Description
A bold, flavor-packed twist on a classic family dinner. This multi-layered casserole combines a savory beef and sausage base with a zesty ranch cream cheese filling and a crunchy nacho-cheese Dorito crust. Featuring a gooey mozzarella center and fresh peppers, it is a unique and satisfying comfort meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef, 1 lb sausage
- 3 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos (crushed)
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened), 1 packet ranch dressing mix
- 2 large eggs, 1 cup green bell pepper (diced)
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp milk (divided)
Instructions
Meat Base: Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine ground beef, sausage, eggs, 1/3 cup milk, and 2 cups crushed Doritos. Press half of the mixture into a 9×13 pan.
Filling: Blend softened cream cheese, ranch mix, and 1 tbsp milk until smooth. Spread over the meat layer. Top with green peppers and 1.5 cups mozzarella.
Bake: Press the remaining meat mixture on top to seal. Bake for 40 mins.
Finish: Sprinkle remaining cheese and last cup of Doritos on top. Bake 10 more mins until bubbly. Rest 5–10 mins before slicing.
Notes
The ‘Rest’ is Key: Resting allows juices to redistribute and the cream cheese layer to firm up, ensuring clean slices rather than a messy heap.
Dorito Texture: Aim for a mix of fine crumbs to bind the meat and larger shards for the topping to provide maximum crunch.
Softened Cream Cheese: Truly room-temperature cream cheese is essential; if cold, it won’t spread easily over the raw meat foundation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course / Casserole
- Method: Baking / Layering
- Cuisine: American Comfort
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 940
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 16
- Unsaturated Fat: 16
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 32
- Cholesterol: 125
Keywords: dorito meatloaf casserole, nacho cheese meatloaf, cheesy meatloaf bake, ranch cream cheese meatloaf, 9x13 casserole recipes