This Dorito Taco Salad is a fun 20-minute dinner idea made with crunchy Cool Ranch Doritos, fresh veggies, cheese and taco sauce.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
- Bell peppers – use any colour combination of bell peppers or swap out for a different crunchy veggie like celery or jicama.
- Red onion – white or yellow onion can also be used, but will have a milder flavour.
- Extra-lean ground beef – for a healthier option, try making this taco salad with lean ground chicken or turkey or even shredded rotisserie chicken!
- Taco seasoning – to save time, you could also use a store-bought taco seasoning.
- Romaine lettuce – any salad greens can be used. Try making this salad with baby spinach or kale for an added boost of nutrients!
- Black beans – pinto beans would also be yummy on this salad.
- Frozen corn – if you’re making this salad in the summer, try grilled corn instead. Canned corn will also work in a pinch.
- Field tomato – use any other tomato of your choice or swap out for another veggie if you’re not a fan of tomato.
- Cheddar cheese – feel free to use any type of shredded or crumbled cheese you like.
- Cilantro – parsley would be the best substitute if you don't like cilantro.
- Cool Ranch Doritos – swap out for another flavour of Doritos.
- Taco sauce – you can also use enchilada sauce or fresh salsa.
How to make Dorito taco salad
- Sauté the peppers and onion.
- Cook the ground beef and add the taco seasoning.
- Prep the rest of your salad toppings.
- Assemble your salads, drizzle with sauce and enjoy!
What to serve with this salad
This is a huge salad full of protein and healthy veggies. Honestly, it is a full meal on its own! If you truly want to serve something along with it, a small cup of soup or some fresh fruit would be nice.
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To really amp up the flavours and get creative, add some different veggies to your salad. Here are a few of my favourite topping ideas:
- Sour cream
- Jalapenos (pickled or fresh)
- Avocado slices
- Diced chilies in adobo sauce
- Sliced black olives
- Pico de gallo
- Mango or tomatillo salsa
- Scallions
Frequently Asked Questions
Taco salad normally includes all of your favourite taco fillings served over a bed of lettuce instead of in taco shells! For this recipe, I used ground beef, veggies, taco seasoning, lettuce, cheese, taco sauce and some Cool Ranch Doritos for extra crunch.
This recipe has 447 calories per serving. As long as you don’t go overboard on the toppings, the calorie count is perfectly manageable! If you want even less calories, try using lean ground chicken or turkey instead of ground beef and use half the amount of Doritos.
Honestly, this is up to your personal preference. Because there is ground beef on this salad, I truly think it tastes the best when the meat is warm and the lettuce and other vegetables are cool.
How long does taco salad last in the fridge?
All the ingredients for this salad can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can prep all the salad components separately by prepping the veggies and cooking the ground meat – then when you’re ready to eat your salad, reheat the ground beef in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave and serve on your freshly-made salad.
Freezing the ground beef
While you can’t freeze the entire salad, you can definitely freeze the ground beef. Having some frozen ground beef around always comes in handy, since you can use it for taco salad, regular tacos or even taco bowls!
After cooking the ground beef, allow it to completely cool before transferring it to airtight glass containers or freezer-safe Ziploc bags. If stored properly, it will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use the beef, all you have to do is transfer the container to the fridge to thaw, then reheat and serve on your prepared salad.
More easy salad recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Here are some bento box containers that would be handy to separate the beef and veggies.
- Use these Ziploc bag holders if you're freezing the ground beef in reusable freezer bags.
The Best Dorito Taco Salad {Quick + Easy}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/2 each red, green and yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning (recipe below – mix spices together to make seasoning, or use store bought)
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
- 1 field tomato, diced and deseeded
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 20 Cool Ranch Doritos (or any other flavour your heart desires!)
- 1/2 cup taco sauce (I like the Old El Paso kind)
Taco Seasoning
- 1/2 cup chili powder
- 1/4 cup cumin
- 2 tbsp coriander
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp dried minced onion
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp red chili flakes
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat. Add bell peppers and red onion, sauteeing for 2-3 min.
- Remove veggies from heat and set aside. Lower heat to med-high. Add ground beef, breaking up with a spoon. Add ingredients under the taco seasoning heading, then cook for another 10-12 min until beef is fully cooked.
- Add lettuce to four bowls, followed by sauteed peppers and onions, ground beef, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, cheese and cilantro. Add 5-10 Doritos to each bowl. Drizzle each salad with taco sauce and enjoy!
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender says
I look forward to dinner as well… it’s seriously one of my greatest joys. Like I look forward to Steak Friday more than Christmas haha not even joking. You’re bringing back some really happy memories with the Cool Ranch Doritos. That was my favorite flavor and I actually used to buy it from the school’s concession haha.