Taco Salad Made with Doritos

Name: Taco Salad Made with Doritos and Ground Beef
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds Ground Beef (85/15); 1 packet taco seasoning (or 3 tablespoons homemade); ½ cup water (or the amount on back of seasoning packet); 2 heads Romaine Lettuce (chopped (or 1 head iceberg lettuce)); 15 ounce Pinto Beans (rinsed and drained); 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese (shredded); 1 ½ cups Diced Tomatoes; 1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels (thawed or cooked through); 1 small Red Onion (diced); 2 jalapenos (deseeded and diced); ½ cup sliced black olives; 12 ounce ranch salad dressing (or avocado lime ranch salad dressing); 9.25 ounce bag Doritos Nacho Cheese Chips (crushed); Sour cream (for topping); Fresh chopped cilantro (for garnish)

When you need a fast, filling dinner that doesn't skimp on flavor, this taco salad made with Doritos is our standard Taco Tuesday salad.

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A bowl of taco salad with ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, black olives, cheese, tortilla chips, corn, red onions, and a dollop of sour cream on top.

With ground beef, crisp veggies, cheddar, and a drizzle of ranch dressing, this taco salad is perfect for feeding a crowd or just shaking up your weeknight dinner routine. Did you have an extra bag of Doritos? Be sure to make my viral recipe for Doritos Chicken Casserole.

Ingredients:

This recipe comes together quickly and easily and is full of flavor. Here's how to build the perfect Dorito taco salad:

Recipe Card?

To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.

Instructions

Crisp lettuce, taco-seasoned ground beef, beans, cheese, and a creamy ranch-style dressing form the base. But the real magic? A big handful of crushed Doritos stirred right in for the crunch you love.

Cooked ground beef in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spatula resting on the edge, on a white marble surface.

Cook the Ground Beef

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked and no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Use a spatula to break it into crumbles. Don't drain excess grease.

Drain Or Don't Drain?

My personal preference when cooking ground beef is to NOT drain the fat. Fat equals flavor, and I want my recipes to be full of flavor. BUT if you want to drain the fat, do that.

Cooked ground beef with seasoning in a cast iron skillet, stirred with a wooden spoon on a white marble surface.

Add Taco Seasoning

Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

A glass bowl filled with separate sections of lettuce, shredded cheese, black olives, red onion, corn, green bell pepper, diced tomato, and pinto beans on a white surface.

Prepare the Salad Base

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, pinto beans, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, corn, red onion, jalapeños, and black olives.

A glass bowl filled with lettuce, orange tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef, and creamy dressing arranged in layers.

Add Beef, Chips & Dressing

Add the cooled beef, half the crushed Doritos, and salad dressing. Toss gently until everything is coated and well mixed.

A bowl of taco salad topped with ground beef, tortilla chips, jalapeños, black olives, red onions, cheddar cheese, corn, tomatoes, lettuce, and a dollop of sour cream.

Garnish and Serve

Top with the remaining Doritos, dollops of sour cream, and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for a zesty finish.

Did you make this recipe?

Do you have feedback that would be helpful to others? If so can help this small business owner by leaving a rating and a review in the comments section? Thank you for being part of the Savoring The Good Community. ~ Sarah

Make Ahead Instructions

Planning ahead? Here's how to keep it fresh:

To make this salad ahead of time, prep and store all the components separately.
Keep the cooked beef, chopped veggies, dressing, and chips in separate containers.
When you're ready to serve, toss it all together-this keeps the chips crunchy and the lettuce crisp.

Storage Tips

Keep your leftovers from going soggy:

This salad is best enjoyed right after assembling. If you anticipate leftovers, only dress and add chips to individual portions. Store the rest in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Wait to add dressing and Doritos until just before eating.

Taco Tuesday Inspiration!

Taco Stuffed Shells

Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.

Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?

Yes, definitely! Ground turkey is a great lighter option. Just season it the same way with taco seasoning, taste it before tossing to make sure it has enough flavor.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Absolutely! Just skip the ground beef and add extra beans (black beans, kidney beans, or even lentils work great). Buy my vegetarian daughter will tell you to add plant protein chorizo crumbles.

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A bowl of taco salad with ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, jalapeños, corn, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, red onions, lime wedges, and a dollop of sour cream.

Sarah Mock

Taco Salad Made with Doritos and Ground Beef

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Crushed Doritos, taco-seasoned beef, crisp lettuce, and creamy ranch dressing come together in this amazing taco salad recipe.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Beef Recipes

Cuisine: Mexican

Calories:

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds Ground Beef 85/15
1 packet taco seasoning or 3 tablespoons homemade
½ cup water or the amount on back of seasoning packet
2 heads Romaine Lettuce chopped (or 1 head iceberg lettuce)
15 ounce Pinto Beans rinsed and drained
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
1 ½ cups Diced Tomatoes
1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels thawed or cooked through
1 small Red Onion diced
2 jalapenos deseeded and diced
½ cup sliced black olives
12 ounce ranch salad dressing or avocado lime ranch salad dressing
9.25 ounce bag Doritos Nacho Cheese Chips crushed
Sour cream for topping
Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

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Method

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef until browned and no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Use a spoon or spatula to break the beef into smaller pieces.
1 ½ pounds Ground Beef
Add water and taco seasoning. Stir until all pieces of beef are seasoned and the powder has dissolved. Cook 5 minutes, until the liquid thickens. Then remove the meat from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
1 packet taco seasoning, ½ cup water
In a large mixing bowl, add the lettuce, beans, cheese, tomatoes, corn, red onions, jalapenos, and black olives.
2 heads Romaine Lettuce, 15 ounce Pinto Beans, 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, 1 ½ cups Diced Tomatoes, 1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels, 1 small Red Onion, 2 jalapenos, ½ cup sliced black olives
Add the cooled ground beef to the bowl, half of the crushed Doritos, and cilantro lime salad dressing. Toss until ingredients are well combined.
9.25 ounce bag Doritos Nacho Cheese Chips, 12 ounce ranch salad dressing
Top with the remaining crushed Doritos, sour cream, and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!
Sour cream, Fresh chopped cilantro

Nutrition Discolure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 16 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

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