“Doritos Locos” Taco Bake
| November 1, 2012 | Posted by Lauren Keating under Beef, Lamb, and Pork, Mexican and Southwestern, Quick Weeknight Meals, Shawn's Favorites |
I’ve had this post written since last weekend, but I was conflicted about letting it go though as scheduled. Right now, my friends and family in NYC and the surrounding areas are without power and heat. Cars are underwater and homes are destroyed. It seems insensitive to be posting a recipe as frivolous as this one. But I could use some major comfort food right now, and I’m sure a lot of other people can too. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Doritos Locos Taco Bake. Yup, I went there.
And you know what? I don’t regret it at all. Those folks at Taco Bell were really onto something.
I’ll be honest – Taco Bell totally grosses me out. I stopped eating there long before the whole “our meat isn’t even meat” scandal and I don’t have plans to start any time soon. But I just had to see what all the fuss about Doritos Locos Tacos was about, so I took matters into my own hands.
Taco bake is one of my most popular recipes, and all it took were a few small tweaks to give it a new look and feel. WOW. Where has this been all my life?
Unlike the tortilla chips that my original recipe calls for, baked Doritos stay nice and crispy even after they’re topped with meat, beans, salsa, and cheese. Their cheesy flavor is also bold enough to stand up to other big flavors, so beef works much better in this version too (I prefer to use ground chicken in the original). I like to keep the flavors big and bold by using the hottest salsa I can bear – usually a mix of half of a generic store brand hot salsa and half Mrs. Renfro’s Ghost Pepper Salsa. Top it off with some Cholula and sour cream, or some guacamole and chow down.
- 2 ounces Baked Doritos (about 24), plus more for serving
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
- 2 Jalapeno Peppers, chopped
- 1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
- 2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
- 1 can Black Beans, drained
- 1 cup Hot Salsa (I like to use equal parts hot salsa and ghost pepper salsa)
- 1 cup shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese
- Optional: Additional toppings such as jalapenos, sour cream, olives, or guacamole
- Heat oven to 350.
- Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic and jalapenos. Saute 5 minutes, or until soft. Add meat and taco seasoning. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes. Add beans and salsa. Mix well and continue to cook until salsa thickens.
- Line the bottom of a casserole pan with tortilla chips, pressing down on them lightly to break them into bite-sized pieces. Spread the meat and bean mixture over the chips and top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and gooey.
- Cut into 8 servings. Top as desired. Scoop up with additional chips.
This looks incredible! And I don’t even have to tell the Hubby it’s healthy!
This looks really good, like something my husband and I could really dig into while watching TV on a Friday night. Can’t wait to try it!
[...] recipe is classic, but be sure to check out the updated version Doritos Locos Taco Bake too! Serves: [...]
I fixed this last night for my hubby and I and it was delicious and easy breezy. Thanks so much for the recipe. I’ll certainly put it into the rotation for the quick, easy and yummy weeknight dishes.
I’m so glad you liked it!
Do you know how many WW points plus this recipe is?