Taco pie is a savory dish made with ground beef, onions, cheese, and taco seasoning in a pie crust. It is baked and topped with sour cream and garnishes. Variations include chicken, turkey, and vegetarian versions. Prepared pie crust or crescent roll pastry can be used.
Taco pie is a popular dish in the Southern United States and is sometimes known as taco pie casserole. It consists of ground beef, chopped onions, cheese, and taco seasoning combined in a savory pie crust. The pie is then topped with sour cream and other garnishes, such as lettuce, tomato, green onions, and black olives. Some versions incorporate chopped tortilla chips or taco shells, while others leave out this ingredient. Taco pie is prepared as a main course and many times as a main course.
Prepared, frozen pie crust is commonly used to make a taco pie, although refrigerated crescent roll pastry is a popular alternative. In this case, the crescent dough is placed in the bottom of a square baking pan and allowed to bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), until golden brown. If using a prepared crust to make a taco pie, it should be allowed to thaw for ten minutes, pricked several times with a fork, and then baked for 10 to 15 minutes before adding the filling.
To make a taco filling, one pound (1/2 kilogram) of ground beef is browned in a skillet with one medium chopped onion. After the meat is browned and the excess fat drained off, a one-ounce (28-gram) packet of taco seasoning is added and thoroughly combined. A layer of the meat mixture is then added to the pie crust and topped with one cup (240 mL) of shredded cheese and, if desired, tortilla chips or crushed taco shells. This is followed by another layer of minced meat, cheese and tortilla chips.
The last step in making a taco pie is baking. The entire dish is placed in the oven, which has been preheated to 350°F (175°C) and baked for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted. When removed from the oven, the cake is topped with a layer of sour cream. Additional garnish, such as lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, and black olives, is then sprinkled on, as desired.
There are many other ways to make taco pie, other than using ground beef. A variation, chicken taco pie, is made using two cups (470 mL) of cooked, minced chicken instead of ground beef. Turkey taco pie is a low-fat version of the traditional dish and is made using one pound (1/2 kilogram) of ground turkey in place of ground beef.
To make a vegetarian taco pie, refried beans can be used instead of ground beef. A 16 oz (470 mL) can of refried beans is heated in a skillet with onions and taco seasoning and all other directions are followed as outlined above. Another alternative is to substitute a 12-ounce (300-gram) package of vegetarian meat analog, crumbled or ground, for the ground beef.
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