Simple Doritos Taco Salad (Print Version)

Crunchy Tex-Mex salad with seasoned beef, Doritos, cheddar, beans, corn and ranch—ready in 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
06 - 1 cup corn kernels, canned or thawed from frozen

→ Dairy

07 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Chips

08 - 4 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos, lightly crushed

→ Dressings & Oils

09 - 1/2 cup ranch dressing or Catalina or French style dressing
10 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices

11 - 1 ounce packet taco seasoning

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until evenly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat.
02 - Add taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water to the browned beef. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, black beans, corn, and shredded cheddar cheese.
04 - Add the taco-seasoned beef and crushed Doritos to the salad mixture.
05 - Drizzle with ranch or preferred dressing, then toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
06 - Serve the salad right away to enjoy the full Doritos crunch.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • This salad turns taco night into a gloriously messy, crunchy event you can whip up with one hand while chatting.
  • Even picky eaters come back for seconds thanks to the magic combo of Doritos and creamy dressing.
02 -
  • Once, I waited too long to serve it and found a bowlful of soggy chips that had lost all crunch.
  • Mixing in the beef while still too hot wilted the lettuce, so now I always let it cool for a few minutes first.
03 -
  • Letting the taco meat rest a few minutes keeps the salad crisp and avoids limp lettuce.
  • Toss gently but thoroughly to make sure every bite gets a mix of crunch, creamy, and zingy seasoning.

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