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This Dorito Casserole is loaded with layers of seasoned ground beef, creamy taco filling, crunchy Nacho Cheese Doritos, and melted cheese baked until hot and bubbly. It’s an easy family dinner that is perfect for busy weeknights, football parties, potlucks, or casual gatherings when you need a crowd favorite meal everyone will want love.
“This Dorito Casserole is everything I want in a dinner. It’s cheesy, crunchy, comforting, and totally crave-worthy.”
-Becky
Why You’ll Love This Dorito Casserole
This casserole is packed with creamy, cheesy, crunchy texture in every bite. The seasoned taco meat pairs perfectly with the Nacho Cheese Doritos, and the melted cheese on top gives it that classic comfort food flavor everyone loves.
It’s:
- Perfect for busy weeknights.
- Great for feeding a crowd.
- Easy to customize with toppings.
- A fun twist on taco night.
- Family friendly and picky eater approved.
- Ready in about 40 minutes.
What Does Dorito Casserole Taste Like?
Dorito casserole tastes like cheesy layered nachos mixed with taco casserole and comfort food all in one dish. The Doritos soften slightly while baking but still keep texture around the edges, giving the casserole a creamy and crunchy combination.
The filling is rich, cheesy, and packed with taco flavor while the chips add salty crunch and bold cheesy flavor throughout the casserole.
If you love easy dinners like this Dorito Casserole, you’ll also want to try my Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs, Spam Fried Rice, this simple Chicken Pot Pie Casserole, or these savory Pizza Cupcakes and Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Will Need
- lean ground beef– Use ground turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken instead of ground beef.
- taco seasoning– store-bought taco seasoning or make your own!
- yellow onion, chopped
- sour cream– Creates a smooth creamy texture.
- Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
- Nacho Cheese Flavor Doritos-or regular tortilla chips or flavored tortilla chips
- shredded cheddar cheese or Fiesta Blend or Mexican Cheese Blend
A full list of ingredients is in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Use Cool Ranch Doritos: This gives the casserole a tangier flavor that works surprisingly well with taco meat.
- Add black beans: Black beans help stretch the recipe and make it even heartier.
- Make it spicy: Add jalapeños, hot Rotel, or pepper jack cheese for extra heat.
- Use shredded chicken: Rotisserie chicken works great instead of ground beef.
- Create a topping bar: Set out lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, olives, guacamole, and sour cream so everyone can customize their serving.
How to Make Dorito Casserole with Ground Beef
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, then lightly coat a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, on medium to high heat, brown the ground beef until cooked, with almost no remaining pink in the meat. Drain grease from meat. Lower temperature to medium heat, then add the water and taco seasoning, stirring to combine. Let mixture come to a light simmer until most water has evaporated and meat is evenly seasoned.
- Remove the seasoned ground beef from heat, then stir in the onion, diced tomatoes, and sour cream. Stir ingredients together.
- Crush chips into pieces about the size of corn flakes. Evenly scatter ½ of the crumbled chips into the prepared baking dish. Top the chips with half of the meat mixture, then top with 1 cup of the pre-shredded cheese.
- Repeat the same layers, beginning with remaining crushed chips, then ground beef mixture, then the last cup of cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil, for an additional 5-7 minutes cooking time. Bake until cheese is completely melted.
Expert Tips
- Do not crush the Doritos too small: Larger pieces keep better texture while baking.
- Bake uncovered: This helps keep the top layer crispier instead of soggy.
- Add fresh toppings after baking: Lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream taste best added right before serving.
- Use freshly shredded cheese: Freshly shredded cheese melts smoother than pre-shredded cheese.
- Serve immediately: Dorito casserole has the best texture while the chips still have some crunch.
What Should You Serve with Dorito Casserole?
Dorito casserole pairs perfectly with chips and this Mexican Street Corn Dip, or drinks like this Watermelon Lemonade or this simple homemade Sangria.
FAQ’S
Once the casserole has cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container. Keep refrigerates, and it should be good for 2-4 days. The chips do become slightly soggy if stored longer. To reheat the casserole, place it in the microwave for 2-4 minutes, or return the oven and bake at 375 degrees until reheated in the center.
Yes! It changes the flavor slightly, but it’s still delicious. Feel free to experiment with other flavors too.
Absolutely. Assemble it up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge. Just bake it when you’re ready to eat.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
Breakfast
Lemon Pancakes
Appetizers
Pizza Cupcakes
Smoker and BBQ Recipes
Smoked Turkey
Halloween Recipes
Mummy Hot Dogs
If you have tried this recipe or any others from Celebrating Simply, I’d love it if you would leave a ⭐ star rating and share your thoughts in the ✍️ comments below. Your feedback means a lot!
Dorito Casserole
Equipment
- 1 9×13 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, 10 ounce can, like Rotel
- 1 bag Nacho Cheese Flavor Doritos, 9.25 ounces
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, then lightly coat a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large skillet, on medium to high heat, brown the ground beef until cooked, with almost no remaining pink in the meat. Drain grease from meat.
- Lower temperature to medium heat, then add the water and taco seasoning, stirring to combine. Let mixture come to a light simmer until most water has evaporated and meat is evenly seasoned.
- Remove the seasoned ground beef from heat, then stir in the onion, diced tomatoes, and sour cream. Stir ingredients together.
- Crush chips into pieces about the size of corn flakes. Evenly scatter ½ of the crumbled chips into the prepared baking dish. Top the chips with half of the meat mixture, then top with 1 cup of the pre-shredded cheese.
- Repeat the same layers, beginning with remaining crushed chips, then ground beef mixture, then the last cup of cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil, for an additional 5-7 minutes cooking time. Bake until cheese is completely melted.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
do the doritoes hold up if you reheat the next day?
Hi Kim. They may be a little soggy, sort of like soft tortillas? My husband will eat the leftovers. You could crush fresh ones on top.
Who would have thought you could make this out of Doritos? So so good