Description
Hearty Ground Beef Doritos Casserole brings layers of cheesy, crunchy comfort to dinner tables across America. Crispy chips, seasoned meat, and melted cheese create a crowd-pleasing meal that satisfies hungry families with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
Dairy and Cheese:
- 2 cups (200 g) shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican cheese blend)
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream
- Sour cream or guacamole for serving
Seasonings and Vegetables:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix (or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning)
- 1 can (10 oz / 284 g) Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies), undrained
- 1 can (10 oz / 284 g) cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Crunchy Topping:
- 1 bag (9.75 oz / 275 g) Nacho Cheese Doritos, lightly crushed
Garnishes:
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Sliced jalapenos
- Diced tomatoes
- Green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 350F (175C) and coating a 9×13-inch baking dish with a light layer of cooking spray.
- Sauté diced onions in olive oil over medium heat until they become translucent and soft, approximately 3 minutes.
- Introduce ground beef to the skillet, breaking it into crumbly pieces while cooking until completely browned. Eliminate excess grease from the pan.
- Enhance the meat mixture by stirring in taco seasoning and diced tomatoes with green chilies, allowing flavors to meld for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat and incorporate cream of mushroom soup and sour cream, mixing thoroughly until a cohesive filling develops.
- Create the first layer of the casserole by evenly distributing half of the crushed Doritos across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Gently spread half of the seasoned beef mixture over the chip layer, then generously sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Repeat the layering process with remaining Doritos, beef mixture, and cheese to complete the casserole structure.
- Transfer the assembled dish to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, monitoring until cheese melts completely and develops a bubbly golden surface.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes after removing from oven to set the layers.
- Personalize the dish by garnishing with optional toppings like sliced green onions, diced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, additional diced tomatoes, or a dollop of sour cream.
- Serve immediately while warm, enjoying the rich, layered flavors of this comforting casserole.
Notes
- Customize the heat level by selecting different Doritos flavors like Spicy Nacho or Cool Ranch to match your spice preference.
- Drain ground beef thoroughly to prevent a soggy casserole bottom and maintain crispy Doritos texture.
- Substitute ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version of the dish.
- Prep ingredients beforehand to streamline cooking and ensure a quick, stress-free meal assembly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg