Pork Taco Bake Recipe

A baked taco dish with layers of sausage, beans, and chips

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Pork

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: taco

Servings:

Calories: 706kcal

Author: Daisy Merano

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the pork sausage. Cook until brown.
2 teaspoons oil, 1 lb. regular pork sausage
Add the onion. Continue to cook for 2 minutes or until the onion starts to get tender.
1 medium yellow onion
Pour the contents of the taco seasoning into the skillet. Stir to mix it with the pork sausage.
1 small package taco seasoning
Pour the contents of the canned diced tomato, including the liquid. Stir. Cover and let the mixture cook for 5 minutes.
2 14 oz. can diced tomato
Add the kidney beans. Continue to cook for 12 minutes.
1 14.oz. can red kidney beans
Preheat oven to 350F.
Arrange half of the tortilla chips at the bottom of a baking dish. Pour half of the taco mixture over it. Arrange the remaining tortilla over the taco mixture.
6 oz. tortilla chips
Top the taco mixture with the remaining half of the tortilla and then pour the remaining taco all over the tortilla layer. Top with cheese.
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and then top with cilantro (coriander) and sour cream.
3 tablespoons cilantro, ½ cup sour cream

Use sturdy tortilla chips. Thin chips will break down too much during baking. I go with thick-cut restaurant-style chips since they hold up better under the tomato and sausage mixture.
Don’t drain the diced tomatoes. The liquid helps simmer the filling and keeps the bake from drying out in the oven. Just make sure to reduce it on the stovetop before layering, or the bottom will turn soggy.
Time the layering right. Put half the chips at the bottom and pour the meat mixture over gently. Spread evenly so every part gets coated. The second chip layer should go down before adding the rest of the filling and cheese.
Keep the sour cream and cilantro off the heat. Baking them changes the texture. Sour cream turns watery and cilantro loses its flavor. Both do better added fresh just before serving.