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This taco casserole recipe has tender ground beef, all the best taco flavors, tons of cheese, and a layer of Doritos! It’s the ultimate easy comfort food for busy families.
Love casseroles? Try my Simple Ground Beef Casserole, Simple Breakfast Casserole, or check out all my casserole recipes.
Why you’ll love it
Your whole family will thank you for making this simple taco casserole since it’s just so tasty. They’re going to get really excited for next taco night. It’s also super customizable, so everyone can load it up with their favorite fresh toppings!
Taco flavors, black beans, salsa, and ground beef all dressed up in a hot and cheesy casserole with a warm spice blend… who says no? Even your pickiest eaters are going to devour this meal. It’s also a fairly inexpensive casserole for any weeknight.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil – for frying the ground beef
- Ground beef – I like to use lean ground beef. Try 90%
- Doritos – use your favorite flavor. I picked nacho cheese. You can also add some on top for an extra crunch!
- Onion – makes a great savory base
- Chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin – this trio makes a delicious homemade taco seasoning
- Beans – I prefer black beans, but you could do a layer of refried beans instead!
- Corn – we’re using canned corn to make this hassle free
- Salsa – pick up a jar of your fave brand
- Cheese – I used a Mexican blend, but cheddar would work great
Suggested toppings:
- Fresh tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro and scallions
- Avocado
- Black olives
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Iceberg or romaine lettuce
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is the skillet I use for sauteing, and here’s my preferred 9×13 baking dish.
- Break up the beef with a meat chopper.
- These disposable aluminum baking pans are perfect if you’re bringing it to a potluck or making several.
How to make taco casserole
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven. In a cast iron skillet cook the beef in the olive oil. After a few minutes, stir in the onion and spices. Continue cooking through, and then spoon out any excess fat.
Add in the corn, salsa, beans, and half the cheese. Warm until the cheese melts.
Place an even layer of Doritos in a baking dish. Spoon the beef mixture over top.
Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, and then bake uncovered until hot and melty! Serve as-is or with toppings of your choice suggested above.
Can I make taco casserole ahead of time?
- You bet! Simply cook the onion, spices, and beef mixture, assemble the layers in a baking dish, let it cool, and then tightly cover.
- It’ll keep in the fridge for a day or two, or you can freeze it for up to a month.
- If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight before baking. Since it’ll be starting out cold, it’ll need a bit more time than in the original instructions. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, and then uncover it cook for another 15 minutes or so until it’s hot.
Substitutions and variations
- You don’t have to use Doritos. Other tortilla chips or Fritos will definitely work in this taco bake!
- Use a ready-made taco seasoning blend if you prefer not to use the individual spices.
- You could add more veggies such as red bell peppers to this casserole. I’d add them in at the same time as the onion.
- Feel free to swap the black beans with another kind if you prefer, like kidney beans or pinto beans.
- If you want to add some heat, use a medium or spicy salsa, hot cheese blend, add some cayenne pepper, or you could even toss in some spicy chopped green chilies.
What to serve with taco casserole
- Make it with a side salad with this Chipotle Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing, and you’re all set. I also recommend this Avocado Corn Salad.
- Start the meal off with chips and my Easy Guacamole Recipe.
Leftovers and storage
- If you have any leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days in a covered container. Keep in mind the Doritos will lose firmness over time.
- Reheat in the oven for best results, but you can also microwave until heated through.
- Leftovers can also be frozen. I portion them up in individual containers.
More Tex-Mex recipes you’ll love
Did you make this taco casserole with Doritos? Talk to me in the comments below and leave a star rating! You can also find me on Instagram.
Easy Taco Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups crushed Doritos I used Nacho Cheese flavor
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans drained & rinsed
- 1 (12 ounce) can corn drained
- 1 (15.5 ounce) jar salsa use your favorite kind
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or use cheddar) divided
- Toppings (optional, to taste): tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, avocado, black olives, sour cream, lettuce, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Add the oil and ground beef to a skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat as you go along, for 5 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Stir in the onion, chili powder, garlic powder, and ground cumin, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the crushed Doritos in an even layer to the bottom of a 9×13 (or similar size) casserole dish.
- If there's a lot of excess fat in the skillet, spoon most of it out. Stir in the beans, corn, salsa, and half the cheese. Let it warm through (until the cheese melts).
- Spoon the beef mixture evenly over the Doritos.
- Top the casserole with the remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until it's warm and the cheese is nice and melty. Meanwhile, prep the toppings.
- Serve casserole as-is or with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Serves 6-8 depending on how much people eat.
- You can also find this recipe in the casseroles chapter of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials hardcover cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on December 17, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
This casserole is so filling and easy to put together. I personally find assembling all the fixings for tacos kind of a hassle, so this is the perfect solution when you’re craving taco goodness — everything in one dish! I also love that it’s so easy to customize with toppings. I will definitely be making this again!
Thank you so much, Lacy!
So good! Will definitely be making this again. Four teenagers in the house today, and the pan is EMPTY. So quick & easy, with basic ingredients I always have on hand. Thank you!!
That’s awesome!! Thank you, Dana!
Enjoyed this dish. Very easy to assemble and with ingredients that one would have on hand which is very important to me. I omitted the doritos and used tortilla chips. Definitely will keep this recipe in my rotation of dishes during the weekday and Saturdays.
I’m so happy it was a hit, Taise!
Fantastic and so easy! We used chicken just because we had some we needed to use. My teenager had friends over and it was a big hit. Definitely will be making this again!
Thank you!! Glad to hear it!! 😀
Loved how this recipe came out! I used Siete brand nacho flavored chips. Next time I will leave the chips out of the casserole and put them on top after it comes out of the oven to keep them extra crispy and so the leftovers keep better. Otherwise 10/10 will make again!
Thank you!!
Big hit! My daughter loves taco Tuesday but I wanted to try something a bit easier because of after school clubs. Found this recipe, and as I already follow you on instagram, I knew this was the one to try! It was a big hit, especially with my husband, who finished a serving before even sitting down! I swapped the bees for turkey and used regular tortilla chips. Definitely a keeper!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Thanks for your review and for following along!
Love this easy quick cassrole. I put the black olives in dish. But i love olives. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I love olives too!! 😀
I made this for the first time tonight. Since I used a bit more ground beef than 1 lb., I increased the spice level. The family really enjoyed it. I might make some slight modifications next time but I will be making this again. And a variety of toppings are icing on the (taco) cake!
I’m so glad everyone liked it!! 😀
I’m going to make this for the first time this coming week. I like to make a lot and freeze the leftovers. I’m assuming that if I freeze the leftovers, the chips will be soggy when thawed. What are your thoughts? Leave the chips out, and put them on last? Put something else in at bottom like beans or refried beans? Thanks in advance.
Hi Tom! Yes, I would say that my personal preference would be to use something like beans or refried beans if you want to freeze the bulk of it.
I made this tonight and it was so delicious! I didn’t have any Doritos, so I used multigrain tortilla chips. I added a few sprinkles of Penzeys Spices Bold Taco Seasoning to the crushed chips. I figured that would give it a bit of a Dorito flavor. I served it with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, Cholula hot sauce, and green onions. My husband had two servings, so you know it was good! Thank you for the recipe, I’m definitely adding it to my favorites.
That’s great!! I’m so glad it was a hit, Marcia! Thanks for your review.