Doritos Casserole

Name: Doritos Casserole Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb. lean ground beef; ½ medium sweet onion finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic minced; ¼ cup butter; ¼ cup flour; 2 cups milk; ½ cup chicken broth; 2 tablespoons taco seasoning; 2 cups shredded cheddar; 1 family-size bag of Doritos (nacho cheese); ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese; ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1 ½ cups sliced grape tomatoes; 1 jalapeno sliced in rings; sour cream

May 10, 2023 by Beth Pierce 43 Comments

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This Doritos casserole is layered with ground beef, onions, and garlic in a creamy cheese sauce and Doritos Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips. It is then topped with Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese and baked to perfection. Then top with all your favorite taco toppings like chopped fresh cilantro, corn, chopped tomatoes, jalapeno rings, black olives, green onions, black beans, green chiles, and sour cream. It is all made from scratch without cream of chicken soup. My kids love this easy weeknight meal.

This is a hearty casserole recipe by itself, but if company is coming, I like to serve it with a Layered Taco Salad and Classic Bloody Mary Cocktails. It is always a hit with friends and family and a winning combination.

How to make Doritos Casserole

Start by browning your ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. After a few minutes of browning, add your onions. Then cook until the beef is browned, and the onions are tender. Now add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the ground beef mixture to a plate or grab another skillet. Then melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes while whisking. Now add the milk and chicken broth alternating between the two. Then reduce the heat to low and whisk in the taco seasoning and 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese. Continue whisking until melted and smooth. Now add the cooked hamburger mixture to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.

Now slightly crush a couple of handfuls of chips and place them in the baking dish. Spoon half of the beef mixture over the chips and add another layer of crushed chips. Then spoon the rest of the meat mixture over the chips. Top with one more layer of crushed chips. Then sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the casserole dish and bake for about 20 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, and jalapeno rings. Serve with a heaping tablespoon of sour cream and salsa.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

Ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork are all great substitutions for ground beef.
Use any kind of ripe tomatoes. I used the grape tomatoes because they are so sweet and bright red.
If there is excess fat after browning your ground beef, drain it before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
Pro Tip – don’t risk dropping the ground beef in the sink to drain the fat. Simply tilt the pan and use a paper towel to absorb the grease.
For even more flavor, mix up my homemade taco seasoning.
You can use any flavor of Doritos for this recipe, like Cool Ranch Doritos. However, I like the nacho cheese flavor best.
If the cheese sauce becomes too thick, simply whisk in a couple of tablespoons of milk or chicken broth.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers wrapped in an aluminum foil tent in a 375-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until heated through.
I do not recommend freezing this casserole.

Then top with all your favorite taco toppings like chopped fresh cilantro, corn, chopped tomatoes, jalapeno rings, black olives, green onions, black beans, green chiles, and sour cream.

How to chop cilantro

Cilantro is sold in bunches. Keeping it in a bunch, wash it under cold water and shake gently to remove most of the water. Then gently dry with paper towels. Now cut the bulk of the leaves off the stem. Roll the leaves up in a bunch like a cigar and chop finely with a sharp knife. Chop only the cilantro that you will use in a couple of hours, as fresh herbs start to lose their flavor as soon as you cut them. If not used right away, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

A fun and easy Dorito Casserole Recipe loaded with ground beef, onions, and garlic, all in a creamy cheese taco sauce and layered with nacho cheese Doritos.

Other casserole dishes you will love!