Simple Doritos Taco Salad (Printable Version)
Seasoned beef, Doritos, fresh veggies and cheddar tossed with ranch for a crunchy Tex-Mex main in 25 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
06 - 1 cup corn kernels, canned or thawed from frozen
→ Dairy
07 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Chips
08 - 4 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos, lightly crushed
→ Dressings & Oils
09 - 1/2 cup ranch dressing or Catalina or French dressing
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Spices
11 - 1 packet taco seasoning (about 1 ounce)
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until fully browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat.
02 - Add taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water to the cooked beef. Stir well and simmer until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and allow beef to cool slightly.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black beans, corn, and shredded cheddar cheese.
04 - Add warm taco beef and crushed Doritos into the salad mix.
05 - Drizzle the salad with ranch or chosen dressing. Gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.
06 - Serve immediately to preserve the Doritos' crunch.
# Top Tips:
01 -
- The surprise crunch and nostalgic flavor make every bite a little celebration even if you just needed to clear out the pantry.
- This is the salad that actually disappears at parties—no leftovers, not even a stray chip.
02 -
- If you let the salad sit too long before serving, the Doritos will lose their crunch and go disappointingly limp.
- Trying both dressings side by side let me discover how wildly the vibe can shift—ranch soothes, Catalina zings.
03 -
- Let the beef cool for a minute or two before adding so it doesn’t wilt the lettuce all at once.
- A squeeze of lime over the finished bowl does wonders to balance richness and brighten flavors.