Cool Ranch Taco Lasagna
Irresistible Cool Ranch Taco Lasagna, with crunchy, meaty, and cheesy layers of comforting goodness… Or badness.
We often like to make authentic dishes to celebrate various cultural holidays. However, today I’m sharing a not-so-authentic recipe, Taco Lasagna.
Not authentic, but oh so delicioso!
What is Taco Lasagna?
Is it Mexican? Is it Italian? Well, I’d have to go with neither.
This layered casserole bake is an Americanized jumble of Tex-Mex flavor… And of course, Doritos.
It’s a guilty-pleasure food of monumental proportion; the edible equivalent of secretly watching Latin soap operas for hours. Cool Ranch Taco Lasagna is a mishmash of naughtiness that will make you swoon at first-taste. Ay caramba!
So if that doesn’t make you feel like celebrating, I don’t know what will.
Our Cool Ranch Taco Lasagna recipe is ultra easy to make and requires only 7 ingredients: Ground beef, taco seasoning, a jar of salsa, a block of cream cheese, shredded Mexican blend cheese, chopped scallions, and a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos.
Ready to get started?
Ingredients You Will Need For Taco Lasagna
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 taco seasoning packet or Homemade taco seasoning
- 16 ounces salsa, medium heat (1 jar)
- 9.75 oz bag of Cool Ranch Doritos (1 bag instead of lasagna noodles)
- 3 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 8 ounces of cream cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
How to Make Taco Lasagna
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of salsa into the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking dish and spread over the bottom. Cut the block of cream cheese into thirds, then cut each third into small cubes.
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Break the ground beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
Brown the beef for 5 minutes, then add in the taco seasoning and 2/3 cup water. Stir well, and simmer for another 2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat.
Spread a layer of Doritos in the bottom of a baking dish. Press them down with your hands to make an even layer.
Then spread one-third of the taco meat over the crushed Doritos. Top the meat with cubes of cream cheese, shredded cheese, and salsa.
Repeat two more times to create three equal layers of Doritos, meat, cheeses, and salsa.
Cover the top with a little more cheese, and bake!
Looks tantalizing, right?
Just wait until it comes out of the oven… Hot, oozing, and crispy around the edges.
Our Cool Ranch Taco Lasagna recipe is a Mexican layered taco bake that is sure to thrill everyone at the dinner table.
Serve it with fresh agua fresca or cold cervesa, and you’ve got a causal celebration meal that no one will be able to resist!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this Taco Lasagna Recipe last?
You can store this dish in the fridge for 3 to 5 days in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap.
Can I make this beforehand?
Yes, you can make this Mexican lasagna ahead of time and bake. Let it cool to room temperature before wrapping it with plastic wrap, and then aluminum foil. You can then freeze it for up to 3 months.
What else can I add?
You can add your favorite taco toppings to this lasagna like black beans or refried beans, peppers, or chopped onion. You can also add some different toppings like cilantro, avocado slices, cheddar cheese, or sour cream.
Can I substitute the ground beef?
Of course, you can! You can use ground turkey or ground chicken if you would like.
What if I don’t have Cool Ranch Doritos?
If you can’t find Doritos, you can also use tortilla chips. Or you can make your own chips, with corn tortillas or flour tortillas in the oven. Cut the tortillas into wedges and spray them with cooking spray. Then bake at 350 degrees F, until crisp.
Looking for More Mexican-Inspired Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Mexican Breakfast Casserole
- Homemade Burrito Bowls
- Retro Taco Pizza
- Taco Stuffed Peppers
- Mexican Breakfast Salad
Check the printable recipe card below for nutrition information including calories, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages. Make sure to share this Mexican recipe on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Cool Ranch Taco Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 16 ounces salsa, medium heat (1 jar)
- 9.75 ounces Cool Ranch Doritos (1 bag)
- 3 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spoon a couple tablespoons of salsa in the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking dish and spread over the bottom. Cut the block of cream cheese into thirds, then cut each third into small cubes.
- Place the ground beef in a large skillet and set over medium heat. Break the ground beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Brown the beef for 5 minutes, then add in the taco seasoning and 2/3 cup water. Stir well, and simmer for another 2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat.
- Spread several handfuls of Doritos over the bottom of the baking dish. Press them down, breaking the chips, to create an even layer. Spread one-third of the taco meat over the broken chips. Then top with one-third of the cream cheese cubes, 1 cup shredded cheese, and one-third of the remaining salsa.
- Repeat with a second and third layer of pressed Doritos, taco meat, cream cheese cubes, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and salsa. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top to cover the other ingredients.
- Bake for 25+ minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chips around the edges are very crisp. Sprinkle the top with chopped scallions. Cut the taco lasagna into 9 squares and serve warm!
This turned out great! Thanks so much for sharing. I was a bit worried about the dish size, so I went with a glass 9”x13” baking dish and spread the crushed chips, all of the meat, cream cheese, salsa, green onions, cilantro, some Mexican cheese, more chips and topped with remaining cheese. Topped with sour cream when done, it was so yummy!
ha, how much fun and with Doritos in place of pasta sheets, love it, very creative recipe, thank you!
Finally something all three of my kids will eat! Just delicious, thank you!
This recipe was so fun to make and so delicious! Such a unique take on lasagna but I love it!
I loved this recipe! Every layer of this lasagna was so delicious, I can’t wait to make it again!
I love the combination of the doritos as the “pasta” layers in this dish! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
MY, Sister Toni did”nt Like this, recipe because she, wanted to try something different… but when I, made!!! this, recipe it was smelling so, good and, I think I, did a good Job for, the first time… Il. try this anytime day!!! or, night…
Love this recipe! It reminds me of beef enchiladas my mom used to make, except much easier! Definitely will make it again and again.