This Classic Dorito Taco Salad is a family favorite dish that is perfect for potlucks, parties, and cookouts.
Dorito taco salad is made with seasoned beef, black beans, fresh veggies, Doritos, and Catalina salad dressing. This taco salad is delicious served hot or cold and is the perfect addition to any table spread.
Dorito Taco Salad
Dorito taco salad is a classic side dish that is very popular at potlucks, cookouts, parties, and BBQ's. Ever since I was a child, I've seen this taco salad at family reunions, potlucks, and cookouts and I serve this salad at my own cookouts.
This Dorito taco salad never lasts long and it quickly became a favorite dish to serve at family events.
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Ingredients in Dorito Taco Salad
Very basic ingredients are used in this taco salad and it's easy to customize this salad for the addition of your favorite taco ingredients.
- Ground beef - cooked, crumbled, and drained
- Red onion - diced finely
- Green pepper - you and use any color bell pepper you want, we prefer red peppers
- Tomatoes - chopped
- Taco seasoning - either homemade or a seasoning packet
- Black beans - drained and rinsed, they can be substituted for pinto beans or red beans, or, left out of the salad.
- Cheddar cheese - shredded
- Doritos - Nacho flavor, crushed
- Catalina dressing - this can be substituted for French, ranch, or Italian dressing.
How to Make Dorito Taco Salad
This dish is incredibly easy to make and it is similar to making tacos! The first step to making this taco salad is to brown, drain, and season the beef.
This step is just like making tacos, the ground beef gets cooked until browned, the grease is drained, and the taco seasoning is added and cooked according to the directions on the packet.
A meat chopper is a great tool to use when preparing taco meat and it crumbles ground beef easily and quickly!
Once the seasoning is cooked into the ground beef, the beef is set aside and allowed to cool.
While the ground beef is cooking, the veggies can be prepped by washing and prepping and the black beans are drained and rinsed.
A vegetable chopper is the perfect kitchen tool when you have a lot of vegetables that need to be chopped!
The cooled beef is added to the serving dish and the Catalina dressing is mixed into the beef. The beans, if using, are stirred into the beef mixture, followed by the diced peppers, red onion, and tomatoes.
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TIP: After chopping the tomatoes, add them to a bowl and sprinkle them with salt. This will release excess moisture and the tomatoes will hold up better in the salad!
These ingredients get stirred together and the next step is the cheese, and the chopped Romaine lettuce.
If not serving right away, store the mixed ingredients with Romaine lettuce and the cheese layered on top of the mixed ingredients in the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, top with the crushed Doritos and mix the salad before serving.
If you're making this Dorito Taco Salad for lunch, scoop out the mixed ingredients into a lunch container and top with the romaine lettuce and shredded cheese. Serve the crushed Doritos separately to prevent them from getting soggy.
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Classic Taco Salad Variations
Feel free to get creative and add your favorite toppings in this Dorito taco salad.
Some delicious toppings to add into this taco salad are:
- Guacamole
- Green onions
- Black olives
- Pico de Gallo
- Red Salsa
- Super Sweet Corn
Catalina dressing is a classic but French, Italian, and Ranch dressings are other delicious variations to try!
Nacho cheese Doritos are the classic chip for this taco salad but there are a lot of different flavors to choose from including Cool Ranch and Flamin' Hot Nacho flavors.
📖 Recipe
Classic Dorito Taco Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 small red onion - diced
- 2 tomatoes - chopped
- 1 green pepper - chopped (or any color bell pepper you choose)
- 15 oz black beans - drained and rinsed (can be substituted for pinto or red beans)
- ½ cup Catalina dressing - add more if desired (you can substitute French, ranch, or Italian.
- 2 cups romaine lettuce - chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 10 oz bag of Doritos - crushed
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef until no longer pink, drain.
- Add in the taco seasoning and cook according to the packet.
- Remove the seasoned ground beef from the heat and allow to cool.
- While the ground beef is cooking, cut the tomatoes, lettuce, pepper, and onion.
- Drain and rinse the black beans, and set aside.
- In a serving dish, layer the ground beef.
- Pour the Catalina dressing over top of the beef and stir.
- Layer the beans, tomatoes, peppers, and onion. Stir to combine.
- If serving immediately, toss with the chopped romaine lettuce, shredded cheese, and the crushed Doritos.
- If storing for later, refrigerate the meat mixture and save the romaine lettuce, shredded cheese, and crushed Doritos to toss with the salad when serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Jere says
I can't find the Catalina dressing in stores here and that is what I love about this salad so thank you for leaving that link. You can't go wrong with serving this salad.
Gina says
I will be making this for my step son's bday party this weekend! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Ann says
You can never go wrong with this taco salad! Always a crowd pleaser! Thanks for the share - I will have to make it again!
Jenny says
Clever use of Doritos for that intense nacho flavor. Cheers!