Mexican Casserole
Mexican trash casserole is layered with seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese soup, Rotel tomatoes, sour cream, crushed Doritos, and shredded cheese baked until bubbly. The Doritos add crunchy cheesy layers while the beef mixture creates creamy filling. Perfect for Taco Tuesday, game day parties, potlucks, or when you want easy comfort food that tastes like a warm taco dip in casserole form. Ready in 45 minutes at 350°F, it feeds 6-8 people and costs under $20 using pantry staples.
Everything you love about a warm taco dip, but in a casserole that you can have for dinner without feeling guilty.
Full of seasoned ground beef, spicy Rotel, crunchy nacho cheese Doritos, and tons of cheese. Who doesn’t dream about this at night? I do! And all day long too!
It’s like a a taco salad but without the lettuce greens. You can always add some shredded lettuce on top, or scoop it into lettuce cups if you want, but I prefer to just add a few more chips on top and gobble it down.
Serve it with a Fiesta salad, some Mexican street corn, and some black beans and rice, and wash it down with an agua fresca or a full spread. Perfect for Taco Tuesday or Cinco de Mayo!
More Easy Mexican Dinners
- Lazy Enchiladas – No rolling, layered like lasagna
- Cheesy Taco Pasta – Tex-Mex with taco seasoning
- Crescent Roll Taco Ring – Pull-apart crescent wrapped filling
- Walking Tacos – Individual Frito bags, party perfect
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef – Use lean ground beef since it has less fat. You can also substitute ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Taco Seasoning – Use a store-bought packet or make homemade taco seasoning for better flavor and to control the salt.
- Soup – Use canned, condensed cheddar cheese soup. Substitute cream of chicken or cream of onion. But you will need to add a little extra cheese to it.
- Rotel – Substitute a can of diced tomatoes and a small can of chopped green chiles.
- Sour cream – Use regular, low fat, or fat free. Substitute plain Greek yogurt if needed.
- Chips – Nacho cheese Doritos are the best for the recipe. Substitute Cool Ranch, Loaded Taco, or plain tortilla chips.
- Cheese – Use shredded cheddar cheese or a Mexican blend to keep with the taco flavors.
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How To Make Mexican Trash Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain and add water and taco seasoning. Cook for 1-2 minutes to let the spices mix in.
- Add cheese soup, Rotel tomatoes, sour cream, and milk to the skillet. Stir until well combined and heated through. Stir in half the shredded cheese and mix until melted.
- Layer half the crushed Doritos in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
- Spread half the taco meat mixture over the Doritos. Add the remaining crushed Doritos.
- Top with the remaining meat mixture, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted and golden. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley, cilantro, or sliced green onions. Serve hot.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Reheating: Microwave in 2-3 minute intervals until completely warmed through. You can also reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes covered.
Freezer: Cool completely and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make-Ahead: Assemble completely but don’t bake. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Bake when ready, adding 5-10 extra minutes since it’s cold. The chips won’t be as crispy but it will still be yummy. You can always crush a few fresh chips on top to add some crunch after you bake it.
Variations
- Chicken Version: Use rotisserie chicken or cooked shredded chicken instead of ground beef for Dorito chicken casserole.
- Tortilla Chips: Swap Doritos for regular tortilla chips. This makes it gluten-free (use gluten-free condensed soup too). You can even use flour tortillas!
- Spicier: Use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar. Add diced jalapeños or use hot Rotel.
- Add Vegetables: Mix diced bell peppers to the meat mixture for extra vegetables.
- Different Chips: Try Cool Ranch Doritos, Spicy Nacho, or any flavor you prefer.
- Extra Crunchy Top: Add extra crushed Doritos on top during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Assemble completely but don’t bake. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Bake when ready, adding 5-10 extra minutes to the baking time.
Absolutely! Try different Doritos flavors or use regular tortilla chips. Tortilla chips make it gluten-free if you also use gluten-free condensed soup.
Serve with enchilada sauce or salsa on the side for extra moisture. You can also add ¼ cup more milk to the meat mixture.
Yes! Cool completely and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven.
Yes! Ground turkey or chicken work great to. The flavor is slightly different but still delicious. Just add in a little more taco seasoning or use chicken taco seasoning for it.
They soften as they absorb the sauce but not too much. You can always crush extra Doritos and add them to the top right after it comes out of the oven.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Drain ground beef well after browning. Excess fat makes the casserole greasy.
- Crush Doritos into bite-sized pieces, but not dust. You want texture, not powder.
- Make it vegetarian by using refried beans or black beans instead of ground beef.
- Spread layers evenly so every serving has chips, meat, and cheese.
- Don’t skip the sour cream. It makes the sauce creamy.
- Add extra cheese on top. The melted cheese layer is what makes this look impressive.
- Serve with salsa or enchilada sauce on the side if it seems dry.
- Top with your favorite taco toppings like fresh jalapenos or sliced black olives.
This easy Mexican casserole recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner because it has everything your family loves in one dish! Perfect for any night, not just taco Tuesday!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Mexican Trash Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup water
- 1 ounce taco seasoning 1 packet
- 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 10.75 ounces condensed cheddar cheese soup
- 10.5s ounce Rotel tomatoes undrained
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup Milk
- 14.5 ounces Doritos nacho chips lightly crushed roughly 4 cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium high heat until no longer pink.
- Drain excess fat. Add water and taco seasoning and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- To the skillet, add the cheese soup, Rotel, sour cream, and milk. Stir to combine.
- Stir in half the cheese.
- Layer ½ the chips on the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Top with half the meat mixture.
- Add remaining chips in a layer.
- Top with remaining meat mixture.
- Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- Remove and garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro.
- Enjoy warm!
Notes
- Drain ground beef well after browning. Excess fat makes the casserole greasy.
- Crush Doritos into bite-sized pieces, but not dust. You want texture, not powder.
- Make it vegetarian by using refried beans or black beans instead of ground beef.
- Spread layers evenly so every serving has chips, meat, and cheese.
- Don’t skip the sour cream. It makes the sauce creamy.
- Add extra cheese on top. The melted cheese layer is what makes this look impressive.
- Serve with salsa or enchilada sauce on the side if it seems dry.
- Top with your favorite taco toppings like fresh jalapenos or sliced black olives.
Nutrition
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