Taco Pie has everything you love about taco night baked into one easy-cheesy and family-friendly dinner. Nestled inside a crisp tortilla crust is seasoned ground beef and bell peppers, with a creamy Greek yogurt, egg, and cheese filling that gives this dish Tex-Mex quiche vibes.
A new way to do Taco Night: taco pie!
Tacos for dinner is always a winning proposition, right? You can never go wrong with classic Ground Beef Tacos, but sometimes I’m craving taco flavors in a different form. Taco Salad and Taco Pasta always hit the spot, but my latest innovation is this taco pie recipe!
It’s kind of like a mashup between tacos and quiche, with all the taco-y stuff held together with a creamy, cheesy custard mixture. And instead of a pastry crust, we use tortillas, which is much easier for a weeknight.
Let’s talk about what makes this recipe a win:
- BIG Taco Flavor. Tex-Mex herbs and spices, garlic, green chiles, and (optional!) cayenne give this recipe major taco vibes.
- Creamy-Dreamy Filling. Adding Greek yogurt makes the egg mixture creamier without making the pie heavy.
- Highly Toppable. Avocado, salsa, Greek yogurt, cilantro… all your favorite taco toppings work here too!
Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Flour Tortillas. Three 10-inch burrito-size tortillas create the crust. I used low-carb tortillas, but regular flour tortillas work too. If they feel stiff, microwave them for about 15 seconds before arranging them in the pie plate so they’re more pliable.
- Olive Oil. To sauté the peppers and onion until tender.
- Yellow Onion. Dice the onion fairly small so it distributes evenly throughout the filling.
- Bell Peppers. I use one green and one red, but yellow or orange would work as a swap for the red pepper.
- Ground Beef. I use 90% lean ground beef in this taco pie.
- Seasonings. Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and optional cayenne bring the taco vibes, while kosher salt and ground black pepper enhance the overall flavor.
- Diced Green Chiles. Drain them first so they don’t make the filling watery.
- Eggs. Let these come to room temperature.
- Plain Greek Yogurt. Bring this to room temperature too so it combines more smoothly with the eggs.
- Hot Sauce. I used Cholula. Feel free to adjust the amount to your family’s taste preferences.
- Sharp Cheddar or Pepper Jack Cheese. Sharp cheddar gives you classic ground beef taco flavor; pepper jack is a great choice if you want extra heat. Some goes inside the filling and the rest melts over the top.
- Toppings. I served this with diced avocado, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), salsa, green onions, and chopped cilantro, but any of your fave taco toppings would work here!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Make the Tortilla Crust (photo 1). Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375°F. Lightly coat a deep-dish pie plate with nonstick spray. Arrange the three tortillas in the pie plate, overlapping them across the bottom and allowing their edges to extend slightly over the sides like a pie crust. Pleat the tortillas where necessary so they sit relatively flat against the sides. Mist with nonstick spray and bake for 5 minutes.
Cook the Vegetables (photo 2). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and both bell peppers. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring periodically, until the vegetables are softened.
Brown the Beef (photo 3). Add the ground beef and break it into small crumbles. Stir in the seasonings and green chiles. Continue cooking and breaking apart the meat until the beef is completely cooked through.
Let the Filling Cool. Transfer the beef mixture to a large bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. (If you pour the egg mixture directly into piping hot beef, the eggs will cook!)
Make It Creamy (photo 4). In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, Greek yogurt, and hot sauce until completely smooth. Pour the egg mixture over the cooled beef, then fold in 1 cup of the shredded cheese (photo 5).
Assemble (photo 6). Spread the filling inside the tortilla crust and smooth the top into an even layer. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Use strips of aluminum foil or a pie crust shield to tent the exposed tortilla edges to keep them from burning.
Bake. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Let the taco pie rest for 10 minutes, then slice and ENJOY!
Erin’s Testing Notes
My first version wasn’t quite what I wanted: it wasn’t creamy enough and lacked flavor. The solution was upping the spices and adding Greek yogurt to make the filling creamier without heavy cream.
Like tacos, this taco pie is made for toppings so load it up with more Greek yogurt (or sour cream), guacamole, and salsa!
What to Serve with Taco Pie
- Salad. This Black Bean Corn Salad adds some extra protein and fiber to your meal.
- Beans. These Crock Pot Pinto Beans and Instant Pot Black Beans are both reader favorites!
- Rice. Cilantro Lime Rice makes an easy, affordable side dish.
Taco Pie
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Ingredients
- 3 10-inch flour tortillas burrito size (I used low carb)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 green bell pepper cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 red bell pepper cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 (4-ounce can) diced green chiles, drained
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅓ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt at room temperature, plus additional for serving
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce I used Cholula
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese or pepper Jack cheese 6 ounces, divided
For serving:
- Diced avocado
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Salsa
- Sliced green onion or chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with nonstick spray. If the tortillas feel stiff, warm them in the microwave for 15 seconds so they bend easily without cracking.
- Lay the tortillas into the pie plate, overlapping them across the center so that the edges of the tortillas slightly extend over the top of the plate like the sides of a pie crust. Pleat the edges to flatten them along the edge of the plate. Mist all over with nonstick spray and bake 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and green chiles. Stir and continue to break apart the meat until it is fully cooked through and no pink remains.
- Transfer the beef mixture to a large bowl and let it cool 10 minutes, stirring once or twice to release heat from the bottom of the bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, Greek yogurt, and hot sauce together until completely smooth with no white streaks. Pour over the cooled beef, add 1 cup of the shredded cheese, and fold until everything is evenly combined.
- Spread the filling into the tortilla crust, smoothing the top into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese. With foil strips or a pie crust shield, tend the edges of the tortilla so it doesn't overbrown.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the center is set (use a butter knife to peek into the center. It should look moist but you shouldn't see liquid pooling).
- Let the taco pie rest 10 minutes. Use a long knife with a sharp, pointy tip to slice (it takes a bit of elbow grease to get through the tortillas). Or for easier slicing, use a large spatula to gently and carefully slide the pie out onto a cutting board, then slice with a chef's knife. Serve with a generous amount of your toppings of choice
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover taco pie in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store the toppings separately.
- TO REHEAT: Warm individual slices in the microwave until heated through, or place them in a 350°F oven until warm.
- TO FREEZE: Wrap the whole pie in the pie dish or freeze individual slices in an airtight container for up to 2 months. For even reheating, I recommend thawing in the refrigerator first.
