Simple Doritos Taco Salad (Printable)
Tex-Mex salad with seasoned beef, cheddar, black beans, corn, and crushed Doritos; toss with ranch or Catalina.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground beef
→ Seasonings
02 - 1 packet taco seasoning (about 1 ounce)
03 - 1/4 cup water
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/2 cup red onion, diced
07 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 cup canned corn, drained
→ Cheese
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
→ Chips
10 - 2 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos, slightly crushed
→ Dressing
11 - 1/2 cup ranch dressing or Catalina dressing
# Directions:
01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, breaking it into crumbles, until fully browned. Drain excess fat.
02 - Add taco seasoning and water to the skillet. Stir to combine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the mixture to thicken. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, black beans, corn, and shredded cheddar cheese.
04 - Add slightly cooled cooked beef mixture to the salad bowl.
05 - Just before serving, add crushed Doritos and desired dressing. Gently toss the salad until ingredients are evenly coated.
06 - Serve immediately while the chips are still crisp.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This salad is my shortcut to dinner on busy weeknights when no one wants to wait.
- Every crunch from the Doritos feels like a playful twist that keeps everyone coming back for seconds.
02 -
- I once let the salad sit too long before serving—turns out Doritos surrender quickly to dressing and lose their crunch.
- Swapping out beef for turkey or vegetarian crumbles made the salad lighter without any complaints at the table.
03 -
- Always drain and blot the lettuce so your salad stays crisp and fresh.
- Crush Doritos by hand in the bag to avoid a mess and keep pieces uneven for more texture.