Crunchy, cheesy, loaded-up Dorito Taco Salad piled high with seasoned ground beef, fresh veggies, black beans, and a mountain of nacho-flavored chips that crackle with every single bite. I first made this on a Tuesday night when I had literally nothing planned for dinner, and somehow it became the most-requested dish in my house. It comes together in about 15 minutes, which honestly feels like cheating.
If you love easy weeknight dinner recipes that taste like you actually tried, this one's for you. And if you're into hearty salads that don't leave you hungry an hour later, you might also love this Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps Recipe or this cozy Healthy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe on a cooler night.
Why You'll Love This Dorito Taco Salad
This ground beef Dorito Taco Salad is fast, filling, and honestly fun to eat. The Doritos add a salty crunch that regular croutons could never compete with, and the guacamole and sour cream make every bite feel rich and satisfying. It's also endlessly flexible, so if someone at your table doesn't eat meat, you can swap in extra black beans and nobody feels left out. This is the kind of quick Tex-Mex dinner that gets saved on a Monday and made on a Wednesday.
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Dorito Taco Salad Ingredients
Everything you need is simple and easy to find at any grocery store.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- Ground beef : The base of the salad. Brown it with taco seasoning and it turns into something incredibly flavorful in minutes. Ground turkey works great too if you want a lighter option.
- Taco seasoning mix: This is what gives the meat that classic, bold Tex-Mex flavor. One packet is all you need.
- Corn : Adds a little sweetness and color to the meat mixture. Browning it briefly in the skillet brings out a nice toasty flavor.
- Shredded lettuce : The crunchy, fresh base of the whole salad. Romaine holds up well under all the toppings without going soggy fast.
- Canned black beans : Adds protein, fiber, and a creamy bite that balances the crunch of the chips. Rinse them well so they don't make the salad watery.
- Diced tomatoes : Bright, juicy, and fresh. They add color and a little acidity that cuts through the richness of the cheese and sour cream.
- Doritos : The star of the show. They add that signature nacho crunch and flavor that makes this salad unmistakably fun. Fritos give a more buttery crunch if you want to switch it up.
- Sliced black olives : Mild, briny, and a nice contrast to the bolder flavors. Totally optional but worth adding.
- Sour cream : Creamy and cool, it balances the heat from the taco seasoning and salsa beautifully.
- Guacamole : Rich, fresh, and filling. It makes this salad feel like a full meal instead of a side dish.
- Shredded Mexican blend cheese : Melts slightly over the warm meat and adds that gooey, cheesy finish.
- Salsa : Acts as a dressing and flavor booster all at once. Use your favorite store-bought salsa or homemade.
- White or red onion : Sharp and crisp, it wakes up the whole bowl.
- Lime, sliced : A squeeze of lime right before serving brightens everything up.
- Cilantro Lime Dressing : Adds a fresh, zesty finish that ties all the flavors together.
How to Make Dorito Taco Salad
Quick to pull together, easy to serve, and even easier to eat.
Cook the meat: Add the ground beef and taco seasoning to a skillet over medium heat. Break it up as it cooks until fully browned with no pink remaining, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the corn and cook for one more minute so it picks up a little color. Pull it off the heat and set it aside.
Build the base: In a large serving bowl, layer in the shredded lettuce first. Add the seasoned meat and corn mixture on top, then scatter in the black beans and diced tomatoes.
Add the Doritos: Arrange the Doritos around the outer edges of the bowl so they stay as crunchy as possible while still being part of every scoop.
Load on the toppings: Spoon the sliced black olives, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese, salsa, and diced onion over the top of the Dorito Taco Salad. Don't hold back here.
Finish and serve: Drizzle with cilantro lime dressing if using, add a few lime wedges on the side, and bring it straight to the table. Toss everything together right before eating so the chips stay crisp.
Easy Swaps and Substitutions
This Dorito Taco Salad is highly customizable and very forgiving. Ground turkey, shredded chicken, ground sausage, or ground pork all work beautifully in place of the beef. For a meatless version, double up on the black beans or add pinto beans. Extra vegetables like shredded carrots, diced celery, or thin-sliced jicama are great additions. Any dressing works here too, including ranch, a light vinaigrette, or a simple mix of salsa and sour cream stirred together.
Equipment For Dorito Taco Salad
- Skillet
- Large serving bowl
- Knife and cutting board
Storing Leftovers
Keep the Doritos separate from everything else if you're planning to save portions. Store the salad base in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The chips will go soft overnight if mixed in, so add them fresh each time you serve. The cooked meat stores well on its own for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Ways to Serve Dorito Taco Salad
Scoop this Dorito Taco Salad into individual bowls and let everyone add their own chips right before eating. It's a fun, hands-on way to serve it, especially with kids at the table. A cold glass of limeade or sparkling water with lime is a really nice pairing alongside. You could also serve it next to something warm and hearty like this Healthy Smothered Cube Steak Recipe if you're feeding a bigger crowd and want a little variety.
Top Tip
Don't skip browning the corn in the skillet. It only takes a minute but it adds a subtle, toasty sweetness that makes the meat mixture taste more layered. Use freshly shredded cheese if you can because it melts a little better over the warm ingredients. If you're taking this to a potluck, pack the Doritos in a separate bag and add them on-site so they don't get crushed or soggy in transit. And taste the salsa before you pour it over everything. A really good salsa makes a noticeable difference here.
The Time Sarah Crashed Taco Night
My sister Sarah has a habit of showing up unannounced, usually right when I'm trying to do something quiet. Last summer she walked in mid-prep, spotted the giant bag of Doritos on the counter, and immediately grabbed a handful. "Wait, those are going IN the Dorito Taco Salad?" she said, like I'd just told her the earth was flat.
I handed her the cutting board and told her to dice the onion. She cried through the whole thing, which she blamed entirely on the onion, but I'm not convinced. Then she knocked the bag of shredded cheese off the counter and it exploded in a slow, dramatic cascade all over the kitchen floor. We salvaged what we could from the bowl, she poured way too much salsa on her plate, and we stood at the kitchen counter eating it before it even made it to the table.
She took one bite and said, "Okay. I get it now. I really, really get it."
FAQ
What ingredients go in a Dorito Taco Salad?
A classic taco salad includes seasoned ground meat, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, beans, sour cream, and chips for crunch. This version uses Doritos, guacamole, black olives, corn, and salsa to give it extra flavor and texture. It's easy to adjust based on what you have at home.
How do you make Dorito Taco Salad in a bag?
Open a single-serve bag of Doritos down the front, crush the chips slightly inside, then spoon in the warm taco meat and all your favorite toppings right into the bag. It's a favorite at cookouts and casual gatherings. My sister Sarah called it "the best food delivery system ever invented."
What is the new mini Dorito Taco Salad at Taco Bell?
Taco Bell's menu changes pretty regularly, so it's always worth checking their current offerings directly. That said, this homemade Dorito taco salad gives you way more control over the toppings and the portions, and it tastes even better fresh from your own kitchen.
Is Doritos taco flavor discontinued?
Taco-flavored Doritos have had an on-and-off history in the U.S., but Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch Doritos are both widely available and work really well in this salad. Fritos are also a great substitute if you want a slightly different, more buttery crunch.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Dorito Taco Salad
Dorito Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey, your choice of meat
- 1 package 1 oz taco seasoning mix (for flavor)
- 1 cup corn canned, frozen, or fresh, your choice
- 6 cups shredded lettuce roughly 2-3 Romaine heads, or use any leafy green
- 1 cup black beans canned, rinsed, and drained
- 1 cup diced tomatoes fresh or canned
- 10 oz Doritos or Fritos, or corn tortillas, broken into pieces
- ½ cup sliced black olives for garnish
- ½ cup sour cream for topping
- 1 cup guacamole for topping
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or your preferred cheese
- 1 cup salsa for drizzling
- ¼ onion diced, red or white
- 1 lime cut into wedges, optional
- Cilantro Lime Dressing optional, for drizzling
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook the ground meat with the taco seasoning mix until fully browned, with no pink remaining.
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Add the corn to the skillet and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until slightly browned.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large serving bowl, arrange the shredded lettuce as the base.
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Layer the seasoned meat and corn mixture, black beans, and diced tomatoes on top of the lettuce.
- Place the Doritos around the edges of the salad for a crunchy border.
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Top the salad with sliced black olives, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese, salsa, and diced onions.
- Drizzle with your preferred dressing (such as cilantro lime or ranch) and garnish with lime wedges.
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