Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe
I’m bringing back this childhood classic and adding a few extra things to make it my own. This Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe is so nostalgic for me and brings back lots of memories from my teens and hanging out at my aunt’s house. It’s full of meat, gooey cheese, a delicious sauce, and crunchy Doritos. What more could a teen want?
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This casserole was requested by my daughter, Ava. Which is quite surprising, because I have very picky eaters in the family. But she LOVES Doritos, and this dish is perfect for her for that reason alone.
But it’s not just Ava that likes to dig into this Mexican-inspired casserole. The whole family is right there with her. (Except Luke… he only likes meat and cheese, so the extra ingredients turned him off.) And don’t worry, if you are a meat and cheese lover like Luke… this dish is perfect for you! The other ingredients like corn, tomatoes, and beans are not only essential for the delicious sauce and flavor (so don’t leave them out), but they are also big enough that you can pick them out if necessary. (For Luke… this was a must. HA)
So now that you know this easy recipe was a major part of my childhood, let’s talk about its place in my adulthood. First of all, it’s perfect because I have 3 kiddos and this is a very “kid-friendly” dish. Everything about this SCREAMS teens and kids, but the flavors are still complex enough for adults to get on board. (Especially with all of the extra toppings you can add.) And it requires very simple ingredients from your local grocery store. (No weird stuff here that you’re only going to use once and spend a fortune on.)
This casserole is the perfect dish for my family because we are SUPER BUSY, especially when school starts. All 3 of our children play sports and one plays multiple sports.
That means that our weekly schedule is INSANE! (I know that there are plenty of you reading right now that can totally relate.)
Basketball is the main sport in this house and the season is the highlight of our year. Seriously, we LOVE it! But it also means that 3 or more nights a week we are spending all of our free time in a gym watching 4 games of basketball after work.
If you are doing the math, that doesn’t leave much room for cooking and eating, and more often than not the concession stand becomes our kitchen from November – February. (And that’s not good for our health or our wallets!)
But this dish fits the bill! It is an easy weeknight meal that can be quickly assembled and popped into the oven to bake while everyone is showering after a long night of victory on the court! (or at least that’s the hope) Then we can all sit around the table, enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal, and go to bed fully satisfied and a little bit richer. (HA)
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That’s the reason that I chose this dish for my August theme… One-Pot Wonders/Casseroles. It is essentially cooked in one baking dish. Clean-up is minimal and easy. The cooking process is hands-off (oven) so that you can get those uniforms in the wash or work on a side salad to complete the meal. The whole thing from start to finish is under an hour and most of that is baking time. If that doesn’t say “easy dinner”, then I don’t know what does!
Tips for the Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe:
- If you want to make this dish even faster, I would prepare my meat sauce in advance and then just assemble the casserole on the day you are going to eat it. (Especially if that’s going to be a busy weeknight)
- If you want the casserole to be extra creamy, add 1 can of cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup. My aunt always added cream of chicken, and the creamy texture was a delight!
How are these delicious Doritos made? Click here to find out!
Make this Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe with me on YouTube!
Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 package of taco seasoning (1 oz.)
- 1 can of Ranch Style Beans (15 oz.)
- 2 lbs. ground deer or beef
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 can whole kernel corn (15 oz.)
- 1 can of Rotel (10 oz.)
- 1 can of Diced Green Chiles (4 oz.)
- 3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)
- 1 can of Red Enchilada Sauce (10 oz.) + 1 can of water
- 1 bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos (Party Size 14.5 oz.)
Optional Toppings:
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Green onions
- Red onion
- Salsa
- Taco Bell Sauce (a family favorite of ours)
- Fresh tomatoes
Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe Instructions:
- First, in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat brown the 2 lbs. of ground deer or beef.
- Second, add the package of taco seasoning and mix into the meat really well.
- Third, add the Ranch Style Beans, Rotel, green chiles, Enchilada sauce, and 1 can of water to the meat.
- Then, let the meat mixture simmer and thicken for at least 10 minutes.
- Next, add the sour cream to the thickened meat mixture and mix well and remove from the heat.
- Now, you are ready to layer the casserole. Begin by crushing up half of the bag of Doritos and layering them on the bottom of your baking or casserole dish.
- Second, spoon half of the meat mixture on top of the crushed Doritos.
- The next layer is going to be the entire can of whole kernel corn on top of the meat mixture.
- Next, sprinkle half of the shredded cheese on top of the corn.
- Now it’s time to start over in the layering process with the rest of the Doritos crushed on top of the cheese.
- Then, add the remaining meat mixture on top of the crushed Doritos.
- Finally, top the casserole with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake the Dorito casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden brown.
Variations for the Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole:
- Replace the ground deer/beef with tender chicken (cooked/shredded) to make an easy chicken casserole – If you buy a pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken) from the store, that will completely eliminate any cooking in this recipe other than baking.
- Frozen spinach or other vegetables – If you are trying to get your kiddos to eat more veggies, this is the perfect place to hide them. They won’t be able to taste anything over the cheese, Doritos, and meat sauce. Trick away!
- Replace the ground deer/beef with sausage for a nice spicy kick.
- Add a layer of Mexican or Spanish rice for even more texture and flavor.
What to serve with the Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe?
Mexican Street Corn Ribs – ELOTE
The Best GUACAMOLE recipe EVER!
How to make Restaurant Style Salsa
Storage for the Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe:
- Leftover Dorito casserole can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What are the Macros for the Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe?
Makes 9 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving)
- Calories – 598
- Protein – 26 grams
- Carbs – 43 grams (net)
- Fat – 31.5 grams
Check out some of my other Mexican Inspired recipes!
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Easy Monterey Jack Dorito Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Baking Dish
- 1 cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 package of taco seasoning 1 oz.
- 1 can of Ranch Style Beans 15 oz.
- 2 lbs. ground deer or beef
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 can whole kernel corn 15 oz.
- 1 can of Rotel 10 oz.
- 1 can of Diced Green Chiles 4 oz.
- 3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- 1 can of Red Enchilada Sauce 10 oz. + 1 can of water
- 1 bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos Party Size 14.5 oz.
Optional Toppings:
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Green onions
- Red onion
- Salsa
- Taco Bell Sauce a family favorite of ours
- Fresh tomatoes
Instructions
- First, in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat brown the 2 lbs. of ground deer or beef.
- Second, add the package of taco seasoning and mix into the meat really well.
- Third, add the Ranch Style Beans, Rotel, green chiles, Enchilada sauce, and 1 can of water to the meat.
- Then, let the meat mixture simmer and thicken for at least 10 minutes.
- Next, add the sour cream to the thickened meat mixture and mix well and remove from the heat.
- Now, you are ready to layer the casserole. Begin by crushing up half of the bag of Doritos and layering them on the bottom of your baking or casserole dish.
- Second, spoon half of the meat mixture on top of the crushed Doritos.
- The next layer is going to be the entire can of whole kernel corn on top of the meat mixture.
- Next, sprinkle half of the shredded cheese on top of the corn.
- Now it’s time to start over in the layering process with the rest of the Doritos crushed on top of the cheese.
- Then, add the remaining meat mixture on top of the crushed Doritos.
- Finally, top the casserole with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake the Dorito casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden brown.
