I Made the Viral Dump-and-Bake Taco Casserole and It's the Perfect Easy Weeknight Meal

Some weekends are all about fun and relaxation, and this past one was just that. I took my kids swimming at the gym, where we had a blast splashing around in the heated indoor pool while watching the snow fall outside. It was the perfect way to burn off energy, unwind and just enjoy the moment together.

But after all that fun, reality hit—I had completely forgotten about dinner. You know that feeling when you walk in the door, tired and hungry, only to realize you didn’t plan anything? Yep, that was me.

Luckily, I remembered seeing a One-Pan Taco Casserole recipe shared by Danielle Brown (@healthygirlkitchen), and it saved the day. Not only was it quick and easy, but I already had everything I needed at home—no extra grocery run required! Read on for all you need to know to make this easy dinner winner at home.

Related: The Easy One-Pot Meal I Make on Repeat As a Busy Mom of 6

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What is the Viral Dump-and-Bake Taco Casserole?

The viral one-dish taco bake is the ultimate easy dinner. It's a low-carb, one-pan meal that combines all of the best parts of a taco (plus rice!) into a simple, scoopable casserole. All you have to do is dump in the ingredients, stir them up and bake. This dish is also gluten-free, which is perfect for my dietary needs.

If you ever find yourself in an "Oops, I forgot dinner" moment, this recipe is here to save you—just like it did for me. Easy, delicious, and no extra stress.

Related: 12 Popular Tortilla Chips, Ranked Worst to Best

How to Make Dump-and-Bake Taco Casserole

To make this dish, you'll need a packet of taco seasoning, a jar of salsa, some white rice, canned black beans, corn (I used canned) and a red bell pepper, which I skipped. For toppings, you can choose what you like the most, but Danielle suggests jarred jalapeño, sour cream, cilantro and avocado. (I used jalapenos and sour cream.)

To make the casserole, preheat your oven to 400°. Mix some water with the rice and taco seasoning in a casserole dish. Stir it well, then add all of the other ingredients, mixing well. One note: I halved the recipe, but if you make Danielle's full recipe you'll need to use a large (9-by-13-inch) baking dish.

Bake until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes, then add your toppings. You can serve it with chips, taco shells or as-is I served mine over Quest Protein Hot and Spicy Tortilla Style chips, which gave it a kick of heat.

Related: I Tried Martha Stewart's One-Pot Pasta That Has 'Taken the Internet By Storm'

What I Thought of the Dump-and-Bake Taco Casserole

We loved this! It was easy, fast and cheap—and it was absolutely delicious! One of the best parts about it, though, is how versatile it is. Each kid could top it the way they wanted and they could serve it on soft or hard taco shells, chips of any flavor or solo.

We made ground hamburger to serve with our version (I skipped that for my plate). Don't like beans? Skip those! It's that easy! You can also play around with the toppings. Next time I might try black olives, raw onions or pickled onions.

I was surprised that the rice cooked up nice and tender without being mushy, and the salsa and taco seasoning flavors blended very well together. I will definitely make this again!

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