Mexican Trash Casserole

Inspired by Texas Trash Dip with a Mexican food twist, this Mexican Trash Casserole is a yummy recipe to make for Taco Tuesday or even Game Day.

I’ve been making this cheesy taco-flavored ground beef casserole for a long time.

And my whole family always requests that I make this for any big day where we all meet up to spend time together.

Mexican Trash Casserole Recipe

This Mexican white trash recipe has an amazing flavor that can be made with just a few common ingredients that most people already have in their house.

I highly recommend this Mexican twist on a delicious meal, like these taco empanadas, when you need a quick dinner tonight.

Or make it to store in the freezer for when you need something to grab on those busy weeknights.

The best part about this garbage casserole is that it’s the perfect quick meal when you still want something flavorful and filling but don’t have a ton of time on your hands.

Looking for more quick and budget friendly casseroles? Check out this 4 Ingredient Hamburger Casserole, this Doritos casserole, this Fiesta Chicken Casserole, or this Walking Taco Casserole!

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Ingredients Needed

• Ground beef – Swap for ground turkey or ground chicken breast. 
• Taco seasoning – Use package taco seasoning from the store, or make homemade taco seasoning. 
• Cheddar cheese – Use sharp cheddar or sub pepper jack or Monterey Jack. 
• Condensed cheddar cheese soup – If you can’t find cheddar cheese soup, replace with cream of chicken soup or cream of onion.
• Rotel tomatoes – Substitute with a can of diced tomatoes, tomato puree, and a can of green chilies instead.
• Sour cream – Swap out for cream cheese or greek yogurt as necessary.
• Milk – The ¼ cup milk can be whole, skim, or non-fat, but I recommend whole milk.
• Nacho cheese Doritos chips – I recommend a bag nacho Doritos, but you can use any flavor you like.
• Kitchen staples – Olive oil.

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How to Make Mexican Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray the bottom of the casserole dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain excess fat. Add water and taco seasoning and cook for 1- 2 minutes.

3. Add cheese soup, Rotel tomatoes, sour cream, and milk to skillet. Stir to combine. Add in half of shredded cheese. 
4. In bottom layer of prepared quart casserole dish, place half of crushed chips.

5. Layer half of your taco meat mixture on top. Add the rest of the Doritos.
6. Cover with a top layer of the remaining meat. Finish off with even more shredded cheese.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
8. Remove and garnish with parsley or green onion. Enjoy your warm taco casserole!

To heat up those leftovers from last night, move your mixture into an oven safe container, and bake at 350F until it’s thoroughly heated (165F internal temperature).

For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

Serving Suggestions

Since this is a delicious warm casserole, I would balance it out with a large bowl of salad and a side of refried beans or black beans and rice. Wash it all down with a homemade Agua Fresca!

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also create your own Mexican street corn to go along with the flavor palate of this delicious dip style casserole.

How long does it last?

Transfer any leftover casserole to an airtight container, or cover tightly with aluminum foil. It will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Microwave, heating it up in 2 – 3 minute intervals, until it’s completely warmed through.

Flavor Variations

Since this casserole is a take on a warm bean dip, there are a lot of different things that you can try to spice it up, especially if you plan on making this meal often.

I recommend changing out the beef for chicken, layering half of the chicken mixture on top of your Doritos, before covering with another chip layer.

You can then add on the rest of the chicken mixture, and cook the same way that you would with the beef to create a delicious Dorito chicken casserole!

Substitute the Doritos in this recipe for regular tortilla chips, since these are what would traditionally be served if this was made as a Mexican dip instead of casserole style.

This is also a great solution if you have someone in the family who is gluten free, because you can use corn based tortilla chips instead.

Tips for the Best Casserole

• Have more than a pound of ground beef? Use a slightly larger casserole dish.
• Choose your own Mexican spices like cumin and chipotle powder for more heat.
• Top your casserole with green chiles instead of green onion.
• Swap out the cheddar cheese for something more spicy like Pepper Jack cheese.
• More vegetables? Mix in some bell pepper to your meat mixture. 
• If your casserole is feeling a little dry, you can also serve it with a side of enchilada sauce or salsa.
• For a crunchy topping, don’t be afraid to add some extra Doritos on top!

If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!

This Mexican style white trash chicken Dorito casserole is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner because you can be confident that it’ll be a hit! With creamy cheese sauce, savory brown ground beef, crunchy nacho Doritos, and juicy tomatoes, once you make this recipe, you’ll be hooked!

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