Kid-Friendly Veggie-Heavy Taco Pie Recipe

This taco pie recipe has everything you love about beef tacos made into a cheesy casserole that’s layered with soft tortillas and tons of vegetables! Make a double batch because it’s great for meal prep.

It’s not every day you see two nine-year-old kids inhale a meal full of veggies and then opt for a second helping instead of dessert (which was chocolate cake). But that’s exactly what my niece and her friend did last weekend.

Any meal that has that kind of power is just plain magic.

Tacos are always a fantastic way to get kiddos to eat more veggies. Beef and cheese topped with lettuce confetti and tomato sprinkles; what kid doesn’t love that?

I remember my brother went through a “taco only” phase when he was about four years old. It was kind of a pain – especially when we’d eat out at a restaurant that didn’t offer tacos on the menu so they’d have to make them especially for him – but definitely pretty cute.

Anyway, since this taco pie contains vegetables that kids sometimes aren’t familiar with (like kale!), it is an even better way than regular tacos to get those extra veggies in.

The great thing about sneaking veggies into a meal that’s sure to be a hit is that once your picky eaters eat a food and realize that they love it, you can tell them what’s in it! And next time you won’t have to sneak those veggies in.

This recipe is an affordable, yet nutritious dinner option if you have a tight grocery budget to stick with. We only use 1/2 pound of ground beef, but this casserole still packs a punch of protein. Each serving has 29 grams!

If you’re looking for a new family-friendly weeknight dinner idea or Taco Tuesday recipe, give this a try!

The Best Taco Pie Recipe with Tortillas

When I developed this recipe, I wanted to come up with something that would be a hit with kids as well as adults, which this really is!

If you really want to spice it up to suit adult tastes, once the meat/veggie mixture is cooked, you can add cayenne pepper and/or crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

The olive salsa is optional, but highly recommended. It adds a burst of fresh flavor and even more vegetables. And bonus, it is much lighter than other common taco toppings like sour cream or additional cheese.

Taco Pie Recipe Ingredients

In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas. For the full recipe (including ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.

• Butter – to grease the baking dish (or you can use nonstick cooking spray)
• Olive oil – to sauté the beef and vegetables
• Ground beef – use at least 90% lean ground beef
• Canned black olives – get the ones that are pre-sliced
• Onion, bell pepper, kale, garlic – these vegetables bump up the nutrition a ton and “hide” really well in this taco casserole if you have picky eaters
• Water – or you can use beef stock
• Canned diced tomatoes – use no-salt-added tomatoes if available, otherwise, cut back on the added salt a little bit
• Tomato paste – to help thicken the sauce for our meat and vegetable mixture
• Chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper – these spices and seasonings add a ton of flavor
• Sharp cheddar cheese – or Monterey Jack cheese
• Soft whole wheat tortilla shells – or soft white tortilla shells; you can use any size or shape of soft tortillas you have on hand, just cut them to fit inside your casserole dish

Olive Salsa Ingredients

• Canned black olives – you’ll use the rest of the can of sliced black olives from making the taco pie
• Cherry tomatoes – or any kind of tomato that is ripe and juicy
• Onion – for a touch of savory flavor
• Parsley – for flecks of bright green color; you can use cilantro instead of parsley if you prefer
• Lemon juice – use fresh lemon juice or lime juice
• Extra-virgin olive oil – together with the fresh citrus juice, this creates a quick dressing for the olive salsa
• Salt and black pepper – to season our quick salsa

What Dish to Use For This Taco Casserole

I used a round dish about 8 inches in diameter so the tortilla shells fit in nicely, but you can use any dish you have on hand and cut the soft tortillas to fit inside.

How to Make Taco Pie

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly butter a 6 cup/1.5 liter capacity casserole dish.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and meat. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to break it up.
3. Turn the heat down to medium. Stir in the onion and bell pepper, and cook until the veggies start to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Turn heat up to medium-high and then add the kale and 1/4 cup water. Cover the skillet and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
5. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. 
6. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup water, olives (except the reserved 1/4 cup), canned tomato, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Turn heat down to medium and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. To assemble the casserole, spread about 1/2 cup of the meat/veggie mixture in the bottom of the prepared dish. Place 1 tortilla shell on top, spread 1/3 of the remaining meat/veggie mixture on top of the shell, and sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese onto the meat/veggie mixture. Place the 2nd tortilla shell on top and repeat with the meat/veggie mixture and the cheese, then place the 3rd tortilla shell on top and repeat with the last of the meat/veggie mixture and the cheese.
8. Bake until the cheese on top is melted and starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve along with the olive salsa for topping.

Variations

• Spice it up – Add cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
• Leafy greens – If kale isn’t your thing, you can use any sturdy leafy greens you like here, such as Swiss chard, collard greens, or savoy cabbage.
• Ground beef – Use any type of ground meat you like or have on hand; ground chicken or ground turkey also work really well.

Storage

Store leftover taco pie covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Meals for Taco Night

• Crockpot Enchiladas (Ground Beef Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole)
• Turkey Taco Bowl Recipe with Rice
• Tilapia Fish Tacos Recipe with Cabbage Slaw

Let’s Connect

Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.

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Taco Pie Recipe

By: Faith Gorsky

Prep TimePrep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook TimeCook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Yields: 4 servings

This taco pie recipe has everything you love about beef tacos made into a cheesy casserole that’s layered with soft tortillas and tons of vegetables! Make a double batch because it’s great for meal prep.

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Ingredients

 

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Beef Taco Pie with Tortillas:

• ▢ Butter to grease the dish (or nonstick cooking spray)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• ▢ 1 medium-large onion diced
• ▢ 1 medium red bell pepper cored and diced
• ▢ 6 ounces kale rinsed, tough center ribs removed, and chopped
• ▢ 3/4 cup water divided
• ▢ 4 large cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 3.8 ounce can sliced black olives divided
• ▢ 14.5 ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices
• ▢ 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or Mexican oregano
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded (or Monterey Jack)
• ▢ 3 8-inch soft whole wheat tortillas or soft white tortillas

Olive Salsa:

• ▢ 1/4 cup sliced black olives reserved from the 3.8 oz can
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• ▢ 1/4 small onion diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or cilantro
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or lime juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 pinch salt
• ▢ 1 pinch black pepper

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly butter a 6 cup/1.5 liter capacity casserole dish (see Notes).
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and meat. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to break it up.
• Turn the heat down to medium. Stir in the onion and bell pepper, and cook until the veggies start to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Turn heat up to medium-high and then add the kale and 1/4 cup water. Cover the skillet and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup water, olives (except the reserved 1/4 cup), canned tomato, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Turn heat down to medium and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• To assemble the casserole, spread about 1/2 cup of the meat/veggie mixture in the bottom of the prepared dish. Place 1 tortilla shell on top, spread 1/3 of the remaining meat/veggie mixture on top of the shell, and sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese onto the meat/veggie mixture. Place the 2nd tortilla shell on top and repeat with the meat/veggie mixture and the cheese, then place the 3rd tortilla shell on top and repeat with the last of the meat/veggie mixture and the cheese.
• Bake until the cheese on top is melted and starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Serve along with the olive salsa for topping.
• While the casserole is baking, combine all ingredients for the olive salsa and refrigerate until serving.

Notes

• Dish Size: I used a round dish about 8 inches in diameter so the tortilla shells fit in nicely, but you can use any dish you have on hand and cut the soft tortillas to fit inside.
• Storage: Store leftover taco pie covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1401mg | Potassium: 914mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 6512IU | Vitamin C: 101mg | Calcium: 561mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Keyword: Taco Pie, Taco Pie Recipe, Taco Pie with Tortillas

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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on October 5, 2012 and updated on August 27, 2023.

I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.

Meet Faith