Doritos Taco Salad

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe – a classic recipe from our childhood. Taco meat, kidney beans, tomatoes, lettuce, Catalina dressing, cheese, and Doritos. Such a quick & delicious Mexican recipe. Kids and adults gobble this up I mean, who wouldn’t want to eat Doritos for dinner?!

bowl of doritos taco salad

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Easy Weeknight Mexican Recipe

This Doritos Taco Salad is a family favorite. I’ve been eating this classic recipe almost my whole life. It is super simple to make and always gets rave reviews. You can serve this as a main dish or as a side dish with your favorite Mexican dishes. However you serve this, just make it! Taco meat, red kidney beans, shredded cheese, fresh lettuce, Catalina dressing, and Doritos – what’s not to love?!? This delicious taco salad is always a hit! Give this a try the next time you need a meal the whole family will enjoy!

How to Make Doritos Taco Salad

This easy meal is effortless to make with only a few simple ingredients. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain grease. Add a packet of taco seasoning and water. Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Cut a head of iceberg lettuce on a cutting board. In a large serving bowl, layer chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, and red kidney beans. Top with cooled ground beef. Drizzle Catalina salad dressing over the top of the salad and toss to coat. Add crushed Doritos and toss thoroughly. Serve immediately.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

  • You can substitute ground turkey for ground beef.
  • Can use iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce.
  • Here is our recipe for homemade taco seasoning: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/
  • This is a great base recipe. Add all of your favorite taco toppings to the salad.
    • black olives
    • red onions
    • bell peppers
    • green onions
    • jalapeños
    • avocado slices
  • I use kidney beans in this recipe. Feel free to substitute pinto beans, ranch style beans, or black beans.
  • If you don’t like Catalina salad dressing, you can substitute French dressing, thousand island dressing, or ranch dressing.
  • You can use any cheese that you enjoy. Cheddar cheese, pepper jack, Monterey Jack all work great.
  • I use Nacho Cheese Doritos. Feel free to use your favorite flavor. This is really good with Cool Ranch Doritos, Spicy Doritos, or Taco Doritos.
  • Can I make Doritos Taco Salad in advance? Yes. Make the taco meat. Place the ground meat, beans, tomatoes, cheese, and dressing in an airtight container. Place chopped lettuce in a separate container. When ready to serve, place the contents of the containers in a large serving bowl and toss with Doritos.
bowl of doritos taco salad

What to Serve with Easy Doritos Taco Salad Recipe

I love to make this salad for taco night, family gatherings, and potlucks. It is always a crowd favorite! I mean how could it not be? Top the salad with some sour cream and salsa. YUM!

You don’t need a lot of side dishes to go with this delicious salad. It is a full meal in a bowl! We usually serve this with a side of chips & salsajalapeño ranch dip, or queso and chips. SO much better than a Mexican restaurant!

Here are a few of our favorite recipes from the blog that go great with this easy salad:

Jalapeno Ranch Dip

Jalapeno Ranch Dip – so simple and tastes better than Chuy’s! I made this for a party and it was…

bowl of doritos taco salad

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe

Yield: 6 people
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Doritos Taco Salad Recipe – a classic recipe from our childhood. Taco meat, kidney beans, tomatoes, lettuce, Catalina dressing, cheese, and Doritos. Such a quick & delicious Mexican recipe. Kids and adults gobble this up I mean, who wouldn't want to eat Doritos for dinner?!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 (1-oz) package taco seasoning
  • cup water
  • 1 (15-oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup Catalina or French dressing
  • 1 (9.25-oz) bag Doritos, crushed

Instructions:

  • In a large skillet cook grond beef until no longer pink. Drain fat. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl, layer lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and kidney beans. Top with taco meat. Toss with dressing. Add crushed Doritos and toss thoroughly. Serve immediately.

Notes:

  • You can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef.
  • This is a great base recipe. Add all of your favorite taco toppings to the salad. Olives, onions, bell peppers are all good in this dish.
  • If you don’t like Catalina dressing, you can substitute French dressing.
  • I used Nacho Cheese Doritos. Feel free to use your favorite flavor. This is really good with Cool Ranch or Taco Doritos.
  • Here is our recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning made with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/

Steph

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Comments

  1. I plan to make this as a “taco bar” meal and allow everyone to make their own take on the salad. I have to consider a vegan in the family gathering, so having all the items laid out separately will enable each one to build their own salad the way they want it. We’ll likely include chopped lettuces, taco meat, the beans, some roasted corn, peppers, red onion, cheddar (and vegan) cheeses, salsa, sour cream, guac, a variety of dressings, and of course the Doritos!

  2. What brand of Catalina or French dressing do you prefer? So many out there here that to me makes or breaks the salad.

  3. I made this the other day with left over chili with tomatoes and corn. used avocado ranch dressing and french

  4. I love this salad, but I have never tried it with the beans. I will have to try that. I love it with Catalina Dressing. My Daughter uses Salsa, and Sour Cream.

  5. Did you ever try the same recipe, only replacing the Catalina dressing with Thousand Island and not using beans? To die for!! I alternate between the two recipes.

  6. Wow, thank you for this blast from my past. I will be making this for my husband soon!

    Kate5405, that's probably where my mom got the recipe too! I grew up with it and always loved it.

  7. I first saw this salad at a Tupperware party in1968 to advertise their large Fix and Mix bowl. I have been making it ever since. And I still have the bowl.

  8. I also had this salad years ago, and loved it! I am going to make this for a ladies luncheon very soon, but I will also add chopped tomato, green onions and cilantro. Yummy! Thanks for reminding me about this excellent recipe of years gone bye.

  9. Hello, Stephanie! This looks delicious! Do you have any idea of how many calories this has ? I must tell you that it has taken me 30 minutes to type this. It's so slow, and I ended up having to type one letter by letter So I will make this short. Thank you so much, love this site!!

  10. My mom used to make this, almost exactly except with tortillas chips and red onions! I love this taco salad and it looks even better with Doritos!

      1. Had this a lot when growing up I make it exactly like the recipe but usually never measure ingredients…love It!Great in the summer

  11. We had this when I was growing up, too! It's been a long time since I made it though. I will have to put it on my menu.

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