Easy Taco Casserole with Tortillas and Doritos
Cheesy taco beef with black beans, corn, and salsa, baked over a layer of chips on a crisp flour tortilla crust, with more Doritos toasted on top. Cuts into neat squares.
Servings 6 to 8
Calories 718kcal
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Sharp knife and thin spatula
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion , diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning or 1 (1-ounce) packet
- 1 15-ounce can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn (frozen, or canned and drained)
- 1 16-ounce jar salsa , smooth or restaurant-style
- 1 cup cheddar , shredded (for the filling)
Base and Top
- butter or cooking spray, for the dish
- 4-5 tortillas burrito-size (10-inch)
- 1/2 cup cheddar , shredded (for the chip layer)
- 2 cups tortilla chips , crushed (for the chip layer)
- 1 cup cheddar (for the top) , shredded (for the top)
- 1 cup tortilla chips , crushed (for the crunchy top)
Toppings
- Shredded lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, green onion, sliced black olives, cilantro, and jalapeños, as you like
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Butter or spray a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Line the bottom of the dish with the tortillas, overlapping them and letting them come about 1 inch up the sides. Tear one into pieces to patch the corners and any gaps so no dish shows. Put the dish in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes while you cook the filling, so the tortillas dry out a little.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef and onion, breaking up the meat, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic for the last minute. Spoon off most of the fat.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and cook 1 minute. Add the beans, corn, and salsa. Simmer, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, until thick enough to mound on a spoon but still a little saucy.
- Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the filling cheese until melted.
- Take the dish out of the oven. Sprinkle the chip-layer cheese over the tortillas, then add the crushed chips in an even layer.
- Spoon the beef mixture over the chips and spread it gently to the edges. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake uncovered 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. Scatter the crushed chips over the cheese and bake 5 minutes more.
- Let rest 10 minutes. Cut into squares, pressing straight down through the tortilla, and add toppings just before serving.
Notes
- Salsa: A smooth or restaurant-style salsa gives the most sauce. If yours is chunky, blend it for a few seconds.
- Salt: The chips, salsa, and seasoning are already salty, so taste the filling before adding any.
- Chips: Plain tortilla chips, Cool Ranch Doritos, or Fritos can replace the Nacho Cheese Doritos.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas work too. You'll need about 8 to 10 to cover the dish.
- Lactose free: Use aged cheddar or lactose-free shredded cheese, plain tortilla chips in place of the Doritos, and lactose-free sour cream for topping.
- Make ahead: Assemble through step 7 (without the top chips), cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day. Bake covered 20 minutes, then uncovered 15 to 20 minutes, adding the top chips for the last 5 minutes.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Warm squares in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, or microwave 1 to 2 minutes. Add fresh toppings and a few fresh crushed chips after reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 718kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 763mg | Potassium: 461mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 620IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 438mg | Iron: 3mg
