Cinco de Mayo Beef Taquito Bake: Happier Hour Starts At Home!

This #DelimexFiesta sponsored post has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. As always, my frozen favorites and opinions are my own. 

Are you ready to get the Cinco de Mayo party started? Or how about an easy alternative to jazz up Taco Tuesday? Or maybe you simply need a fast casserole to whip up for a party or courtesy dinner. Whatever the case, get ready for this easy Cinco de Mayo Taquito Bake.

I’ve been a long fan of the soft taco bake. But as I delve into freezing our dinners more, its just a little more soft now than I prefer. So I got the idea to use Delimex beef taquitos or rolled tacos to make the process easier. And the end result is marvelous.

On a side note, the only difference I can ascertain between a taquito and a rolled taco, is that the taquitos are always fried. While rolled tacos can be either baked or fried. That aside, a visual inspection is going to show you that Delimex beef taquitos are only filled with meat. A Delimex rolled taco, is filled with beef and cheese.

Personally, we enjoy the latter when serving a platter alone at game time or Cinco de Mayo. But for this casserole, we’ll be layering in all our cheese and extras. So the straight up Delimex beef taquitos are perfect for this recipe.

To begin: You’re going to ascertain what you’ll be using this casserole for. If you’re planning on freezing the casserole for later use? Then keep the taquitos frozen while building your taco bake. However, if you’re cooking it that day, thaw the Delimex beef taquitos the night before in your refrigerator.

And that’s as tough as it gets my people. Pull out your 9×13 pan, and begin your base with a layer of beef taquitos. You’ll want them snug, but leaving a little room between allows the goodness to melt through.

With the meat and the tortilla taken care of, I only need layer in cheese, beans, and veggies. Today, I’m embracing the convenience genius that is semi-homemade. And I grabbed all my frozen, canned, and fresh ingredients at Walmart.

This includes two cans of refried beans. While the kids aren’t entirely sold on the look of black beans, I love them. So I mix one can pinto and one can black refried beans together in a bowl. Then I squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lime for a smooth consistency. Halve the mixture and spread on top of the taquitos.

Next I’m going to drizzle a layer of cheese sauce. Any liquid queso dip or cheese sauce will work. I always love dishing up spicier options when allergy season comes around. So I’m using a white jalapeno queso sauce. It comes prepackaged and I will use it all on this layer.

The third layer will be sprinkling a store prepared pico de gallo. You’ll need a little as the top garnish, so I use 1/2 the package. Additionally, all of your chunky veggies go on this layer. I’m also adding some pre-diced black olives.

At this point, you begin another layer of Delimex beef taquitos. Smooth on the remaining refried beans. Then take your shredded cheese and sprinkle 1-2 cups on top depending on the size of your dish.

And just like that, your taquito bake is nearly complete! Before you cover the dish, garnish the top of the shredded cheese with more pico de gallo. Heat for 30 minutes at preheated 400° degrees. Remove the top cover, and leave in another 10-15 minutes to brown.

Are you ready to enjoy these traditional Delimex Mexican favorites too? Then while your prepping for your next Mexican foodie menu, also check out the Delimex beef tamales at Walmart. Served up in a corn husk, its another perfect way to celebrate a happier hour at home! Ole!