How hot should a casserole be?

Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart Product Minimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time Eggs 160 °F (71.1 °C) Fish & Shellfish 145 °F (62.8 °C) Leftovers 165 °F (73.9 °C) Casseroles 165 °F (73.9 °C) 6 more rows May 11, 2020

What is the key to making a good casserole?

Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ... Undercook your pasta. ... Drain your meat. ... Beware of mushy vegetables. ... Know your cheeses. ... Master the art of casserole assembly. ... Don't skip the topping. ... Make it now, but bake it later. More items...

Weight Watchers Friendly Taco Casserole Recipe - 1 Smart Point FREESTYLE (2024)

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Weight Watchers Taco Casserole Recipe

This Weight Watchers Taco Casserole Recipe is a variation of my favorite Weight Watchers friendly Taco Casserole (made with chicken).

I like making casseroles all the time, but especially for family dinners, holidays and even events like the Super Bowl. They are just easy and always taste great and this one, at just one WW point, is a GREAT one.

If you love taco dishes, try my Weight Watchers Friendly Taco Dip and Zero Point Chicken Taco Soup, too!

With Weight Watchers, you can eat anything in moderation. I'm constantly swapping ingredients to make things more flavorful with less points. For example, I swap out plain, non fat Greek yogurt for sour cream or ground beef for ground turkey, things like that.

I like to keep things interesting! And, as I find new WW friendly ingredients in the stores, or hear about something in my WW group, I like to add them into my existing recipes to grind down the points – whenever possible. If you are on Weight Watcher's, you already know what I mean. :)

To Use Canned Or Fresh, That Is The Question

When cooking with processed ingredients like taco sauce, pasta sauce, etc, you can easily sub those out for fresh seasonings and vegetables to reduce the point count. If you're not following Weight Watchers, feel free to add in some tortillas (this casserole would be amazing wrapped up in a tortilla… omg) or even put some chips on top!

Make sure you try my Homemade SALT-FREE taco seasoning with this recipe! It has every bit as much flavor and it is heart healthy!

Weight Watchers Points Info

6 Servings (about 1 cup): 1 Smart Point Freestyle

Weight Watcher Taco Casserole – 1 Point

Ingredients for Weight Watchers Taco Casserole

Weight Watchers Friendly Taco Casserole Recipe - 1 Smart Point FREESTYLE (2)

1 lb ground chicken breast or turkey
1/2 diced white onion
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can black beans
1 tbsp taco seasoning
2 tbsp taco sauce
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1/3 cup green onions

How to Make Weight Watchers Taco Casserole

Saute meat, beans, onions, taco seasoning, sauce, and corn on medium-high heat until meat is browned (or soy crumbles are thoroughly cooked).
Spoon half your meat mixture into your casserole dish in an even layer, top with a thin layer of sour cream, then sprinkle with some cheese.
Repeat. Cover with cheese.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, then serve topped with diced tomatoes and green onions.

Tips for Making Weight Watchers Taco Casserole

If you missed the SALT-FREE taco seasoning, you can grab that recipe here.
Want to serve your taco casserole with chips? Mini Tostitos are only 4 points for 24 chips!
Here's a delicious creamy guacamole that would go perfectly if you are an avocado lover!
This recipe is low in points because it is made with multiple ZERO point foods, here's the full list.
I absolutely love these Ole Wellness Wraps, they are HUGE and are only 1 point!

Weight Watchers Friendly Taco Casserole Recipe - 1 Smart Point FREESTYLE (3)

Weight Watchers Taco Casserole

Most delicious taco casserole!

4.50 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Calories: 133.46kcal

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken breast or turkey
1/2 diced white onion
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can black beans
1 tbsp taco seasoning
2 tbsp taco sauce
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1/3 cup green onions

Instructions

Saute meat, beans, onions, taco seasoning, sauce, and corn on medium-high heat until meat is browned (or soy crumbles are thoroughly cooked).
Spoon half your meat mixture into your casserole dish in an even layer, top with a thin layer of sour cream, then sprinkle with some cheese.
Repeat. Cover with cheese.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, then serve topped with diced tomatoes and green onions.

Tried this recipe?Mention @slapdashmom1 or tag #slapdashmom!

Nutritional

Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently.

Check the bottom of this page to Download my FREE WW Cookbook & Tips Guide. You will LOVE it!!

This is my ZERO Point food list. Book mark the page and refer back often. Loading your fridge and pantry with these ZERO point foods is tip #1 for weight loss success.

Meal plans help me stay on track. Here are some of my favorites!

Instant Pot Printable Meal Plan
Freestyle One Week Meal Plan
Free Printable Meal Plan

You simply MUST try my ZERO points Cheesecake Recipe

Have you made up a batch of my 2 Ingredients Dough yet? It's AMAZING stuff!! Use it to make low point bread bowls, pretzels, bread sticks, bagels, pizza crust, cinnamon rolls & more. Check out the Recipe Guide & Individual Recipes below:

To entice you, watch this Video for the 2 Ingredients Bagel Recipe – you will LOVE it – total YUM!!

2 Ingredient Dough Recipes

Ultimate 2 Ingredient Dough Guide
2 Ingredient Dough Pizza
2 Ingredient Dough Pot Pie
2 Ingredient Dough Pop Tarts
2 Ingredient Dough Cinnamon Rolls
2 Ingredient Dough Bread Bowls
2 Ingredient Dough Empanadas

Make sure you check out and grab our printable shopping lists below to make it easy when you are in store to grab the best WW FreeStyle friendly foods and snacks!

Weight Watchers Costco Shopping List
Weight Watchers Walmart Shopping ListWeight Watchers Target Shopping ListWeight Watchers Aldi Shopping ListWeight Watchers Trader Joe's Shopping List

Ever panic and wonder what to eat at your favorite restaurants? Well, I do too! That's why I created and LOVE my restaurant guides. Check them out here and be sure to email me and let me know any others you'd like to see:

Chipotle Weight Watchers
Olive Garden Weight Watchers
Red Robin Weight Watchers
Taco Bell Weight Watchers
P.F. Chang's
Texas Roadhouse

FAQs

Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart

Product	Minimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time
Eggs	160 °F (71.1 °C)
Fish & Shellfish	145 °F (62.8 °C)
Leftovers	165 °F (73.9 °C)
Casseroles	165 °F (73.9 °C)

6 more rows

May 11, 2020

Most casseroles freeze well, but if there's one category of casserole that's trickier to successfully freeze and reheat, it's anything with lots of dairy. That's because dairy doesn't freeze well. Whether the casserole contains lots of cream or ricotta cheese, dairy tends to separate and become grainy after freezing.

Uncovering the foods promotes browning and crisping, and reduces the amount of liquid in the finished dish. If a casserole looks soupy when it's ready to bake, bake it uncovered unless the ingredients include pasta or rice, which absorb liquid.

Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ...
Undercook your pasta. ...
Drain your meat. ...
Beware of mushy vegetables. ...
Know your cheeses. ...
Master the art of casserole assembly. ...
Don't skip the topping. ...
Make it now, but bake it later.

More items...

Avoid freezing casseroles made with dairy products (especially soft cheeses with a high-water content like ricotta or cottage), eggs, starchy vegetables, and watery vegetables like lettuce and cucumber.

Avoid freezing dairy-heavy casseroles

Yes, dairy-heavy casseroles are delicious, but cottage cheese, sour cream or creme fraiche won't hold up in the freezer. Instead, polish this kind of casserole off right away—or store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Thaw Before Cooking

First, even in a hot oven, a frozen casserole takes hours to thaw, and the cooking will always be uneven. The edges will brown and bubble, while the center is still cool to the touch, even icy.

Poking a casserole with a toothpick or a fork to see if it comes out clean is a helpful way to know what's happening in the center. Shaking the pan will also tell you if everything is cooked and set.

If your oven doesn't include a “keep warm” preset, aim to manually set the temperature somewhere between 170°F and 200°F to help keep food in a safe range.

Oven-safe cookware is safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, but some materials can only handle 350 degrees or less. Avoid sudden temperature changes. Be aware that glass and ceramic cookware can break if the temperature suddenly changes, like going from the hot oven to a cold countertop. Check for mixed materials.

As for the oven temperature and time needed to reheat, it'll vary depending on the size of the casserole dish and the density of its contents, but a safe bet is to reheat at a moderate temperature (325°F-350°F) for 20-30 minutes, or until hot throughout.