This Dorito Taco Salad recipe is so easy and delicious! Full of flavor with seasoned ground beef, beans, lettuce, Fiesta blend cheese, crushed Doritos, and Catalina dressing.
The crushed Doritos take this Taco salad to a whole new level by adding extra flavor and a delicious crunch.

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Dorito Taco Salad is one of those dishes that everyone seems to love. You can serve it all tossed together in a large bowl, or we like to serve it with all the ingredients set out, salad bar style, and let everyone assemble their salad just the way they like it. This works great when you have picky eaters.
Ingredients
See the printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.

This amazing taco salad recipe is packed with flavor thanks to the delicious combination of ingredients. All you need are a few simple items to create this Mexican inspired dish at home, including:
- Ground beef
- Taco seasoning
- Lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes
- Pinto or black beans
- Red onion
- Fiesta blend cheese
- Catalina dressing
- Nacho cheese Doritos
How To Make Doritos Taco Salad
You’ll love how quick and easy this taco salad recipe comes together. And since it’s so easy to make, it’s an excellent option for any occasion – from a quick weeknight dinner to a delicious potluck side dish!
To prepare your own Dorito taco salad at home, all you have to do is follow these simple instructions.
Start by making the taco meat to add to your salad. First, cook one pound of ground beef in a large skillet until the meat is brown and crumbled.

After that, you can season your beef by adding your favorite taco seasoning to the pan. Add some water with the seasoning to help it cook, then allow the sauce mixture to simmer for a few minutes until it begins to thicken.
Once the taco seasoning has thickened, remove the pan from heat and allow the meat to cool slightly.
When your taco meat is ready to go, it’s time to start prepping the rest of your salad ingredients! Roughly chop the lettuce and place the leaves in a strainer.
Run the lettuce under cold water to clean it, then allow it to sit and air dry while you chop the remaining ingredients. You’ll also need to slice your cherry tomatoes in half and dice the red onion.


Now, all that’s left to do is combine all the ingredients together. Start by adding the lettuce, tomatoes, beans, red onion, shredded cheese, and taco meat to a large bowl. Stir to mix all the veggies and meat together.
After that, add your crushed Doritos and salad dressing. Stir to mix all ingredients together until the entire salad is coated in dressing.

Can I Make This Taco Salad Ahead Of Time?
While salads are usually fine when made ahead, this Dorito salad recipe is best when served right after mixing since it has warm taco meat and crunchy chips.
You can still do a little bit of the prep work before you serve the dish.
- Chop and combine the veggies. Start by chopping your lettuce, slicing your tomatoes, and chopping your onion. Then, stir all the ingredients together and store it in a covered bowl or airtight container. The vegetables will stay good for up to one day.
- Make the taco meat. You can also prepare your taco meat ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve your salad. If you don’t mind the meat being cold when the salad is served, you can add it directly to your vegetables. Or heat the meat in the microwave or a skillet over low heat before adding it to your salad.
Doing these steps ahead of time will make prep work a breeze! Since you already have all the time-consuming elements of your recipe ready to go, all you have to do is stir your dressing, cheese, beans, and chips to serve your salad.
What Other Ingredients Can I Add To Taco Salad?
There are so many variations and ingredients you can add to make it your own and you can substitute ingredients to use what you have on hand.
Below are some of the options you can add or switch out depending upon your preferences.
- Use ground turkey instead of ground beef.
- Add black olives, red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, green onions, or jalapenos.
- Substitute kidney beans in place of the black beans or pinto beans.
- Corn is a great addition to taco salad.
- Add in fresh avocado slices.
- Top with salsa or guacamole.
- Use your favorite French dressing or Catalina dressing.

Here a few more salad recipes to try!
Adding nacho cheese Doritos takes the basic salad dinner to the next level. This Dorito taco salad recipe is sure to be a hit no matter when you serve it.

Doritos Taco Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped
- 1 pint Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups fiesta blend shredded cheese
- 16 ounce bottle Catalina dressing
- 10 ounce bag nacho cheese Doritos, slightly crushed
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. When the meat is cooked through, drain any excess fat and add the taco seasoning and water. Stir to mix and simmer until the sauce has thickened, around five minutes. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
- Add the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, beans, onion, cheese, and taco meat to a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- Add the dressing and Doritos and stir to mix.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!