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The Lowdown on This Dorito Casserole
This Dorito Casserole is about to change your life. I’m serious, boo! It has layers of crunchy nacho cheese Doritos, seasoned ground beef, two (yeah, two!) kinds of salsa, and loads of gooey melted cheese.
Casseroles gotta be one of my all-time favorite meals, hands down! They’re easy to throw together, great for leftovers (if there’s any left), and quick enough for weeknight dinners when you just can’t be bothered. This one? My goodness, y’all! It’s packed with protein, a whole lotta cheese, and Mexican-inspired flavors. I’m just saying, you might wanna double up ’cause once you dig into this Doritos taco casserole, stopping at one serving ain’t gonna be an option!
Ingredients you’ll need to make Dorito Casserole
- Ground beef (or turkey) & black beans: The protein component of this casserole mix.
- Onion & garlic: Fresh garlic and onion add aromatic, hearty, and savory flavors. White or yellow onion both work equally well.
- Green bell pepper: I recommend green bell pepper for a garden-fresh flavor and crunch. If you don’t have green, go for red, yellow, or orange!
- Red & green salsa: I absolutely love the combination of red salsa (salsa roja) and green salsa (salsa verde) in this recipe. Tomatillos add tart, tangy notes while salsa roja provides a more robust flavor.
- Taco seasoning: Use store-bought taco seasoning or make your own from scratch!
- Chicken stock: Both homemade chicken stock and store-bought chicken stock work. You can also use turkey stock, vegetable stock, or beef stock.
- Sour cream: Paired with the spice in this Dorito casserole, sour cream adds a cool, creamy, and refreshing flavor. You can also use Mexican crema.
- Cream of mushroom soup: Adds even more layers of creamy, umami elements.
- Mexican cheese: If you can’t find a Mexican cheese blend at the store, make your own with cheddar cheese, jack cheese, and a pinch of taco seasoning.
- Nacho cheese Doritos: The nacho cheese flavor is my personal favorite, but use any kind you prefer!
- Toppings: Use lettuce, cilantro, diced tomatoes, olives, and sour cream for garnishes.
How to make Dorito Casserole
What to serve with this easy Doritos casserole
- Mexican-Inspired Sides: If you’re servin’ up this Dorito pie, you gotta go all in on the sides! A bowl of Mexican rice, buttery corn on the cob, or some crab cakes.
- Get Bready: Try some Mexican cornbread, cheddar biscuits, or warm yeast rolls to scoop up every last bite of that cheesy casserole.
- Salad Vibes: Lighten things up with a zesty cucumber and onion salad, or a refresing harvest Fall salad.
- Chocolate Dessert Time: For some reason, I always crave a little chocolate after a Mexican-inspired meal. Treat yourself to some chocolate cupcakes, whip up a batch of chewy brownies, or go for a classic chocolate mousse pie.
Recipe Substitutions
- Different Protein: Replace ground beef with pork, chicken, or turkey for a change in taste.
- Dorito Flavors: There are sooo many flavors to try like Chili Cheese Nacho, Salsa Verde, Tapatío, Cool Ranch, or White Cheddar.
- Black Beans: Swap them for kidney beans, pinto beans, or bayo beans.
- Chips: If you’re outta Doritos or just wanna keep it simple, plain tortilla chips will still give you that crunch.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Make It Spicy: Turn up the heat with the addition of pickled jalapeños, cayenne, or spicy Dorito flavors like Flamin’ Hot Nacho or Flamin’ Hot Limón.
- Add Veggies: Sneak in some diced zucchini, corn, or a can of green chiles for more color and flavor.
- Spice It Up: Anything Mexican-inspired needs sum heat! Toss in some diced jalapeños or a splash of hot sauce to kick it up a notch.
- More Protein: You can throw in some shredded rotisserie chicken along with the ground beef or turkey if you want a double protein hit.
Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best Doritos casserole recipe
- Wait to add the cheese: Do not top the casserole with cheese before the foil is on as it will stick. Wait until the last part of baking to sprinkle on the cheese.
- Crush the Doritos in the bag: For less mess, open the bag of Doritos and crush them by squeezing the outside of the bag. However, be careful not to make them too small.
- Remove the foil at the end: To ensure a crispy, golden-brown layer, remove the foil for the last 15-20 minutes of bake time.
- Drain the fat: To ensure the end result isn’t too oily, drain the fat from the beef mixture before adding it to the casserole dish.
How to store & reheat Dorito Casserole
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. Just make sure it’s cooled down first so it doesn’t get all soggy.
To reheat leftovers, cook small portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals. If you have a large amount, reheat it in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
How long will Dorito Casserole last in the fridge?
This casserole will last about 3-4 days in the fridge. And let me tell ya, the flavors somehow get even better after sittin’ overnight!
Can I freeze Dorito pie?
You can freeze it, but I don’t really recommend it because the Doritos can lose that crispy crunch and get soggy after you thaw it.
Frequently asked questions
The easiest way is to put the Doritos in a zip-top bag and give them a good smash with your hands or a rolling pin.
Of course, boo! You can make it a day or two in advance. I suggest preparing the beef mixture, then storing everything separately in the fridge until you are ready to serve it. Alternatively, you can fully build the casserole, then keep it covered in the fridge for up to 5-6 hours.
The casserole is done when the cheese on top is all melted, bubbly, and golden brown. You can also check that the middle is heated through by sticking a fork in the center. If it’s nice and hot, you’re good to go!
This Dorito Casserole is about to become your new weeknight MVP, boos! It’s super quick, easy, and perfect for leftovers (if you can resist eating it all in one go). So go ahead and grab those Doritos before you snack ‘em all away, and get bakin’!
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Mexican Corn on the Cob
- Birria Tacos (With How To Video!)
- Carne Asada
- Elote Dip
- Blackened Chicken Enchiladas (Plus Video!)
- Best Mexican Pizza Recipe
- Mexican Chicken Pozole Recipe (Pozole Verde)
Dorito Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup red salsa
- 3/4 cup salsa verde
- 1 taco seasoning packet
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup
- 3 cups Mexican cheese shredded and divided
- 14 oz family sized Nacho Cheese Doritos crushed into slightly smaller pieces
- tomato, lettuce, cilantro, diced tomatoes, olive and sour cream for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add ground beef (or turkey), onion, bell pepper and garlic in a large skillet until meat is cooked all the way through then drain fat from the skillet.
- Add both salsas, taco seasoning, and chicken stock. Allow the mix to cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the liquid evaporates and thickens somewhat. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine meat mixture, sour cream, black beans, cream of mushroom and half of the cheese. Fold everything together.
- Add about 2 cups of Doritos to the greased casserole dish then top with half of the meat mixture in the bowl. Repeat the layers again until you end with the meat mixture then add another 2 cups of Doritos and then add the remaining cheese.
- Cover with non-stick foil and bake for 30 minutes then remove the foil. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes then garnish and serve.
Notes
- Wait to add the cheese: Do not top the casserole with cheese before the foil is on as it will stick. Wait until the last part of baking to sprinkle on the cheese.
- Crush the Doritos in the bag: For less mess, open the bag of Doritos and crush them by squeezing the outside of the bag. However, be careful not to make them too small.
- Remove the foil at the end: To ensure a crispy, golden-brown layer, remove the foil for the last 15-20 minutes of bake time.
- Drain the fat: To ensure the end result isn’t too oily, drain the fat from the beef mixture before adding it to the casserole dish.
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Question: do the Doritos get soggy when you make ahead/ store leftovers? Or do they retain some crispiness?
They definitely won’t remain as crisp unfortunately. If you want to make ahead, I have a few tips in the post for how to best do this and retain freshness.
Can I use rotel instead of salsa? I’m out of salsa verde, and regular salsa. I have 2 cans of rotel. Thank you so much!
Yes you can definitely substitute.
This is an amazing casserole! Super easy to make and delicious! This will now be apart of our dinner rotation. Thank you for sharing this recipe! And congrats on your new cookbook too! 🙂
fun dish, and very nice as a casserole, good idea, love these flavors and ingredients, thank you!
What an easy idea for a fun layered family dinner.
such a cute and cheesy idea to make Dorito Casserole. The kids love it!
My family fell in love with this dish. Doritos is their favorite chip so this was hands down the best.
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it does not disappoint! A delicious casserole, indeed; my whole family loved it!