Need a quick and easy dinner? Beef and Bean Bake is a quick and easy dinner to make and it uses just a few basic ingredients. 
This is one of those quick and easy recipes that is very versatile. The fact that it can be used in many different ways is why I love it.
We love Mexican and Tex-Mex type food and eat it at least once a week. Sometimes we eat it several times a week.
One of the great things about Mexican type food is that it is easy to change up. You can serve tacos one night and another Mexican type meal like this beef and bean bake the next. It feels like two totally different meals, but they both use simple ingredients.
I like meals like this beef and bean bake because they are not only simple, they can also be served in different ways.
This recipe for beef and beans works as is for a main dish. Add a salad or other vegetable and you have a quick and easy meal.
It can be served as a dip with chips. You can serve it as a filling for burrito type dish. You can also serve it with lettuce and other taco type fillings for an easy taco or taco salad type of meal.
My kids love to use the leftovers for burritos the next day.
Can I Make Beef and Bean Bake Ahead of Time?
Yes, this is an easy make ahead meal. You can make it ahead of time and bake when ready.
Can You Freeze Beef and Bean Bake?
This freezes well. I would make it up, freeze it in a freezer safe casserole dish or 9×13 pan. Then defrost and bake it.
Need More Easy Weeknight Meals? You might like one of these:
- Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Three Cheese Beef Enchiladas
- Beef Taco Skillet
- BBQ Sloppy Joes
- Egg Roll In a Bowl
Beef and Bean Bake
Beef and bean bake is a quick and easy dinner that kids love. It is also regular food that happens to be gluten free.
Ingredients
- 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped (optional)
- 1 can ( 4 ounces) green chilies
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded colby jack cheese ( or use a combo of jack and cheddar or all cheddar)
- 1 cup taco sauce
- chips or tortillas for serving
Instructions
- Cook meat and onion until meat is done and onion is tender.
- Spread refried beans over the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
- Spread meat/onion mixture over beans.
- Sprinkle green chilies, olives, and cheese over meat.
- Drizzle taco sauce over all.
- Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
Notes
If you are gluten free be sure your taco sauce is gluten free.
Originally posted September 2010. Updated February 2019.
any meal that requires chips to eat it is good in my book 🙂
Is this the beef and bean bake we ate a few too many times when you were learning to cook? 🙂 I might actually be able to eat this again, since I haven’t had it in years. If I remember correctly, it is really good (we just ate it way too much!)
@Evie, Well this is kind of a variation of that. 🙂 The one I way over made as a teenager had chips on the bottom, and used taco seasoning and tomato sauce, but is the same idea. I don’t think I could eat that exact same one even now. I will admit I cooked it way to much. 🙂 This one though is enough different that I like it.
Wow, this is making my mouth water! I will be trying this for sure!
I am stopping over from Frugal Friday at Life as Mom. Hope you’ll come visit over at Free 2 Be Frugal sometime.
That looks delish! It’s definitely on my list this week! All I need is shredded cheese, onion and chips!
How much onion??
I am so sorry about that! I had the onion in the directions, but not the ingredients. It is one onion chopped. I often leave the onion out if I don’t have any, but it is good with the onion. I hope that you enjoy it!
I am putting this into my WW recipe calculator. About how many servings is it?
I would say 6-8 depending what else you are serving with it and serving size. 6 large servings or 8 smaller servings. I hope that helps.