Dorito Taco Salad
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The perfect salad for a potluck or party! This Dorito Taco Salad is always a hit anywhere I bring it and we’ve been serving it my entire life. It’s loaded with ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and Nacho Cheese Doritos for the perfect crunch!
It’s not summer until you make a Dorito Taco Salad! It’s the ultimate summer salad recipe perfect for parties, backyard cookouts or you can easily eat this as your dinner or lunch. A salad with chips? Sign me up!
This salad is originally my Mom’s so we know it’s delicious. Plus, whenever I bring it somewhere it’s always one of the first salads gone! It’s loaded with ground hamburger, cheddar cheese, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, Catalina dressing and of course the Nacho Cheese Doritos!
If you try this and love it, you need to try our Dorito casserole, too!
Ingredients for Taco Salad
- Iceberg Lettuce – You could also use Romaine or mixed greens if you prefer.
- Catalina dressing – This could be subbed for Ranch or French Dressings.
- Tomatoes
- Onion
- Cheddar
- Hamburger – Easily substituted for ground chicken or turkey.
- Nacho Cheese Doritos – Mix it up by using Cool Ranch or Taco flavored Doritos!
Variations
You can really make this however you’d like with the ingredients in your pantry. If you’d rather use chicken or turkey instead of beef it’s a great substitution.
Trying making the protein with a packet of taco seasoning for an extra kick.
Other great additions are beans, corn, pico de gallo, gaucamole, green onions, black olives, peppers and more!
They are always coming out with new Dorito flavors so switch out Nacho Cheese for Taco or Spicy Doritos or whatever you’d like.
How to Make Dorito Taco Salad
Anyone can make this Taco Salad recipe because it’s so easy! If you can brown hamburger you can make it since that’s the hardest part of the entire recipe.
- Brown Hamburger – Grab your skillet and brown the hamburger then drain off the grease.
- Mix Ingredients – Mix it together with lettuce, dressing, tomatoes, onion and cheddar cheese in large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve – When you are ready to serve it mix in the Doritos and top with dressing!
Can I make this ahead of time?
They key to making this easy Taco salad ahead of time is to layer it and then toss before serving. Layering it keeps the ingredients from becoming soggy.
First layer is the ground beef, then the tomatoes and onions form layer two. Sprinkle the lettuce on top of that and then the cheese. Leave off the Doritos until serving time. When it’s time to serve mix in chips and dressing and then toss to combine.
Do not add the salad dressing until you toss it before serving.
How to Store Leftovers
Cover and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
If you are not going to enjoy this all at one time simply take out the amount you’d like, top with chips and dressing then store the rest of the salad in an airtight container in the fridge.
Pro Tips!
- Not a fan of Catalina dressing? Use Ranch, French or any other dressing you’d love.
- Iceberg is the classic lettuce used in this salad, but you can use romaine or mixed greens too.
- Top with your favorite Taco toppings like diced avocado, fresh cilantro etc.
Servings Suggestions
- Fire up the grill and make this easy BBQ Chicken Marinade for amazing grilled chicken!
- It’s not a party until you serve Instant Pot Crack Chicken along this delicious salad.
- Mix up a big batch of Margaritas to serve!
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Dorito Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head Iceberg Lettuce shredded
- 16 ounces bottle Catalina dressing
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 onion chopped, if desired
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ pounds hamburger browned and grease drained off
- 15.5 ounces bag Nacho Cheese Doritos crushed
Instructions
- In a large skillet brown hamburger and drain off grease.
- In a large bowl mix the browned hamburger together with lettuce, tomatoes, onion and cheddar cheese in large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Right before serving add dressing and mix in crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos.
Tips
- If you’d like to make this ahead of time simply layer the salad. First layer is the ground beef, then the tomatoes and onions form layer two. Sprinkle the lettuce on top of that and then the cheese. Leave off the Doritos until serving time. When it’s time to serve mix in chips and dressing and then toss to combine.
- Not a fan of Catalina dressing? Use Ranch, French or any other dressing you’d love.
- If you are not going to enjoy this all at one time simply take out the amount you’d like, top with chips and dressing then store the rest of the salad in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Iceberg is the classic lettuce used in this salad, but you can use romaine or mixed greens too.
- Top with your favorite Taco toppings like diced avocado, fresh cilantro etc.
Video
Nutrition Information
Originally Publish January 25, 2018
Linda Rodolff says
I really liked this but it was way too much for us and we dom’t WAnt to eat it every day for a week. I was thinKing I’ would ta ke Somme of it,add beef broth and maybe some other veggies and make a soup out of it. HAs anyone done that?
Julie Evink says
Hi Linda, sorry you had the problem with the leftovers. It clearly states it feeds 12 people and also gives tips if you aren’t going to use it up in one serving on how to mix it for just a few people. Thanks!
Patricia Brown says
Would this recipe work without meat? I’m asking because I want to serve it as a side to burgers and dogs.
Julie Evink says
I think it would you might need less dressing because there won’t be as much salad.
Alice Markus says
I make mine with taco seasoning packet in the meat and I don’t use any dressing on it but just have bowls of lettuce onions tomatoes taco cheese sour cream Doritos and the taco sauce in a bottle for the dressing..and don’t mix it all together but have each person make their own bowls the way they want them!! And this way the leftovers don’t get all soggy because you have mixed them altogether….
Julie Evink says
Great twists on this one! There’s so many ways to make it!
Tina says
I make this but I use taco flavored doritos, taco seasoning on the meat, and green goddess salad dressing. It’s gone in minutes around my family.
Julie Evink says
Love that twist on it! I’ll have to try it!
Elise says
I’ve been making this for years. I do use taco seasoning in the ground beef. I also use chopped green onion rather than chopped regular onions.
Ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning
Iceberg lettuce
Halved cherry tomatoes
Chopped green onions
Cucumber slices
Celery
Shredded cheddar cheese
Crushed doritos
Catalina light dressing
Julie Evink says
Great ways to mix it up!
Judy says
Buy your munchkin Miss Missmatched socks, none of them match!! I wear them all the time and let’s just say I’m old enough to order mine from Amazon!!
kim says
This looks simple and delicious. But do you have ideas for substitutes for the Catalina dressing – stuff that would be available in foreign countries (in particular France)? Thanks!
Julie Evink says
Do you have French Dressing? You could use that!
Tiffany says
Salsa works good too
Jill says
This salad is so good. We add a can of red kidney beans that have been drained and rinsed. It is not the prettiest salad, but super yummy!
Melissa says
I add avocado to mine & we also use thousand island dressing instead of Catalina.
We mix our own in bowls w/ dressing and Doritos that way it doesn’t get soggy. 🙂
Julie Evink says
Oooo yes great ideas!
Melanie @ Just Some Salt and Pepper says
It’s great to think that you’re starting traditions. This combines some of my favorite flavors!
Julie Evink says
Thanks Melanie!
Jocelyn@BruCrew Life says
Yum, I could go for this any given day! It looks nice and simple to make, which I totally dig! 😉
Julie Evink says
Thanks Jocelyn!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
Taco salad is the best. I could eat it every day! I wish Jordan would eat it!
Julie Evink says
That’s I feel about the hubs. At least the kid likes it so far!
Kalamity Kelli says
YUM!! I haven’t thought of taco salad in ages but it’s perfect for this really hot weather! Can’t wait to make it!
Julie Evink says
Thanks Kelli!
Karissa K. @ Sweet As A Cookie says
My boyfriend also doesn’t eat half the ingredients in here. Who doesn’t like lettuce? This sounds amazing though 🙂
Julie Evink says
Haha MEN! Jeez. 🙂
Danielle Green says
Oh man, I wouldn’t survive with your husband long, lol. 🙂 I thought mine was bad, but I am not sure what ingredients in that list he possibly couldn’t like!?!?! This actually looks like a great meal to take out to Matt in the field! I can mix it all up (and sneak some ground turkey in there – he never knows when I go half and half) without the chips and just bring a bag of Doritos along.
Julie Evink says
Haha no you would not. He’d be eating pizza every night and you’d be eating something gourmet! Sometimes I just ignore him and make something I’ll enjoy. He can pick something out if he doesn’t like it. Men….no adventure in their taste buds!
Laura Gabriel says
I would add Penzeys taco seasoning to the ground beef.
Julie Evink says
Great addition!