Name: Beef Dorito Casserole – Easy Recipes with Ground Beef Everyone Will Love
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 small onion, diced; 1 packet taco seasoning; 1/2 cup water; 1 (10 oz) can Rotel (diced tomatoes & green chilies); 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup; 1 (8 oz) sour cream; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 1 large bag nacho cheese Doritos, crushed slightly

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If you’ve ever stared into your pantry and thought, ‘What in the snack-loving world can I do with all these Doritos?’—welcome. I’ve been there. One hectic Tuesday night, low on time and even lower on patience, I accidentally created what might be the most comforting, cheesy dish to ever grace a casserole dish: Beef Dorito Casserole. 🧀🥘 It’s one of those easy recipes with ground beef that your family will request again before they’ve finished the first serving. Think savory seasoned beef, creamy filling, and the perfectly crunchy chaos of nacho cheese chips layered like edible confetti. It’s ridiculously simple to throw together and—bonus—it makes leftovers that actually taste better the next day (if there *are* any). 👀 Perfect for busy weeknights, feeding picky eaters, or just impressing yourself with how well you can cook while still wearing pajama pants. So grab that bag of chips you were going to eat straight out of the bag and let’s upgrade snack time to dinner time. 😉

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Beef Dorito Casserole Recipe
3) Ingredients for Beef Dorito Casserole
4) How to Make Beef Dorito Casserole
5) Tips for Making Beef Dorito Casserole
6) Making Beef Dorito Casserole Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Beef Dorito Casserole
8) Try these Casserole next!
9) Beef Dorito Casserole
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This casserole hits the sweet spot between comfort food and snack attack dinner 🍽️
It uses easy ingredients like ground beef, taco seasoning, and of course, Doritos
Great for picky eaters, busy nights, and those “what do I cook now?” moments
Perfect as leftovers, meal prep, or to feed a hungry crew

2) Easy Beef Dorito Casserole Recipe

This casserole was born from sheer weeknight desperation and a bag of chips that was calling my name. I had ground beef in the fridge, a can of soup I forgot about, and just enough energy to stir. What happened next? A casserole that became the stuff of legend in my house 💥

Using easy recipes with ground beef doesn’t have to mean boring. This one’s got personality—cheesy, crunchy, slightly spicy, and just the kind of dinner that makes everyone at the table nod and mumble with full mouths. You know, the universal sign for “you nailed it.”

It’s flexible too. You can change things up with the cheese, soup, or even the chips if Doritos aren’t your thing. But let’s be real…why wouldn’t they be your thing? 🌮

3) Ingredients for Beef Dorito Casserole

Ground Beef: Classic. Reliable. Tastes great and cooks quickly. I usually go with 80/20 for flavor and texture.

Onion: Diced small so it melts right into the beef and adds a bit of sweetness.

Taco Seasoning: Grab a packet or make your own if you’re feeling ambitious. Adds that unmistakable Tex-Mex flavor.

Water: Just a splash helps mix the seasoning into the meat properly without making it soupy.

Rotel: Canned diced tomatoes with green chilies. A secret weapon that adds heat and acidity without effort.

Cream of Mushroom Soup: I know. It sounds weird, but it’s the glue that holds the filling together. You won’t taste mushroom, I promise.

Sour Cream: Makes everything creamy and smooth with just a bit of tanginess.

Cheddar Cheese: Sharp and melty, just the way it should be. Use more than you think you need. Trust me 🧀

Nacho Cheese Doritos: Crunchy, cheesy, and definitely the star of the show. Lightly crushed—not dust, not whole chips. Somewhere in the chaos between.

4) How to Make Beef Dorito Casserole

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. You don’t want to forget this step later while your cheese starts crying.

Step 2. In a large skillet, cook your ground beef and onion on medium until it’s browned and smelling amazing. Drain the grease unless you enjoy heartburn as a side dish.

Step 3. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Let that simmer down for about five minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks thick and you’re tempted to taste it (go ahead).

Step 4. Kill the heat and mix in the Rotel, soup, and sour cream. Stir it well and just admire the gooey chaos you’re creating 🔥

Step 5. In a big casserole dish, scatter a layer of crushed Doritos like edible confetti. Then spread half the beef mix on top. Then a layer of cheese. Repeat. More chips. More beef. More cheese.

Step 6. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is bubbly and golden. Your kitchen will smell like victory.

Step 7. Cool it for a few minutes—then scoop and serve while it’s still got that melty goodness going on 💯

5) Tips for Making Beef Dorito Casserole

If you’re using leaner beef, consider adding a little olive oil when cooking the onion so it doesn’t stick. That little touch makes a difference.

Don’t pulverize the Doritos. Lightly crush them so they still have body and don’t disintegrate during baking. A rolling pin or your hands work great. Just resist the urge to snack on them all while you cook 🙃

If you’re a spice lover, add some chopped jalapeños or use spicy taco seasoning. This dish plays well with heat. And if you want it extra creamy, add more sour cream or even a splash of milk to the mix.

6) Making Beef Dorito Casserole Ahead of Time

You can absolutely make this ahead of time. I do it often when I know the next day’s going to be wild. Just assemble everything as usual, but don’t bake it yet.

Cover tightly with foil and keep it in the fridge overnight. Then, when you’re ready to bake, give it an extra five minutes or so in the oven. And if you’re worried about soggy chips, keep a little fresh layer of Doritos to sprinkle on top before baking 😋

It freezes well too. Wrap it up tight and label it. When it’s time to reheat, thaw it in the fridge overnight and then bake as usual. It’s like finding a gift from your past self. A crunchy, cheesy gift.

7) Storing Leftover Beef Dorito Casserole

Leftovers keep for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Use an airtight container to keep everything as fresh as possible. When reheating, pop it in the microwave or oven and top with a few extra Doritos and cheese so it tastes like it was just baked.

This dish actually tastes even better the next day. The flavors blend together, and the cheese sort of holds everything in place. It makes a great lunch and a sneaky midnight snack too 🌙

Don’t freeze it once it’s been baked though. The chips lose their texture and turn to mush. Which is…less fun.

8) Try these Casserole next!

9) Beef Dorito Casserole