Doritos Taco Casserole

Flavorful ground beef, and melty cheese in a crunchy Doritos crust. Bring your family to the table and have them begging for seconds! Serve with queso, southwest egg rolls, and Mexican street corn for a complete meal. 

We love Mexican-inspired dinners like Carne Asada Fries and Tacos. If you love Doritos you’re going to love this Dorito taco casserole. It is a creative way to switch up taco Tuesday. The bottom layer is Doritos (Hello snack food for dinner)! Then it is filled with flavorful ground beef, hearty beans, of course, plenty of cheese.

Everyone in the house will enjoy filling their plate up with favorite toppings and a dollop of sour cream.  My plate has just a bit of everything for the perfect bite.

Best of all this casserole comes together quickly making it perfect for dinner on busy weeknights.

Why I Love This Recipe

1. Doritos: Eating my favorite snack for dinner? Yes, please!
2. Kid-Friendly: This casserole isn’t overly spicy so it is great for kids and adults alike.
3. Quick and Easy: Get dinner on the table in 30 minutes flat.

Ingredient Notes

• Catalina dressing is a mix of ketchup, sugar, red wine vinegar, canola oil, paprika, onion powder, celery flakes, and seasonings blended to create a red-hued dressing. It has a slightly tangy taste which adds a wonderful flavor to this casserole. I used storebought, but you could always make your own too. French dressing would be a good substitute too.

• Toppings: Use your favorite toppings, the skies the limit! Consider queso, pico de gallo, avocado black olives, salsa, guacamole, ect.
• Beef: I used lean ground beef. If you’re using a fattier version, be sure to drain it before adding it to the casserole. You could also use cooked chicken, pork carnitas, or even make it vegetarian with just beans.
• Cheese: Shred your own cheese if possible. It won’t have fillers like cornstarch that can interfere with melting.
• Doritos: I used Nacho cheese doritos. However, any flavor such as ranch, or even Flamin’ Hot. You could also use corn chips like in my frito pie recipe.

Fun Variations

1. Meat: Use chicken, or pulled pork carnitas instead.
2. Spicy: Use Flamin Hot Doritos, pepper jack cheese, and diced jalapenos.
3. 9×9: Cut all ingredients except the ground beef in half and make in a 9×9 pan instead.
4. Beans: Black beans or refried beans would be yummy too.
5. Veggies: Add more veggies like bell pepper, mushrooms, or even roasted corn.
   

How To Make Doritos Casserole

1. Prep work: Line pan with foil, and preheat your oven. Crush Doritos.
2. Cook Beef: Brown beef with onions. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Season: Stir in taco seasoning, and cook until reduced. Stir in cream of chicken soup.
4. Crust: Press Doritos into pan.
5. Filling: Fill with beef mixture, beans, and cheese.
6. Bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes.
7. Top: Top with your favorite toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and more cheese.

Make-Ahead Option

You can make this casserole ahead of time. Gather up the ingredients, and follow the instructions up until step 4. You can store the unbaked casserole in the refrigerator overnight and cook the next evening. Bake right before serving.

Leftovers

Refrigerate: This casserole keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freezing: Freeze baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. Place the casserole in an airtight container that’s freezer safe and store it until needed. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking.  You can also store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer. I like to freeze individual portions, so I can pull one out for dinner as needed.

Tips and Tricks

1. Crush Doritos: I do not suggest crushing in a food processor. Instead, crush in a plastic baggie with a rolling pin. This will give you larger pieces that won’t get soggy.
2. Make One For a Friend: If you want to make this taco casserole with Doritos for a potluck or to share with a neighbor make it in a disposable aluminum foil pan. That way you don’t have to worry about getting your pan back.
3. Use Foil: If the topping begins to brown before your casserole is done baking, cover with foil for the remainder of the baking time. I also suggest lining your casserole dish with foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to make cleanup a breeze.
4. Brown Beef: I like to brown my ground beef using a potato masher. It breaks it up into perfect-sized pieces with less work. Just be sure to not use a metal potato masher on a non-stick skillet.

More Casseroles To Try

Cheeseburger Casserole

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Stuffed Pepper Casserole

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Doritos Taco Casserole

Flavorful ground beef, and melty cheese in a crunchy doritos crust. Bring your family to the table and have them begging for seconds!

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 Servings

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Krystle Smith

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 Pound 90% Lean Ground Beef
• ▢ 1 Onion Onion Diced
• ▢ 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
• ▢ 1 Package Taco Seasoning
• ▢ ⅔ Cup Water
• ▢ 1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
• ▢ 1 Can Pinto Beans Drained and Rinsed
• ▢ 2 Cups Monterey Jack Cheese Shredded
• ▢ 1 10 Ounce Bag Nacho Cheese Doritos Crushed
• ▢ Lettuce, Tomatoes, Jalapenos, Cheese, Sour Cream, and Catalina Dressing To Serve

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil.
• In a large skillet, cook onion and brown ground beef until no pink remains. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
• Add taco, seasoning, and water. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until reduced. Stir in cream of chickens soup.
• Pour crushed Doritos into prepared pan. Top with beef mixture, beans, and cheese.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.
• Serve with your favorite toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, sour cream, and cheese. I also like to drizzle mine with Catalina dressing.

Notes

Ingredient Notes

• Catalina dressing: French dressing would be a good substitute.

• Toppings: Use your favorite toppings, the skies the limit! Consider queso, pico de gallo, avocado black olives, salsa, guacamole, ect.
• Beef: I used lean ground beef. If you're using a fattier version, be sure to drain it before adding it to the casserole.
• Cheese: Shred your own cheese if possible. It won't have fillers like cornstarch that can interfere with melting.
• Doritos: I used Nacho cheese doritos. However, any flavor such as ranch, or even Flamin' Hot.

Tips and Tricks

1. Crush Doritos: I do not suggest crushing in a food processor. Instead, crush in a plastic baggie with a rolling pin. This will give you larger pieces that won't get soggy.
2. Use Foil: If the topping begins to brown before your casserole is done baking, cover with foil for the remainder of the baking time. I also suggest lining your casserole dish with foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to make cleanup a breeze.
3. Brown Beef: I like to brown my ground beef using a potato masher. It breaks it up into perfect-sized pieces with less work. Just be sure to not use a metal potato masher on a non-stick skillet.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 811mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 697IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 2mg

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