🌮 Cheesy Taco Bake

Oven | 9×9 Baking Dish | High Protein + Lower Carb

6 Servings | ~260g Protein | ~39–44g Carbs

Per Serving | ~43g Protein | ~7g Carbs

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Bake Time: 20–25 Minutes Total Time: About 45 Minutes

All the cheesy comfort of taco night, packed into one easy, protein-forward dinner.

Some nights, taco night sounds perfect—but setting out a dozen different ingredients doesn't. That's where this Cheesy Taco Bake comes in.

It starts with a full two pounds of seasoned ground beef, then adds just enough cream cheese and cottage cheese to make everything creamy without losing that taco-meat flavor. A little Mexican-blend cheese goes into the filling, and plenty of mozzarella and Mexican-blend cheese gets melted over the top.

The result is hearty, cheesy, beef-forward, and incredibly easy to turn into your own taco bowl.

At our table, we serve it with Late July Sea Salt Tortilla Chips on the side, along with guacamole and crumbled feta. Keeping everything separate lets everyone build their bowl exactly how they like it—and keeps the base casserole high-protein and lower-carb. 🌮🧀

Items Needed

• Large skillet

• Wooden spoon or meat chopper

• Large mixing bowl

• Hand mixer or sturdy spoon

• Measuring cups

• Measuring spoons

• 9×9-inch baking dish

• Spatula or serving spoon

Ingredients

• 2 lbs H-E-B 85/15 grass-fed ground beef

• 1 packet H-E-B taco seasoning

• ¾ cup water

• 6 oz cream cheese, softened

• ¾ cup Daisy 4% cottage cheese

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup H-E-B Mexican Style Blend shredded cheese, divided

• 1 cup H-E-B shredded mozzarella cheese

For Serving

• Late July Sea Salt Tortilla Chips

• Guacamole

• H-E-B Traditional Feta Cheese Crumbles

Other Optional Toppings

• Sour cream

• Salsa

• Diced avocado

• Shredded lettuce

• Diced tomatoes

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish if needed and set aside.

Step 2: Brown the Beef

Add the entire 2 lbs of ground beef to a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Cook until completely browned, breaking the beef into small crumbles as it cooks.

Drain off the excess grease.

Step 3: Season the Beef

Add the entire packet of H-E-B taco seasoning and ¾ cup water to the browned beef.

Stir everything together and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the seasoning evenly coats the beef and most of the excess liquid has cooked down.

Remove from the heat and let the beef cool for about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Make the Creamy Base

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

• 6 oz softened cream cheese

• ¾ cup cottage cheese

Using a hand mixer on low, mix until creamy and mostly combined.

It doesn't need to be completely smooth—a little texture from the cottage cheese is perfectly fine.

Step 5: Add the Eggs

Add 2 large eggs to the cream cheese mixture.

Mix on low just until the eggs are completely incorporated.

Don't overmix.

Step 6: Add Some Cheese

Stir ½ cup of the Mexican-blend cheese into the creamy mixture by hand.

Save the remaining ½ cup for the top.

Step 7: Add the Taco Meat

Fold the seasoned ground beef into the creamy mixture.

Stir until the beef is evenly coated and everything is well distributed.

The mixture should still look very beef-forward. The creamy ingredients are there to hold everything together rather than turn it into a heavy cream-cheese casserole.

Step 8: Fill the Baking Dish

Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared 9×9 baking dish.

Spread it evenly from edge to edge, but don't firmly pack it down.

Step 9: Add the Cheese

Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup Mexican-blend cheese evenly over the casserole.

Top with 1 full cup mozzarella cheese.

You'll have 1½ cups of shredded cheese across the top for a bubbly, cheesy finish, plus the ½ cup of Mexican-blend cheese mixed into the filling.

All set to go into the oven!

Step 10: Bake

Bake uncovered at 375°F for 20–25 minutes.

Begin checking around the 20-minute mark.

The casserole is ready when the center is set, the edges are bubbling, and the cheese is completely melted and beginning to turn lightly golden.

Step 11: Rest

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.

This gives the filling time to set and makes it much easier to scoop into individual portions.

Step 12: Build Your Bowl 🌮

Divide the casserole into 6 servings.

Serve warm with Late July Sea Salt Tortilla Chips on the side.

Top with a spoonful of guacamole and crumbled feta, or add sour cream, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, or whatever sounds good.

Use the chips for scooping—or crumble a few over the top for a little extra crunch.

Tracking Information

Tracking for the base casserole is calculated from the exact products and quantities used.

Entire 9×9 Cheesy Taco Bake

~260g Protein~39–44g Carbs

The small carbohydrate range is due to the cream cheese nutrition label listing less than 1g carbohydrate per serving rather than an exact amount.

Per Serving — 6 Servings

~43g Protein | ~7g Carbs

Optional Topping Tracking

These items are not included in the base casserole totals.

Late July Sea Salt Tortilla Chips — 8 chips (28g)2g Protein | 17g Carbs

Guacamole — 2 tbsp (30g)1g Protein | 2g Carbs | 2g Fiber

H-E-B Traditional Feta — about 2 tbsp (28g)6g Protein | 2g Carbs

Fully Loaded Serving

1 serving Cheesy Taco Bake + 8 Late July chips + 2 tbsp guacamole + 2 tbsp feta

~52g Protein | ~28g Carbs

Want to keep the carbs lower? Skip the chips and serve the casserole with just the guacamole and feta:

~50g Protein | ~11g Carbs

Optional toppings beyond those listed above are not included in the tracking.

💚 The Well-Fed Table Note

The chips are intentionally served on the side instead of baked into the casserole.

Not only do they stay crunchy, but everyone at the table gets to decide exactly how much they want. Scoop up the filling, crumble a few over the top, or skip them altogether.

Either way, the casserole itself stays centered around what we wanted from the beginning: plenty of seasoned beef, lots of protein, cheesy taco-night comfort, and an easy dinner that doesn't require a table full of ingredients.