Simple Doritos Taco Salad (Printable)

Crunchy Doritos taco salad with seasoned beef, fresh veggies, cheddar, black beans and ranch—ready 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 - 0.5 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 - 0.5 cup ranch dressing or Catalina/French dressing
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices

11 - 1 ounce taco seasoning mix

# Method:

01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Drain excess fat.
02 - Add taco seasoning and 0.25 cup water to the browned beef. Stir well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens, then remove from heat and let stand briefly to cool.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, black beans, corn, and shredded cheddar cheese.
04 - Add the warm seasoned ground beef and lightly crushed Doritos to the salad mix.
05 - Drizzle with ranch or preferred dressing. Toss salad thoroughly to ensure even distribution of all ingredients.
06 - Serve immediately to retain Doritos’ crunch and optimal flavor.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • You get all the flavors of tacos with fewer dishes and a fantastic crunch in every bite.
  • It's the sort of meal that disappears fast at gatherings & trust me, people always come back for seconds.
02 -
  • Letting the beef cool slightly before adding is crucial—hot beef will wilt your lettuce and melt the cheese into clumps.
  • Don’t skimp on the Doritos! I once tried with fewer chips and it just wasn’t the same.
03 -
  • Always taste as you toss—adjust seasoning and dressing a little at a time for perfect balance.
  • For parties, serve chips on the side so everyone controls their crunch journey.

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