This classic is a blast from the past! If you grew up in the 1980s, you’ve most likely had this Doritos Taco Salad on several occasions. It’s a quick dinner meal and a crowd-pleaser at parties that always gets fantastic reviews!
Yes, that’s correct. I cooked a Mexican lasagna with tortillas instead of noodles for you all. It’s one of those quick evening meals that everyone in the family gets thrilled about when it comes out of the oven, all hot, cheesy, and gooey.
Layers of tortilla chips, refried beans, and meat are topped with plenty of cheese and cooked to perfection. For a hearty and family-friendly lunch, top with your favorite taco ingredients like lettuce, tomato, and olives! Yes, this Potluck Taco Casserole is a family favorite because it contains all the amazing flavor of taco salad. We made it years ago and had virtually forgotten about it until we remade it recently. We had forgotten how delicious it was and wanted to make sure you tried this simple taco bake dish.
At PillsburyTM, we’re crazy with make-ahead meals, so we designed this cheesy Mexican-inspired casserole to be a freezer-friendly dish. (Instructions are supplied for baking it straight from the freezer as well as defrosting it first.) So, whether you make it for supper tonight or prep it now for a time-saving freezer meal later, the results will be great.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef I use 80% lean meat.
1 small chopped yellow onion
1 ounce taco seasoning (equal to 2 tbsp)
16 ounces refried beans
14 cup soured cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese14 cup sliced black olives
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
34 cup crunchy toppings, like tortilla chips Fritos and/or Doritos
Toppings: 1/3 cup shredded lettuce
Optional green onions
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cook and shred the ground beef and diced onions in a large pan over medium heat until the meat is cooked through.
Excess grease should be drained.
34 cup water and taco seasoning should be added.
Bring the water to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take the pan off the heat.
In a casserole dish, spread the refried beans in a uniform layer. (Mine was 13.25′′x9′′, but different sizes are acceptable.)
Sour cream should be spread over the refried beans.
Top with the cooked ground beef mixture, followed by the cheese.
If you’re making it ahead of time, let it cool before covering and refrigerating it until ready to bake.
Baking:
If you’re baking straight away: Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered, or until the cheese is heated and melted.
If baking the dish after it has been refrigerated: Bake for 25 minutes, covered. Remove the cover and bake for 5 minutes more.
Toppings: Arrange black olives, tomatoes, and crunchy toppings on top of the dish. (If desired, top with extra cheese.)
Bake for 8 minutes, uncovered.
Serve garnished with green onions and/or shredded lettuce!
