Dorito Casserole (Ground Beef Taco Bake)

5 from 2 votes

A fun twist on taco night, this ground beef Dorito casserole is an easy dinner that will make your family smile!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword Dorito Bake, dorito casserole, Doritos Casserole, Taco Bake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 406kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

1 lb. ground beef
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
⅔ cup water
2 ½ cups salsa
1 (15.25 oz.) can corn, drained (or about 1 cup of frozen corn)
1 (9.25 oz) bag Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos, coarsely crushed (about 4 cups crushed)
2 cups shredded Mexican-blend or cheddar cheese
Optional toppings: sour cream, sliced green onion, sliced olives, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, diced red onion, guacamole, diced tomatoes, lime wedges, extra salsa

Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
In a large skillet, cook beef and bell pepper over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink (about 5 to 7 minutes). Drain off excess fat. Return beef mixture to the skillet; stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Simmer until thickened (about 3 to 4 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in salsa and corn.
Place half of the crushed Doritos in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the cheese. Spread beef mixture on top.
Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes (or until hot and bubbly).
Sprinkle top of the casserole with remaining shredded cheese and remaining crushed Doritos. Put the dish back in the oven for about 5 more minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Keep a close eye on the casserole during the final few minutes, since the chips on top can burn easily.
Set up a "taco bar" and let your family members garnish their individual servings with their favorite taco toppings, such as fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, minced red onion, sliced black olives, sour cream, diced avocado, guacamole, extra salsa.
Cooking for a Smaller Family? Cut the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square pan.
Swap out the ground beef and use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
Try adding other veggies to the filling. You might like to sauté some diced onion with the ground beef, or mix in some steamed baby broccoli florets or a can of diced green chiles. Minced garlic would also be a great flavor booster.
Black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans would also make a great addition to the taco bake.
Add a can of drained Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies if you'd like some zesty kick! Be warned, the Rotel tomatoes can definitely get spicy!
Instead of a packet of taco seasoning mix, feel free to use your favorite homemade taco seasoning in this recipe. If using homemade taco seasoning, omit the water called for in the ingredients. The store-bought packets of seasoning mix require water to thin the sauce (since the mix has thickening agents in it).