Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (2024)

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Doritos Taco Salad is a family favorite recipe. It is loaded with ground beef, taco seasoning, Doritos and more. We love that it is topped with sweet and tangy Catalina dressing.

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (1)

Easy Doritos Taco Salad Recipe:

My family loves making this Easy Doritos Taco Salad. It is loaded with all of taco favorites but in a salad form. Plus the added crunchiness of cheesy Doritos.

This is the perfect meal to make on a busy weeknight or a hot summer day. Everyone can add in their favorite topping and enjoy a refreshing salad. This is the best summer recipes.

Dorito taco salad is a great salad to prepare a family night or to feed a crowd. It is the perfect meal to prepare when you don’t want to heat your oven. You might also like taco dip.

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (2)

How do you make a Dorito Salad?

The great thing about this salad is you can’t really mess it up. We like simple and basic recipes and this is one of them.

Start with browning your beef. Then in a bowl start with you lettuce and the toppings of your choice. Toss in your cheese Doritos and top with your seasoned ground beef.

The options are endless on how to prepare and make your Doritos Taco Salad. Change the dressing, use different chips, or add in your favorite toppings.

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (3)

What goes in a Taco Salad?

The reason we love Taco Salad and make often is because you can use what you have on hand. Here are some of my favorite taco salad ingredients:

  • Choice of Meat – Lean ground beef, shredded chicken, seasoned shrimp are great choices. You can also do a mixture of ground beef and ground turkey.
  • Beans – We usually do black beans or pinto beans or a mixture of both.
  • Lettuce – Start with romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce. We love the freshness it gives a salad.
  • Cheese – We usually cheddar cheese but Colby Monterrey Jack Cheese or pepper jack cheese are a good choice.
  • Vegetables – Diced green bell peppers, red onions, avocado and corn are our favorite vegetable toppings. Sliced jalapeños are always requested.
  • Salad Dressing – Catalina dressing is our choice for this salad, but I also use salsa occasionally. You can also use a creamy ranch dressing, avocado dressing or french dressing if you prefer.
  • Change the Chips – You can also use tortilla chips or cool ranch Dorito Chips. Even the Spicy flavored Dorito Chips is a good option.
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Ingredients:

  • Lean ground beef
  • Taco Seasoning
  • Salsa
  • Romaine Lettuce Hearts, rinsed then chopped
  • Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • Romo Tomato, chopped
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • Nacho Cheese Doritos, Broken into Smaller Pieces
  • Catalina Dressing (Try Homemade Catalina Dressing Recipe)

How to make Taco Salad with Doritos:

  • Prepare Ground Beef in Skillet – Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Break up the ground beef as it cooks.
  • Add in Taco Seasoning and Salsa – Then stir in the taco seasoning mix and salsa into the ground beef. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes to incorporate the flavors. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.
Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (5)
  • Toss taco salad ingredients – In a large bowl toss together the lettuce, tomato, onions, black beans, cheddar cheese, broken up Doritos. Then add in the cooled meat until they are combined.
  • Mix in Catalina Dressing – Then drizzle the Catalina dressing on top and gently toss until coated.
Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (6)
  • Serve and Enjoy – Then serve immediately.

How to Make Taco Seasoning:

If you want to make your own taco seasoning packet, this Homemade Taco Seasoning is so good and easy to make.

We love making our own seasoning. It taste better and we know exactly what we are adding to the seasoning blend.

The Taco Seasoning blend is made up of seasonings that you probably already have on hand.

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (7)

Cook your Ground Beef ahead of time:

When I cook ground beef, I will like to make a large quantity at a time so that I can freeze. How to freeze ground beef after you have cooked it is a great way to save time and money.

Since you are already making ground beef for your dinner, go ahead and brown up more for your future meals. Doritos Taco Salad just got even easier if you have the ground beef already cooked.

It also makes meals that you need to make in the crock pot even easier on cooking day. If you are making a skillet recipe, just add in a little water with your ground beef and heat.

How to make a Taco Salad ahead of time?

This is the perfect meal to prepare ahead of time. When I know that we have a busy night ahead, I will prepare this meal. So that all we have to do is toss in the Doritos and our meal is complete.

The key in preparing this Doritos Salad is to not mix the ingredients once you have added them to the bowl. You can also put each ingredient in separate bowls and everyone can make their own.

Store ingredients in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Then when you are ready to serve, toss with your Doritos.

Optional Add-ins to your Dorito Taco Salad:

If you need some other ideas to add into your Dorito Taco Salad. These items are always our favorite options when we build out taco salad.

  • Pico de Galo
  • Guacamole
  • Black Olives
  • Peppers
  • Green Onions
Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (8)

What is the difference between Nachos and Taco Salad?

Nachos are usually served with hot melted cheese over tortilla chips. Nachos usually do not include lettuce like taco salad.

Taco salad is served with a dressing and nachos usually are served with salsa and sour cream. See What to Serve with Taco Salad for side ideas.

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (9)

How to store leftovers:

Store leftovers is best when you keep the taco salad ingredients separately. The chips and the lettuce will get to soggy with the dressing mixed in. But you can easily store your taco meat and the ingredients separately in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Doritos Taco Salad makes a great lunch. Place your chips and lettuce in a separate ziplock bag. Then add your other ingredients in a container and then you are able to reheat and mix everything together.

Print Recipe here for Doritos Taco Salad:

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (10)

Review

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Dorito Taco Salad

5 from 12 votes

Doritos Taco Salad is a family favorite recipe. It is loaded with ground beef, taco seasoning, Doritos and tossed with Catalina Dressing.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 6

Cuisine American

Course Main Course, Salad

Calories 689

Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning
  • 1/4 cup Salsa
  • 4 Romaine Lettuce Hearts rinsed then chopped
  • 1 cup Black Beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 Romo Tomato chopped
  • 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • 2 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos Broken into Smaller Pieces
  • 1/2 cup Catalina Dressing

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Break up the ground beef as it cooks. Then stir in the taco seasoning and salsa into the ground beef. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes to incorporate the flavors. Then remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.

  • Then in a large bowl toss together the lettuce, black beans, tomato, cheddar cheese, broken up Doritos and the cooled meat until they are combined.

  • Then drizzle the Catalina dressing on top and gently toss until coated.

  • Then serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

You can also make this salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. If you do that, then wait to add the chips until you’re ready to serve it.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 689kcal, Carbohydrates 63g, Protein 30g, Fat 34g, Saturated Fat 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat 11g, Monounsaturated Fat 9g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 67mg, Sodium 1053mg, Potassium 600mg, Fiber 6g, Sugar 9g, Vitamin A 321IU, Vitamin C 1mg, Calcium 270mg, Iron 3mg

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  • Crock Pot Taco Salad Recipe
  • Taco Spaghetti Recipe
  • Taco Rice Bowl Recipe
  • Crock Pot Mexican Taco Casserole Recipe
Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (11)

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About the Author

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (20)

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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Doritos Taco Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are taco salad so high in calories? ›

Worst: Taco Salad

That's because they start with a deep-fried tortilla shell. That “bowl” alone can have nearly 400 calories and 22 grams of fat. Then it's filled with oversized portions of ground beef, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. This salad can weigh in at 800 calories or more!

What is the proper way to eat a taco salad? ›

It's best to use a fork to eat a taco salad, as it allows you to easily scoop up all the different components of the salad in each bite.

What does a taco salad contain? ›

Ingredients. The salad is served with a fried flour tortilla shell stuffed with shredded iceberg lettuce and topped with diced tomatoes, shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. The salad is topped with taco meat (ground beef), seasoned shredded chicken or beans and/or Spanish rice for vegetarians.

What vegetable is good with tacos? ›

Refreshing jicama and beautiful red cabbage get tossed together with tangy lime juice, spicy jalapeños, and cilantro for a great slaw to serve with tacos or tamales. It's no secret that cooking corn in a butter bath is our favorite way to enjoy the sweet summer veggie.

Are taco salads healthy for you? ›

Although you may think of taco salad as a healthy option, it often comes with more calories and fat than you might expect from a salad.

Are tacos healthy for weight loss? ›

Tacos and Mexican food can be high in calories and saturated fats if they are made with traditional ingredients such as cheese, sour cream, and fried meats. However, it is possible to make tacos and Mexican food using lean meats, vegetables, and low-fat cheese, which would make them a healthier option for weight loss.

Can I eat as much salad as I want and still lose weight? ›

Can you lose weight by eating a salad every day? "Eating salads on a daily basis as part of an overall healthy lifestyle may support gradual weight loss over time," says Karnatz. "This is because leafy greens are low in calories and high in volume and fiber, which will keep you satisfied for longer," she adds.

How long is leftover taco salad good for? ›

Store. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if the taco salad is undressed, 1-2 if it is dressed. I suggest storing the salad and meat separately so you can warm up the meat before using it to make a leftover salad.

What culture is taco salad? ›

Mexican food expert Gustavo Arellano did some research for his book Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, and discovered that the earliest version of taco salads were called Ta-Cups, and were made of “ground beef, beans, sour cream and cheese served in a small bowl made entirely of Fritos.” The creator was none ...

Why did Taco Bell take the taco salad off their menu? ›

The Short and Tasty Answer

Taco Bell's taco salad, while delicious, wasn't the healthiest option on the menu, and the chain wanted to evolve with its customer base's growing desire for fresher, more customizable meal choices.

What pairs well with tacos? ›

Additionally, you can serve Mexican rice or refried beans as traditional accompaniments. For a refreshing beverage pairing, consider offering margaritas or Mexican sodas. These flavorful and diverse options will elevate your taco meal and delight your taste buds with a vibrant combination of textures and flavors.

What can I bring to a taco party? ›

40 Taco Bar Topping Ideas That Go Beyond The Basics
  • 01 of 40. Homemade Corn Tortillas. ...
  • 02 of 40. Chunky Guacamole with Jalapeño and Chile de Árbol. ...
  • 03 of 40. Charro Beans. ...
  • 04 of 40. Black Bean and Corn Salsa. ...
  • 05 of 40. Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken. ...
  • 06 of 40. Mexican Green Rice. ...
  • 07 of 40. Fajita Veggies. ...
  • 08 of 40. Pickled Red Onions.
Aug 16, 2023

What sides go with lettuce tacos? ›

The best side dishes to serve with lettuce wraps are chicken dumplings, coconut shrimp, shrimp pasta, beef fajitas, cheese dip, cranberry sauce, french fries, cauliflower rice, egg rolls, potato soup, shrimp tempura, pickled carrots, Thai cucumber salad, stir-fry eggplant, mango and jicama slaw, quinoa and black bean ...

What are the benefits of eating taco salad? ›

Enjoying a taco salad can provide various health benefits. This includes increased vegetable intake, protein for muscle growth and repair, low-calorie and high fiber to help feel full, and various flavors that can help prevent boredom with your diet.

References

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