If you thought Doritos were just for snacking…think again. Mexican Doritos Casserole is a fun, extra cheesy twist on taco casserole! Savory, taco-seasoned ground beef is sandwiched between layers of crushed Doritos. The casserole is finished with freshly grated cheese, baked to bubbly perfection, and topped off with your favorite taco toppings!
In just 25 minutes, you’ll have a taco casserole upgrade prepped and ready for the oven. Doritos Casserole is quick and easy to make, and absolutely perfect for weeknight dinners! If you love Mexican food, you should also try our Chicken Taco Casserole and this tried-and-true Tex-Mex Beef Enchilada Casserole.
TACO CASSEROLE WITH DORITOS
Doritos Casserole is a layered Mexican casserole, a.k.a. a taco casserole! It’s made with two layers of crushed Doritos that encompass a filling of taco-seasoned ground beef mixed with fire-roasted tomatoes and freshly grated cheese. The whole shebang is topped with more cheese and baked until bubbly!
When it comes out of the oven, top with your favorite taco toppings, serve and enjoy!
DORITOS CASSEROLE INGREDIENTS
The ground beef filling consists of sautéed yellow onion, lean ground beef, taco seasoning, unsalted beef broth, and canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes. It is important that you use a low-sodium beef broth. The regular beef broth would make the filling far too salty. If you can’t find fire-roasted tomatoes, feel free to substitute plain, diced tomatoes (also from a can).
The filling lies somewhere between savory taco meat and a hearty Texas chili (no beans, of course). It’s thickened with a quick and easy cornstarch slurry, made up of water and cornstarch.
And, of course, you can’t have a Mexican Doritos Casserole without the Doritos! For this recipe, we stuck with standard Nacho Cheese Doritos, but the plain Yellow Corn Doritos would also be delicious in this casserole.
Cheese goes both in the filling and on top of the casserole. You can use Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend of the two. Freshly grated is best if you have the time.
BEEF SUBSTITUTIONS
You can make Mexican Doritos Casserole a little lighter by subbing in a pound of any of the following proteins:
- Ground Turkey
- Ground Chicken
- Shredded Chicken
Poultry does not require as much seasoning as beef, so if you use one of these substitutions, omit the Kosher salt and pepper from the recipe entirely.
WHAT ARE DORITOS?
Originally, Doritos were simply corn chips (also known as tortilla chips) and actually, they still are. Only now, they come dusted in a variety of flavors. The most famous flavor being Nacho Cheese, which made its culinary debut in the early 1970s.
HOW TO MAKE DORITOS CASSEROLE
- Cook the Onions – Add the oil to a large pan over medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature. Then, add the onions and sauté until softened.
- Add Beef and Taco Seasoning – Add the ground beef and the taco seasoning, breaking the beef apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until the beef is completely cooked through.
- Add Broth and Tomatoes – Next, add the beef broth, canned tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the pan, stir to combine, and allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
- Simmer, Add Cornstarch Slurry, and Simmer More – Once the mixture has reached a simmer, make the cornstarch slurry. Add the cornstarch to a small bowl with the water and mix to combine. Then, add the mixture to the beef and simmer a few minutes more, and stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
- Assemble Casserole – Add half of the crushed Doritos to the bottom of the casserole dish. Then, add the beef mixture, followed by the remaining Doritos, and end with the remaining shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Top with Taco Toppings – Top with your favorite taco toppings (see ideas below), serve, and enjoy!
TACO TOPPINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE
- Sliced Green Onions
- Diced White Onions
- Diced Tomatoes
- Pico de Gallo
- Shredded Lettuce
- Black Olives
- Guacamole
- Sour Cream
CAN YOU MAKE DORITO CASSEROLE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes! You can make Mexican Doritos Casserole in advance. To do so, have your grated cheese ready and prepare the ground beef filling. Transfer the beef and the remaining shredded cheese to separate airtight containers and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
The day you’re ready to serve, microwave the beef mixture until just warm (about 1 1/2 minute on high), assemble the casserole and bake as directed!
5 MORE DINNER CASSEROLE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Mexican Doritos Casserole is a fun, extra cheesy twist on taco casserole! Savory, taco-seasoned ground beef is sandwiched between layers of crushed Doritos.
- 2 tablespoons canola or avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (1-ounce) package taco seasoning
- 1 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 1/2 cups freshly grated cheese, separated (use Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a combination of the two)
- 5 cups lightly crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos (about 1 10.5-ounce bag)
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and have ready a greased 9x13" casserole dish.
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Add the oil to a large pan over medium-high heat and allow to come to temperature. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the ground beef and the taco seasoning. Break the beef apart with a wooden spoon, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the beef is completely cooked through.
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Add the beef broth, canned tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the beef, stir to combine, and allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
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Once the mixture has reached a simmer make the cornstarch slurry. Add the cornstarch to a small bowl along with 2 tablespoons of water and mix with a fork to combine. Add the mixture to the beef, stir, and allow to simmer 3-4 minutes more. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and set the mixture aside.
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Add half of the crushed Doritos to the bottom of the casserole dish. Then, add the beef mixture on top, followed by the remaining Doritos, and end with the remaining shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes.
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Top with your favorite taco toppings, serve, and enjoy!
Loved all the flavors and textures of this dish! Made an excellent dinner option and even my picky eaters devoured it!
Wow, this is total comfort food!! Can’t wait to try the recipe 🙂
This casserole is awesome. I’m already thinking of events that i’m going to take it too. Yummy!
Our kids absolutely loved this easy to make dish! Such great flavors and quick to make for a weeknight!
Yum! This is a great comfort food. My whole family loved it. I’ll be making it again soon.