This Doritos Taco Salad might just become your new dinner obsession. I’ve taken the classic taco salad you already love and given it a seriously crave-worthy upgrade with a generous amount of crushed Doritos mixed in and layered on top. The combination of seasoned ground beef, black beans, vegetables, and that unmistakable crunch creates the perfect bite every single time. Once you try this crowd-pleasing version, regular taco salad just won’t hit the same!
Why I love this twist on Taco Salad, and hope you will, too!
We all know that a taco salad is a reliable meal that both kids and adults can get behind. It’s protein-packed, stuffed with veggies, and seasoned with zesty spices. But. Just one simple addition takes the salad from nice to niiiiiccce.
We Midwesterners have an obsession with adding snack chips to our food, whether potato chips on ham sandwiches, or Fritos on coleslaw. It’s no wonder, right? Salty and crunchy, chips add an extra layer of flavor and texture that we didn’t know we were missing until we tried it.
While you might already use whole tortilla chips to scoop up a bite of your taco salad, I highly recommend going the slightly crushed route, mixing them right in. It’s a different crunch experience, and I think you’ll love it!
My Doritos Taco Salad is —
- Ready in under 30 minutes, easy-peasy for busy weeknights.
- Affordable, using simple pantry and fridge staples.
- Customizable to preferences and spice levels: add jalapeños, avocado, or swap proteins.
- Great for potlucks and casual gatherings with your besties.
- Totally crave-able, that Doritos crunch is hard to beat.
If you love fully-loaded salads as a main for dinner, you might also enjoy my Italian Antipasto Salad, my BLT Pasta Salad, or my Beef Fajita Salad.
Key Ingredients
Beef — Lean ground beef, seasoned with lots of taco seasoning, is the protein anchor of the salad and provides a hearty texture that raises the salad to meal level. Prefer a different protein? You can substitute ground turkey or plant-based alternatives with great results.
Beans and Vegetables — Our favorite taco toppings have a cozy home here: tomatoes, corn, black beans. Swap out or add your favorites: Pinto beans, pico de gallo, jalapeños, avocado. Note that my recipe calls for frozen corn because I think the taste and texture are superior to canned. But you can use canned corn — or even better in the summer, kernels fresh off the cob! — and follow the recipe as written.
Shredded Lettuce — If you’re already a salad lover, you probably have a preferred lettuce type in mind for this salad. I like a tender-leafed lettuce, such as green leaf or red leaf. But romaine is great, and for crunch lovers, there’s always the crunchy (but largely flavorless) iceberg.
Dressing — The homemade dressing combines taco sauce and zesty seasonings in a creamy base for a Tex-Mex leaning result. If you need to save some time, I’d suggest maybe a bottled ranch or creamy avocado dressing. I believe old-timey taco salads used to call for ketchup-based Catalina dressing, which seems really weird to me, but it probably works!
Doritos — I had to go for the Loaded Taco variety, but in the event they discontinue that flavor, browse the tortilla chip snack aisle and pick something that matches your cravings. You could go fiery hot or cool and ranch-y or traditional nacho. It’s all good!
How to Make Doritos Taco Salad
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through of making the salad.
Prep notes
Here’s a quick guide for prepping the ingredients if you need it (not including anything that simply needs to be measured out of a container, such as dried herbs and liquids).
- Chop the red onions into small dice. Clean and slice the green onions into short pieces, using everything but the root end (from white tip to dark green leaves).
- Clean the cilantro leaves and pluck off any thick stems. Mince finely.
- Clean and chop the tomatoes. If using canned tomatoes drain well by pouring into a sieve and shaking off the excess liquids, pressing with a paper towel.
- Clean and chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces or fine shreds. Don’t hesitate to use bagged, shredded lettuce as a shortcut!
Make the Dressing
Whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth and loose.
Brown and season the ground beef
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Add the taco seasoning and a little bit of water and mix well.
Saute the vegetables
Add the onions and cook until softened. Make sure there’s no pink left on the beef. Turn off the heat. Add the frozen corn and the black beans, stir, and let them warm through while the beef mixture cools toward room temperature. (Don’t worry, the corn will thaw!)
Assemble the salad
When the beef has cooled a bit and is no longer hot, place the shredded lettuce in a large mixing bowl. Spoon the beef over the lettuce, along with the tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Toss the salad. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss well to coat (you might not use all of the dressing — serve the extra at the table). When ready to serve, top the salad with the shredded cheese and some of the crushed Doritos. Mix well, and then finish with another layer of Doritos.
Storing
Doritos Taco Salad stores very well … without the Doritos. Don’t worry about any Doritos that you’ve already mixed in. They’ll soften as the salad sits in the fridge, but that’s okay; they’re adding seasoning, too. Just top the salad with fresh, crushed Doritos when you’re ready to eat.
Doritos Taco Salad … to go?
I’ve seen this thing on social media where you take a single-serving snack bag of Doritos, give the bag a squeeze to crush the contents, cut off the top, and then spoon taco ingredients right in the bag for a walkable taco on the go. You could do that with this salad. Maybe something fun for the kids? Or the adults can settle down around the fire pit for a portable taco-fueled chat.
If you give this Doritos Taco Salad a try, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below! If you enjoy watching short videos, follow me on Instagram or subscribe to my YouTube channel, for this recipe and more!
Doritos Taco Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon taco sauce
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix
For the salad:
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 cup chopped red onions
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup canned beans (black or pinto), drained and rinsed
- 4 ounces chopped or shredded lettuce
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes (fresh, or canned diced, drained well)
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro
- 2 green onions , chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Doritos (I used the Loaded Taco flavor), crushed into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk well until blended. The dressing should be very loose and drip readily from the whisk. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cook the beef:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Brown the ground beef, breaking up large chunks and flipping as you go.
- When the beef is mostly browned (a little pink here and there is okay; it will finish), sprinkle the taco seasoning and 1 tablespoon of water over the beef. Stir well to mix.
- Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften.
- Turn off the heat, and move the skillet to a heat-protected surface (such as one of the other cool burners, or a trivet on the counter).
- Stir in the frozen corn and beans. Let rest until no longer hot (the corn will thaw in the residual heat of the pan).
Assemble the salad:
- Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl. Add the tomatoes, the cooled beef mixture, green onions, cilantro, and cheese. Toss well to mix. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, mixing it in until the salad is coated to your preference. You probably will not use all of the dressing.
- Sprinkle the Doritos in a layer over the top of the salad.
- For extra Doritos flavor, mix one handful into the salad, and then add a layer on top for serving.