The Best EASY Mexican Casserole Recipe Made With Ground Beef & Doritos

This Mexican casserole recipe is packed with flavor. It combines layers of taco-seasoned ground beef and veggies, sour cream, crunchy Doritos, and melty shredded cheese to make a casserole like no other. Plus, it's super easy to prepare in just 15 minutes!

The Best Mexican Casserole

If you like Mexican food and tacos in a bag, you're going to love this Mexican casserole recipe. It's literally a taco in a bag but in casserole form. And, it makes enough to feed the whole family!

Now, I know I'm biased, but I think this is one of the best casserole recipes ever! Seriously, it's next-level good. From the seasoned ground beef to the crunchy Doritos, melty cheese, and southwest flavors, it's filled with everything you'd expect it to have and nothing less.

By the way, if you're looking for more casserole recipes that everyone will love, you have to give this cheeseburger casserole or ground turkey casserole a try next!

Why This Recipe Works

Easy to make. All you have to do is cook the ground beef and veggies, toss everything in a casserole dish, and let it bake to perfection in the oven.

Family favorite. This casserole is always a hit with both the kids and adults in the Cunningham family, and I have a feeling your family will love it too! So it's perfect for dinner any night of the week, especially on busy weeknights.

Customizable. You can add in any ingredients that you want or make any substitutions. It's a super easy recipe to change up, and you can get a different flavor every time.

Ingredients

Now, the ingredient list for this Mexican casserole is on the longer side, but you'll see they're all super simple ingredients. In fact, you might even have most - if not all - of them on hand already!

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this easy Mexican casserole:

• 10 oz. Doritos (or corn tortillas)
• 1 tbsp. Oil
• ½ Onion, diced
• ½ Green Bell Peppers, diced
• 1 tbsp. Jalapeño Pepper, diced
• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• ½ Red Bell Peppers, diced
• ¼ cup Taco Seasoning
• 10 oz. Canned Tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 4 cups Cheddar Cheese
• ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped

Pretty simple stuff, eh?

By the way, if you love Mexican food, you can use a lot of these same ingredients to make some of my other Mexican recipes - like these birria tacos and these beef empanadas.

Oh, and if you want to make another version of this casserole, you can use all of these ingredients to make this Mexican chicken casserole. It's like a cross between this casserole and a chicken enchilada casserole, and it's so good.

Or, for something similar to this recipe but with chicken, you can use some of these ingredients to make this Doritos chicken casserole.

How To Make Mexican Casserole

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC). Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high and add the oil.

2. Cook the veggies: Add the onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeño pepper to the hot oil. Cook for 7 minutes, or until the onion starts to get translucent.

3. Cook the beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart as it cooks. Cook until browned on all sides. 

4. Add the flavor: Add the green bell pepper, taco seasoning, and tomatoes to the beef and veggies. Mix and cook everything for a couple more minutes.

5. Assemble the casserole: Grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Break half of the Doritos and layer them on the bottom of the tray. Top the chips with half of the ground beef/veggie mixture, half of the sour cream, and half of the cheddar cheese. Create another layer of each, finishing the casserole with the cheddar cheese on top.

6. Bake and serve: Bake the casserole for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, enchilada sauce, or any taco toppings you want. Enjoy!

Tips To Make The Best Recipe

• Break the ground beef apart as it cooks and stir every few minutes so it can fully brown on all sides.
• Substitute the ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or shredded chicken, or use black beans, pinto beans, or refried beans instead to make it a vegetarian casserole.
• Add roasted poblano peppers, green chiles, diced tomatoes, and Mexican street corn for a loaded casserole.
• Make it spicier by adding more jalapenos, green chilies, poblanos, and some chipotle chili powder to the taco seasoning. 
• Make this a super hearty casserole by adding cooked rice for another layer.
• Top the casserole with green enchilada sauce, hot sauce, and shredded lettuce to make it more like a taco salad.

How To Store Mexican Casserole

In the fridge: Store the leftover casserole in a sealable container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

In the freezer: If you want to store the leftovers for even longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

Reheating: The best way to reheat the entire casserole is to put the casserole dish back in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese melts again and the casserole is warmed through.

FAQS About This Mexican Casserole Recipe

Can I make this Mexican casserole ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the veggies and ground beef and store everything in an airtight container for about 3 days. Then just assemble the casserole as described above and bake.

What to serve with Mexican casserole?

Any Mexican sides like tortilla chips and Chipotle hot salsa or this Moes queso, or a side of Chipotle cilantro lime rice are excellent choices.

Can I use other chips?

Yes, you can use any chips you want! Any flavored Doritos, corn tortilla chips, or regular crushed tortilla chips will all be delicious in this casserole.

More Casserole Recipes

If you're looking for more casserole recipes that are absolutely delicious, we have a ton on the blog that you can make next!

Check these out:

• Philly cheesesteak casserole
• Taco casserole with tortillas
• Crack chicken casserole
• John Wayne casserole
• Stuffed pepper casserole
• Meatball casserole
• Sloppy Joe casserole
  

Oh, and for more delicious easy dessert recipes, make sure to check out our Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. We post new ones every day on 'em!