Easy Dorito Taco Salad
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing easy meal that brings everyone running to the table, this Easy Dorito Taco Salad recipe is it. Loaded with seasoned lean ground beef, crisp romaine lettuce, juicy diced tomatoes, and a bold crunch from nacho cheese Doritos, this delicious taco salad is always a big hit with the whole family. Toss everything together in a large bowl with your favorite salad dressing— we love my homemade Thousand Island or maybe you love Catalina dressing, French dressing, or a creamy twist with sour cream—and you’ve got a flavorful main dish or side dish that delivers every time. It’s one of those favorite salads that’s quick to make, easy to customize, and guaranteed to earn rave reviews at any gathering.
Why I love this taco salad
This salad is full blown nostalgia for me. Memories of beach days, church potlucks, family picnics, come to mind, when I think of this salad. This was a clean out the fridge salad for my mom. A way to use that extra tomato, lettuce, or onion and throw in some taco meat and a bag of Doritos. Yes, please! My mom would often mix the dressing right into the salad. I prefer to let each person add there own. I think the most common salad dressing used on this salad is Catalina, or Western dressing. However, we ate it with Thousand Island salad dressing. I’m not sure why? I’m sure it was because all we had was Thousand Island on hand and my mom just went with it. There was no running quick to the grocery store where I grew up. Improvisation was the name of the game when it came to making dinner; and this improv is delicious. So if Catalina salad dressing or Western salad dressing are what you are used to then use them, but I challenge you to give the Thousand Island salad dressing a try. Growing up we store-bought, but I love the homemade version I make. I always keep it on hand. If you have never even heard of this potluck gem, let alone eaten it well may I say you’ve been robbed! This is the perfect easy summer dinner salad.
Gather these ingredients
How to make Dorito Taco Salad
Clean lettuce, dice tomatoes, shred red cabbage and layer in a large bowl.
Add a drained can of corn over top, as well as the diced tomatoes.
Brown the lean ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon off any excess grease or liquid. Add taco seasoning from to the meat.
Pro Tip: I like to put my sliced red onion in a bowl and cover it with half white wine vinegar (any vinegar will work) and half water. Let it set for at least a half an hour. Or you can do this in a mason jar and store in your refrigerator. Putting the red onion in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water mellows the sharp flavor of the onion.
Add cooled, but not cold taco meat to the top of the salad. You can also add the onion at this time.
Crunch up half of the bag of Doritos and add them to the salad bowl. Mix to combine. At this point you can add the dressing, toss with the salad and add the remaining half a bag of Doritos, or you can let each person add their own dressing and crunch the extra nacho cheese chips over their salad.
Note: as a kid my mom always added the dressing for us, we just ate it. For some reason catered to my kids whims and let them add their own dressing and extra Doritos. I’m a push over like that.
Variations and Tips
Make it your own.
- Swap the lean ground beef for ground turkey for a lighter option, or try a mix of both for extra flavor.
- Add beans like black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans to stretch the meat mixture and add protein.
- Not a fan of one ingredient? This dorito taco salad recipe is super flexible—adjust it to your own taste with your favorite toppings.
Dorito options
- Classic nacho cheese Doritos bring that iconic flavor, but cool ranch Doritos or even spicy Doritos are fun ways to change things up.
- For the best texture, add crushed Doritos right before serving so they stay perfectly crunchy.
Fresh & Flavorful Add-Ons
- There are so many options for add-ons. Here are a few of my favorites: diced avocado, sour cream, sliced red bell pepper, sliced or diced green bell pepper, julienned carrots, thinly sliced cucumber.
Dressing Choices
- Traditionalists love Catalina dressing or French dressing for that sweet-and-tangy bite.
- For a creamier version, try mixing sour cream with taco sauce or using a creamy ranch dressing.
- Want to switch it up? A different dressing can completely transform this delicious salad. A bottled South West Ranch Dressing pairs with this salad as well.
Serving & Storage
- Serve in a large bowl for gatherings or portion into individual servings for easy entertaining.
- If you expect leftovers, store the salad (without Doritos) in an airtight container and add fresh chips the next day to keep that crunch.
This Easy Dorito Taco Salad is a nostalgic family favorite that’s been showing up at church potlucks, summer picnics, and beach days for as long as I can remember. Made with seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, fresh veggies, and crunchy nacho cheese Doritos, it’s a quick and flavorful dish that comes together in minutes. Tossed with your favorite dressing, this easy taco salad is always a crowd-pleasing main dish or side that everyone loves. From my table to yours with love, Sheila
Easy Dorito Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning whatever your favorite is
- 10 cups chopped romaine lettuce about 3 heads of romaine lettuce
- 2 cups finely chopped red cabbage
- 1 can corn
- 1 cup sliced red onion
- 2 cups diced tomato
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup thousand island dressing
- 9.5 ounce bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos
additional toppings may include: sour cream, black olives, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, chopped cilantro, diced avocado
Instructions
- Brown ground beef. Drain any excess grease or liquid from the meat. Add taco seasoning and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
- Clean lettuce, chop into thin strips and wash, and dry. Place in large bowl.
- Clean and dice tomatoes. Clean and slice red cabbage.
- Slice red onion. Use as is or place in a jar and cover with 1/2 water, 1/2 white wine vinegar and set aside – this step helps to mellow the flavor of the onions.
- Shred cheese if using blocked cheese.
- Once all your ingredients have been prepped it's time to make your salad. Layer taco meat on top of lettuce in large bowl, then layer the additional ingredients on top of that. Crunch up Doritos and add have of the back toss.
- At this point you can serve with salad dressing on the side or you can pour it over the top and toss to combine. Add the other half of the Doritos after tossing with dressing.
