Description
Hearty ground beef doritos casserole brings zesty southwestern flavors to weeknight dinner tables. Mexican-inspired layers combine crispy chips, seasoned meat, and melted cheese for a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 2 cups (200 g) shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican cheese blend)
- 1 bag (9.75 oz / 275 g) Nacho Cheese Doritos, lightly crushed
- 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)
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix (or 2 tbsps homemade taco seasoning)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Sliced jalapenos
- Diced tomatoes
- Green onions, sliced
- Sour cream or guacamole for serving
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Aromatic Foundation: Sauté onions in olive oil until translucent, then introduce ground beef, breaking into crumbly pieces and cooking until fully browned. Drain excess fat.
- Flavor Infusion: Blend taco seasoning and diced tomatoes with green chilies into the meat, allowing flavors to intensify. Mix in cream of mushroom soup and sour cream until fully incorporated.
- Layering Technique: Create a base layer of crushed Doritos in the baking dish, then generously spread half the seasoned beef mixture. Sprinkle a robust layer of shredded cheese.
- Casserole Construction: Repeat layering with remaining Doritos, beef mixture, and cheese, ensuring even distribution and complete coverage.
- Baking Process: Slide the assembled casserole into the preheated oven, baking for 20-25 minutes until cheese melts into a golden, bubbly surface.
- Finishing Touch: Rest the casserole for 5 minutes after removing from oven. Embellish with optional garnishes like green onions, jalapeños, cilantro, additional tomatoes, or a sour cream dollop.
- Serving Suggestion: Dish out immediately while piping hot, savoring the rich, multi-dimensional flavor profile of this hearty casserole.
Notes
- Manage Meat Moisture: Drain ground beef thoroughly after cooking to prevent excess grease, ensuring a crisp casserole texture without soggy layers.
- Customize Cheese Selection: Experiment with cheese varieties like pepper jack, sharp cheddar, or Mexican blend for enhanced flavor complexity and personalized taste profile.
- Control Doritos Crunch: Reserve some crushed Doritos to sprinkle on top during final baking minutes, maintaining chip crispness and preventing soggy bottom layers.
- Dietary Adaptation: Substitute ground beef with turkey or plant-based crumbles, use low-fat cream soup, and choose gluten-free Doritos for healthier or restricted diet versions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg