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    Taco Noodle Casserole

    March 15, 2021 By Meagan Fikes 2 Comments

    Two photos of taco noodle casserole joined together for Pinterest purposes with the words "gluten free | dairy free Taco Noodle Casserole" written on the top photo.
    An oval, burgundy colored casserole dish containing taco noodle casserole sprinkled with cilantro. Pasta package is in the background.

    Some links on this site are affiliate links which means that if you make a purchase at one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Additionally, I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. I only link to products and services I personally recommend and believe will benefit my readers. These links help to cover some of my blogging expenses. I appreciate your support!


    Pasta for this post was kindly provided by Beldolce. All opinions are my own.


    Have you ever noticed just how many different ingredients can be used to make gluten free pasta? There's brown rice, chickpea, corn & quinoa blends, corn & rice blends, edamame, almond flour ($$$), yellow peas, cauliflower, black bean (nope 🙅‍♀️), and probably several others I didn't think of.

    I actually just gave away a box of lentil pasta I was too scared to try. Lentils are often cross contaminated with gluten containing grains, similar to how oats are, so I don't personally eat them.

    Taco noodle casserole in an oval dish garnished with three sprigs of cilantro.

    Aside from the lentil pasta, I think I've tried most of those varieties I mentioned. It's nice to have a wide variety due to individual allergies and intolerances but I've started to think some of these are more complicated than they need to be.

    Recently, Beldolce contacted me about trying a pasta I'd never had before - 100% organic corn. So simple and no other ingredients!

    Beldolce gluten free pasta box with a mixture of uncooked penne and fusilli pasta in front of it.

    Alright, I know if any of you are like me then nothing I have to say about this pasta, nor this recipe matters until I clear something up first:

    Nothing to fear here!

    I completely trust Beldolce to provide a truly gluten free product. I think by now, we've all seen brands offer "gluten free" foods only to completely disregard the very real possibility of gluten cross contamination when made alongside gluten-containing product offerings. That is not the case for Beldolce at all.

    Beldolce gluten free pastas are not only certified gluten free but also (here's my favorite part!) made in a certified gluten free facility.

    • Up close of pasta packaging with the certified gluten free label in focus.
    • Up close of pasta packaging ingredients (organic corn flour, made in a certified gluten-free facility, product of Italy)

    Being a family business, Beldolce places high value on both family and tradition. As stated on their website:

    At Beldolce, we believe everyone in your family should be able to experience traditional italian cuisine - without any sacrifices. This is why we use 100% Italian-grown corn, sourced according to fair trade principles, and an artisanal process to craft a gluten-free pasta with the same taste and texture as a traditional wheat flour pasta.

    If there's one thing celiac disease and gluten intolerance is prone to lacking, it's inclusivity. Everyone works around it differently but Beldolce is doing their part to make sure no one is left out by using a product that's not only safe but also on par with the pastas "everyone else" is eating. (Seriously, share it with your dinner guests, they'll never know it's gluten free!)

    As I mentioned, I'm all for not over-complicating a food like pasta but I did wonder if one simple ingredient, corn, could possibly capture how I remembered this classic comfort food. Turns out, this is everything I'd expect from a pasta. It's a very traditional taste with no off-flavors from strange ingredients and it achieves a satisfying al dente texture every time. You know why I switched to rice pastas for a while? It was because I needed something that could easily be made mushy when my son was starting on solids. Those days are well-behind me and I definitely have an appreciation for a good, al dente pasta after that!

    A wooden spoon holding fusilli noodles over a pot of boiling water.

    I had a hard time deciding what kind of recipe to use this pasta in. I tried both the penne and fusilli varieties and finally decided I'd try the fusilli in a taco noodle casserole. The fusilli held onto the sauce really well and was small enough to fit on a fork alongside the other ingredients.

    Overhead shot of a single serving of taco noodle casserole on a white plate with the baking dish to the upper left.

    I don't think I've ever made a taco noodle casserole before so I wasn't even sure what to put in it beyond typical taco fillings and pasta. It would definitely need some sort of sauce to bring everything together and ensure it doesn't dry out in the oven.

    I had enchilada sauce on hand but figured that would be too strong to just mix in as-is. I came up with a creamy, "cheesy" enchilada sauce (yes, it's dairy free) that doesn't overwhelm the dish with that strong enchilada sauce flavor. I think it might be my favorite sauce I make and I'm trying to come up with more ways to use it!

    It's so easy to make too. I just mixed enchilada sauce with some full fat coconut milk and meltable dairy free "cheddar" shreds. Melt it down and it's ready to use! After mixing the fusilli into the sauce, I realized I could stop there and have a perfectly delicious, simple vegan pasta recipe. It really didn't need anything more.

    Up close side view of a slice of taco noodle casserole with cilantro leaves on top.

    However, I kept with my original idea and added in ground beef taco meat, beans, corn, fire roasted tomatoes, and topped with more dairy free cheddar. Again, you could leave the meat out for a vegan version.

    Fifteen to twenty minutes is all it takes to bake everything and the pasta didn't dry out at all. I left mine in a little longer because I really enjoy an extra crispy edge on my casseroles but just enough time to melt the cheese is all you need.

    A slice of taco noodle casserole on a white plate with an oval burgundy baking dish partially in the background.

    Beldolce gluten free pasta will be available to order online soon and you can preorder here. It can also currently be purchased at multiple BJ's locations across the Northeast as well as the BJ's website.


    Print
    An oval, burgundy colored casserole dish containing taco noodle casserole sprinkled with cilantro. Pasta package is in the background.

    Taco Noodle Casserole

    • Author: Meagan Fikes
    • Prep Time: 10 mins
    • Cook Time: 35 mins
    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings 1x
    • Diet: Gluten Free

    Description

    Gluten free fusilli is mixed with dairy free creamy enchilada sauce, taco meat, corn, beans, tomatoes, and DF cheese baked into a casserole.


    Ingredients

    • ¾ C gluten free mild enchilada sauce, see notes
    • ½ C full fat coconut milk
    • 1 C dairy free meltable cheddar shreds, divided (I used Daiya.)
    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1 250g bag Beldolce gluten free fusilli
    • 1 batch taco seasoning
    • 1 C fire roasted diced tomatoes
    • ¾ C canned corn, drained
    • ¾ C canned black beans, drained and rinsed
    • optional toppings: fresh cilantro, fresh sliced scallions, jalapeno slices, salsa, sour cream, pico de gallo, avocado slices, or anything else you might enjoy over tacos.

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
    2. I found it easier to start all stovetop cooking at the same time. To do this, you'll need a large pot, a small pot, and a skillet.
    3. Add about 2.5 quarts of water to your large pot and place over high heat. The enchilada sauce, coconut milk, and ½ C of the dairy free cheddar will go in the small pot over medium-low heat. The ground beef goes in the skillet over medium-high heat.
      Orange sauce with visible cheese shreds in a black pot with a whisk in it.
    4. - Keep an eye on the water - when it reaches a boil, stir in the noodles then stir just occasionally for 11-12 minutes until it reaches al-dente at which point you can remove from the heat and drain.

      - The sauce needs to be gently whisked fairly often to prevent the cheese from melting into a large mass. It's done when everything is throughly combined into one uniform sauce.

      - The beef needs to be crumbled with a spatula until it is fully cooked. Once cooked, stir in the taco seasoning and remove from heat. A few tablespoons of water can be added to make it easier to stir the seasoning in.
      Orange colored sauce in a black pot.

    5. Add drained noodles to the completed sauce and stir to coat (you may need to use the large pot again if the sauce pot is too small).
      A pot of fusilli noodles coated in an orange colored sauce.
    6. Stir the tomatoes, corn, and black beans into the seasoned ground beef.
    7. Finally, combine the beef mixture and noodle mixture into a large casserole dish (a 9x13 is perfect) and stir to combine. Top with the remaining ½ C shredded dairy free cheddar and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts. I like to have crispy edges on my casseroles so I tend to bake them longer but if you don't like that texture, keep the bake time on the lower end of the range - everything's fully cooked and still warm so you really just need to melt the cheese at a minimum.
    8. Allow to cool for a few minutes then slice to serve. Top with any of the optional toppings listed in the ingredient section, if desired, and enjoy.

    Notes

    • Potential allergens contained in this recipe may vary due to brands of ingredients used, product reformulations, etc. Please verify that all your ingredients are safe for you to consume and always be mindful of allergen cross contamination while cooking.
    • Note that some enchilada sauces contain gluten. Double check that yours is gluten free. I used Hatch brand.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @eatsomethingdelicious on Instagram and hashtag it #eatsomethingdelicious

    Find it online: https://eatsomethingdelicious.com/taco-noodle-casserole/

    Previous Post: « Gooey Butter Carrot Cake

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tracy

      March 15, 2021 at 10:43 pm

      The vegetarian version was delicious and it is something that you could easily share with non gluten free dinner guests. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Meagan Fikes

        March 15, 2021 at 11:10 pm

        I'm glad you liked it! I definitely plan on making both versions.

        Reply

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    About Meagan

    About Meagan

    I started out with a passion for creating unique recipes and decorating cakes. In June of 2012, I discovered I was not only severely gluten intolerant but also, many of the foods I was eating I simply couldn't include in my diet anymore. Fortunately, my love for trying new recipes, ingredients, and cooking methods made re-learning how to cook seem more like a fun challenge than an unfortunate circumstance. I'm so happy to say that my dietary restrictions haven't stopped me from doing what I love. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do.

    Click here to sign up for the Eat Something Delicious Newsletter
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    eatsomethingdelicious

    I almost didn’t make this into a casserole becau I almost didn’t make this into a casserole because the sauce and pasta combined made a delicious side dish on their own! @beldolcefood #sponsored my most recent blog post and provided me with their new gluten free fusilli and penne to try out. I used the fusilli in this recipe and the sauce is a creamy, cheesy enchilada sauce made from just 3 ingredients.
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I ended up adding taco meat, fire roasted tomatoes, corn, black beans, and dairy free cheese to make a taco noodle casserole. Then we ate it all and I made it again! This is one of those recipes that will be going in our regular meal rotation.
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This is a pretty versatile recipe. It can be made vegan just by leaving out the meat and it’s just as good. And as I said earlier, the pasta with just the sauce makes a really good side dish. You can also top it with whatever you like such as cilantro, jalapeños, sour cream, scallions, or salsa.
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The recipe and details on @beldolcefood new gluten free pasta is linked in my profile:
@eatsomethingdelicious
Let me know if you try it!
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#glutenfree #dairyfree #glutenfreefacility #pasta #casserole #beldolce #foodallergies #f52grams #foodbloggerpro #celiac #glutenintolerant #eatsomethingdelicious
    I’ll just say it - I’m one of those bloggers t I’ll just say it - I’m one of those bloggers that makes cakes for their blogs “birthdays”. Or uses the blog birthdays as an excuse to make yet another cake recipe....yeah, that’s probably more accurate.
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Definitely felt like I needed a good excuse for this one because it’s my fifth variation of gooey butter cake! However, my site is seven years old so maybe I should have had seven gooey butter cakes ready to go? Guess I’d better get caught up before year eight 😉
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Anyways, I really enjoyed this carrot cake variation of gooey butter cake. The cake layer/crust swaps out the yellow cake mix with spice cake mix and I added in some shredded carrots and raisins. I kept the “gooey” top layer the same except that I topped it with a sprinkle of cinnamon and additional raisins before baking.
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If you want to try the recipe, the link is in my profile: @eatsomethingdelicious
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#gooeybuttercake #foodallergies #glutenfree #dairyfree #foodbloggerpro #baking #celiac #f52grams #f52sweets #glutenintolerant #carrotcake
#glutenfreelife #eatsomethingdelicious
    Couldn’t decide which to use on his birthday inv Couldn’t decide which to use on his birthday invites so got a big trifold card and used almost all of them 😅 This is the first time he’s cooperated (sort of) for his “milestone block” photos since he learned to roll over so it’s been a long time!
    Here are a few last minute treat ideas! The carame Here are a few last minute treat ideas! The caramel stuffed crispy rice treats recipe is written below. The other recipes (gooey butter cookies, salted caramel turtles, and pumpkin snickerdoodles) can be found at the link in my bio!
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CARAMEL STUFFED CRISPY RICE TREATS
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INGREDIENTS
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• ¼ C dairy free butter, divided
• 4 C mini marshmallows (regular and vegan both work), divided
• 6 C gluten free rice cereal *see notes*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, divided
• 10-11 oz dairy free chewy caramels
• 11.25 oz can sweetened condensed coconut milk
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DIRECTIONS
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1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the dairy free butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add 2 cups of marshmallows and stir until they are melted with no lumps.
2. Remove from heat and stir in ½ tsp of vanilla then gently fold in 3 cups of cereal until it is well-combined with the marshmallows.
3. Using wet hands, press this mixture evenly into the bottom of a 7x11 inch casserole dish and set aside.
4. Unwrap the caramels and add them along with the sweetened condensed coconut milk to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir often to avoid burning. Once this has turned to a completely smooth sauce, pour over the cereal layer.
5. Make your top cereal layer by repeating steps 1 and 2. Distribute this evenly over the caramel layer and pat down with wet hands.
6. Once the treats have cooled down, they will firm up and hold their shape when cut. Cut into squares and serve.
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NOTES
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• Potential allergens contained in this recipe may vary due to brands of ingredients used, product reformulations, etc. Please verify that all your ingredients are safe for you to consume and always be mindful of allergen cross contamination while cooking.
• Double check that the cereal you use is gluten free. At least one brand carries 2 different versions of rice cereal and only one is GF.
• Don't make both cereal layers in one large batch then divide it up. The top layer will cool and firm up before you can layer it on which will make the caramel seep out when you press it down.
    ✨recipe below✨ I have these cooking on the sto ✨recipe below✨ I have these cooking on the stove right now. I’m adding them into my cookie tins (which I’m sure you’re tired of hearing about by now) but they also make a good topping for desserts or ice cream or even just served straight from a bowl at holiday parties.
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To make the recipe, whisk together 1/4 C maple syrup with 3/4 tsp cinnamon. Put 1 1/2 C pecan halves in a skillet over medium-low heat and pour syrup mixture over it. Stir with a rubber spatula to coat and continue stirring often to prevent burning until all the stickiness is gone and you’re left with sugar crystals on the pecans.
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#glutenfree #dairyfree #cookieexchange #glutenintolerant #foodbloggerpro #eatsomethingdelicious #foodallergies #celiac #candiednuts #f52grams #dessert
    One of the things I’ve been working on lately is One of the things I’ve been working on lately is a new homepage for my website. I just published it this weekend!
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Before, I just had the blog as the homepage because that’s how I’ve always followed blogs - I’d go to the website then look for the newest post and read it.
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That definitely doesn’t seem to be the norm anymore and it’s definitely not on my site! Most of my visitors come from google or Pinterest because they’re looking for something in particular.
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I had a hard time deciding what to put on my homepage that might make it a good space for “looking around” while not losing that easily accessible list of newest posts (I know, I can’t let it go! 😅) I also have a new menu on mobile which frees up a ton of space above the fold for content. Love it!
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Still working on cleaning things up a bit and I have some other things I’d like to do too. I got rid of the sidebar on the homepage but I’m considering completely eliminating it and better utilizing the footer since everyone’s on mobile now anyways. Or maybe it doesn’t make a difference? 🤷‍♀️
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I’m more in the mood to do this stuff than new recipes lately but I think I will try to do one recipe before I get back to playing around with the site. I have a recipe I made back in July that’s ready to go. Maybe I should finally post it?
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#glutenfree #dairyfree #celiac #eatsomethingdelicious #foodallergies #glutenintolerance
    These were the most difficult cookies to pack up f These were the most difficult cookies to pack up for mailing because the caramel is a thick sauce (I thought baking a caramel candy into the center was too chewy and not the right texture for a cookie.) I could have just picked a different cookie but these are so good that I had to include them!
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What I ended up doing was adding the cookies with the empty depression to the tin. I added the caramel sauce to a plastic sandwich bag and included some coarse sea salt too. As long as you bring the caramel to room temperature you can cut a small corner off the bag and fill the cookies then top with a pinch of salt.
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(Recipe for salted caramel filled turtle cookies at the link in my profile)
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#baking #glutenfree #dairyfree #cookieexchange #christmascookies #saltedcaramel #glutenintolerant #foodbloggerpro #eatsomethingdelicious #foodallergies #celiac #cookies #f52grams #dessert
    This was one of the first recipes I ever attempted This was one of the first recipes I ever attempted to put on my blog back in 2014 and it took me until last December to finally get it the way I wanted.
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A lot of what made these difficult was getting the texture right. I wanted thick cookies, slight crisp on the outside, soft inside, and a strong creamy peanut butter/sunbutter taste when you bite into them. It is EXACTLY what I got (and it was completely worth all the failed yet still edible attempts!)
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I recently made 2 versions of this recipe - peanut butter blossoms and regular sunbutter cookies for family with peanut and chocolate allergies.
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Both versions are included in the same blog post at the link in my profile.
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#baking #glutenfree #dairyfree #cookieexchange #christmascookies #glutenintolerant #eatsomethingdelicious #foodallergies #celiac #cookies #dessert
    This is a new recipe this year from a collaboratio This is a new recipe this year from a collaboration with @pattymacmakes. She did the original recipe and I made it GF/DF.
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I feel like I learned more about gluten free/dairy free conversions from this recipe than any other recipe I’ve made. Looking back, it was probably the most difficult one to convert so far (maybe tied with my cream puff recipe).
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Part of converting these to GF meant finding a replacement for the oats. Gluten free oats can be tricky and since they sometimes make me sick, I’ve stopped eating the mechanically sorted type and it seems to be fine. However it’s hard to tell which are purity protocol (aside from the price tag $$$) so I’ve replaced them altogether.
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Instead of oats, coconut flakes worked perfectly by adding that same chewy texture without adding much of a different flavor. If you have a recipe that uses a little rolled oats for texture purposes, try this trick!
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You can get the recipe at the link in my profile and Patty’s version of the recipe can be found in the blog post.
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#baking #glutenfree #dairyfree #christmascookies #glutenintolerant #eatsomethingdelicious #foodallergies #celiac #cookies #dessert
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