what you prefer!
Gather Your Ingredients!
All of the ingredients you’ll need for this Whole30 taco casserole are really common, easy-to-find ones. You’ll need ground beef, green peppers, an onion, potatoes and eggs. Then you’ll need three canned items, black olives, green chiles (you can use mild or hot, depending on your preference), and diced tomatoes. Make sure to drain the canned items really well or you’ll have some excess liquid that ends up in the casserole.
You’ll also need salsa, and a handful of spices, all which are likely already in your cabinet. I get my spices and salsa from Thrive Market for a discount (new members get a $20 shopping credit!), but they’re also really easy to find at most common grocery stores! Just make sure the salsa you grab is a no-sugar added one!
Related: Target Whole30 Compliant Items, Walmart Whole30 Target Items, Trader Joe’s Whole30 Compliant Items, What Is Whole30?
Steps to Making This Whole30 Taco Casserole
After preheating the oven, you’ll get to work on the ground beef. To transform it into taco meat, you’ll first add it into a large skillet to begin browning it. As it’s browning, add in all of the spices and the diced onion and combine it all together. Once it’s mostly all browned, grab a strainer and transfer the taco meat into it. It’s important to drain all of the grease really well so that it doesn’t end up in the bottom of the casserole!
From there, the rest is easy! Dump in all of the remaining ingredients into a casserole dish and stir it up to incorporate everything together evenly. This recipe does use beaten eggs as a binder, but if you’re egg-free, or want to skip this step, you can. The casserole won’t hold together well, but it’s still really good!
Pop it into the oven and bake it for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the potatoes are soft enough to be pierced with a fork. This will depend a bit on what size your casserole dish is and how thin or thick the ingredients are in it.
Add Fun Toppings!
There are so many ways to enjoy this Whole30 taco casserole. You can eat it over greens, like a taco salad. You can eat it on top of large bell pepper slices, in lettuce wraps or cups, you could have it over white or brown rice if you’re not eating Paleo or Whole30, the options are endless. There’s an equal amount of toppings you could choose to add, depending on what you or your family enjoy. Add avocado or guacamole, pico, (dairy-free) sour cream, more salsa, hot sauce, sliced jalapeno, more black olives, or whatever you have on hand and would like!
Other Whole30 Casserole Recipes You’ll Love
Creamy Sausage & Veggie Casserole
Chicken Bacon Alfredo Casserole
Buffalo Chicken Breakfast Casserole
PrintEasy Taco Casserole: Whole30, Paleo, Gluten-Free
This Whole30 taco casserole is an awesome meal prep recipe or perfect for a paleo or gluten-free weeknight meal. Preparation is simple, just mix everything together, oven bake it, and pull out a delicious beef taco casserole for the family! It’s a great way to use up ground beef, and it’s healthy recipe option that’s loaded with veggies.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1.5 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 2 green peppers, diced
- 2 medium russet potatoes, cut in a small dice (about 2 cups)
- 3/4 cup salsa
- 1 (4 oz) can mild green chiles, drained
- 1 (4 oz) can sliced black olives, drained
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 2 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. While it’s browning, add in minced garlic and white onion and incorporate well with the beef
- While it’s browning, add the green peppers, potatoes, salsa, green chiles, black olives and diced tomatoes to a large casserole dish
- Once the beef is mostly browned, transfer it to a strainer and strain out all of the excess grease. Place back into the pan and mix in all of the spices and incorporate well
- Then, transfer the taco meat and onion mixture into the casserole dish along with the beaten eggs, and use a large spoon to stir in with the other ingredients. Once it’s well combined and evenly distributed, cover with foil or lid, place it in the oven and bake for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the potatoes are baked all the way through when pierced with a fork
- Remove from the oven and serve on a bed of greens like a taco salad, and/or top with avocado/guacamole, pico, shredded lettuce, more black olives, sliced jalapeno, sour cream (dairy-free version for paleo/Whole30)
Notes
- Make sure to drain the canned items very well before adding into the casserole dish
- This is also a great chip dip (with chips, or with bell peppers thickly sliced) – trust!
- Don’t forget to cover with foil or casserole dish cover!
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 518
- Fat: 28 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 6.1 g
- Protein: 37.8 g
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Lily says
I made this last night for dinner and it was awesome!! I’ve been looking for whole30 recipes that taste good and that I can keep for the week to bring to work and have at home for dinner. This recipe does exactly that. I’m so happy that I came across your page, I am already planning what recipe to try next. Thank you!
Jen says
Do you have any suggestions for an egg substitute for this recipe? My daughter is allergic to eggs. Thanks, it looks delicious!
paleobailey says
You can omit them! It’s just to bind it together a bit, but it’ll be fine without! 🙂
Sam says
Hello, I made this recipe and love it but i am trying to follow my own macros tracking and am curious what amount equals 1 serving to keep it at the nutrition break down you provided.
Tracey Warner says
Delicious! My kids loved it. Definitely a must try.
paleobailey says
Thank you so much, Tracey! I’m so happy it was a hit with the whole family!!
HeatherG says
My husband and I made this for dinner tonight. It was easy to throw together and we both loved it- so flavorful! We love that it makes enough for us to have lunches for a few days too 🙂
paleobailey says
I’m so glad it was a hit! Thank you so much for giving it a try, and for taking the time to come back and leave a review! It’s so appreciated 🙂 – B
Abby says
Hey Bailey! This looks delicious 🙂 Have you ever frozen this? If so, how well does it freeze?
paleobailey says
I haven’t personally. I would think it would be fine though, as long as the fresh topping ingredients aren’t added until you’re ready to eat 🙂
angie says
amazing recipe kids loved it and ate seconds!
Kim Nolan says
What is the SODIUM content of this recipe?
paleobailey says
Hi Kim! It depends on what brand of canned tomatoes and olives you get, but from what I have it’s 300 mg
Haley says
This was a hit with my entire family and the leftovers have been great, too! Thanks, Bailey!!
paleobailey says
Thank you, Haley!! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! <3 - B
Hannah says
This recipe is AMAZING!! Thank you!
paleobailey says
You’re so welcome! So happy you enjoyed!!
DR says
This was a huge hit. I’m watching carbs/starch so skipped the potatoes and added about 2-3 cups of black beans (already cooked). I served over brown rice for my family, and I had it over spaghetti squash. It got rave reviews!
paleobailey says
Black beans sound like a really great addition/sub for this recipe! I may have to try that when I make it next, too 🙂 Thank you so much for giving it a try, and taking the time to let me know how it turned out! I really appreciate it! – B
Karen says
How many eggs?!
paleobailey says
Hi! I’m so sorry, somehow that was removed from the ingredient list. It’s 2 eggs 🙂
Emily Giordano says
Hi Bailey! As I was reading through your blog above I noticed you said…
“ This recipe does use beaten eggs as a binder, but if you’re egg-free, or want to skip this step, you can. The casserole won’t hold together well, but it’s still really good!”
…but I don’t see eggs called for in the actual recipe? Will you please clarify bc I definitely want it to held together, lol. Thanks in advance! 🙂
paleobailey says
Hi! I’m so sorry, somehow that was removed from the ingredient list. It’s 2 eggs 🙂
Deborah K Reuter says
How many servings does the recipe make?
paleobailey says
About 6!
Jessica H says
Is the nutrition info at the bottom of the recipe per serving? Just trying to enter it into MyFitnessPal! Thank you!
paleobailey says
It is! Sorry that wasn’t more clear 🙂 MFP app also allows you to pull in full recipes from websites and divide it by how much you ate, too! Just sharing because I find it helpful sometimes when I use different brands or ingredients than what was in the recipe because it allows you to edit ingredients!
Easa says
Just wanted to say that I was too lazy to turn the oven on and wait, so I made this on the stove top and it was absolutely delicious like a skillet!!! Thank you so much for this recipe and your wonderful website!
paleobailey says
Oh making it in a skillet is brilliant!! Thank you so much for giving it a try, and taking the time to let me know how it turned out!!
Whitney says
This is sooo good. BOMB!!! My husband, daughter and I were big fans of this recipe. It was gone so quickly. My 5 year old son wasn’t such a fan. The only thing I replaced was the white potatoes with sweet potatoes.The amount of eggs didn’t hold it together. mine didn’t turn out watery like others mentioned. I thought the second day was just as yummy..thank you
paleobailey says
Hi, Whitney! Thank you so, so much!! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it! The sweet potatoes sound amazing, too! 🙂 – Bailey
Julie says
We LOVE this recipe. I’ve made it once a week now for the past month!!! Kids inhale it. It’s a keeper for us!
paleobailey says
Thank you so much, Julie!! <3 - B
Cheri Di Dio says
I made this today for a friend who’s battling cancer. I didn’t see the comment that it would be better baked covered (which was supposed to be updated in the recipe) until it was done, so I hope it didn’t dry out. It smells amazing and I hope she and her family enjoy it. Thanks for the easy recipe!
marissa says
oh and i used ground turkey instead of beef!
marissa says
My family loved this! I’m 13 and love to cook so I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit 🙂 I did alter it though. I halved it and didn’t use the olives & chilies. I also added in some corn. Served it with a side of garlic edamame and loved it! Thank you for the recipe.