Description
This flavorful casserole recipe features a savory mix of ground beef, black beans, corn, and salsa layered over crushed Doritos and topped with melted Mexican cheese blend. It’s a comforting, easy-to-make dish perfect for a casual dinner or a crowd-pleasing meal with customizable toppings like tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.
Ingredients
Main 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 (Nacho Cheese flavor recommended)
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (12 ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 (15.5 ounce) jar salsa (your favorite kind)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese, divided
Optional Toppings
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped scallions
- Sliced avocado
- Black olives
- Sour cream
- Shredded lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and position the oven rack in the middle to ensure even cooking and melting of the cheese topping.
- Cook Ground Beef: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart as it cooks, for about 5 minutes until browned and no longer pink.
- Add Seasonings and Onions: Stir in the chopped onion, chili powder, garlic powder, and ground cumin. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the onions are softened and spices are fragrant.
- Prepare Doritos Base: While the beef mixture cooks, evenly spread the crushed Doritos at the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish, creating a crunchy base layer.
- Combine Beans, Corn, Salsa, and Cheese: If there’s excess fat in the skillet, spoon out most of it. Stir in the black beans, drained corn, salsa, and half of the shredded cheese. Allow the mixture to warm through on medium heat until the cheese melts and mixture is heated.
- Layer Beef Mixture: Spoon the warm beef and vegetable mixture evenly over the layer of crushed Doritos in the casserole dish.
- Add Cheese Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the casserole is hot throughout and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve and Garnish: Remove casserole from oven and serve hot. Add optional toppings such as tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, avocado, black olives, sour cream, or lettuce to taste for extra flavor and freshness.
Notes
- You can substitute the Doritos with tortilla chips if preferred, but the Nacho Cheese flavor adds a signature taste.
- For a spicier dish, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or more chili powder.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- This dish can be made gluten-free if you ensure the Doritos or chips used are certified gluten-free.
- To reduce fat, use lean ground turkey instead of beef and low-fat cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American