Simple Doritos Taco Salad (Printable)
Crunchy Tex-Mex salad with seasoned beef, cheddar, black beans, corn and crushed Doritos, finished with ranch.
# 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
# Method:
01 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until fully browned. Drain any excess fat.
02 - Add taco seasoning and water to the browned beef. Stir well to combine, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the mixture to thicken. Remove from heat and let the meat cool slightly.
03 - In a large salad bowl, layer romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black beans, corn, and shredded cheddar cheese.
04 - Gently add the slightly cooled taco beef over the salad mixture.
05 - Just before serving, add the crushed Doritos and your choice of ranch or Catalina dressing. Toss gently until ingredients are evenly coated.
06 - Serve immediately while the Doritos are still crisp.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The trick is tossing the chips just before serving—you&apoll enjoy that magical contrast between crunchy Doritos and warm, seasoned beef.
- Kids and adults compete for seconds, and cleanup is a breeze on busy nights.
02 -
- Once, I added the chips too early and they went limp—add just before serving or risk sadness.
- I thought all dressings would work, but learned ranch and Catalina are the only ones that really play nice with the Dorito cheese flavor.
03 -
- Sear the beef long enough to develop real browning – that&aposs your flavor base.
- The perfect chip size: not powder, but not whole—aim for big, crunchy shards.