Taco Salad with Homemade Dressing Recipe and Doritos (2024)

March 23, 2017November 10, 2023

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This Taco Salad with Homemade Dressing is perfect for your next pitch-in or as a fun weeknight dinner for the family. The homemade dressing uses a can of tomato soup so it’s easy to put together and everyone will love the flavor.

Taco Salad with Homemade Dressing

Barbara first had a version of this taco salad at her godson’s baptism. It was love at first bite so she, of course, asked for the recipe.

Aren’t these the best kind of recipes? The ones that are passed from a friend of a friend to us?

Dorito Taco Salad

If you are serving a big crowd and anticipate eating this Taco Salad with Homemade Dressing at one sitting, then go ahead and mix all the ingredients.

If not, Barbara recommends making individual, customized salads for each member of the family. That way instead of being stuck with soggy leftovers, you can have crisp salads another day that taste just as great as the original.

The secret ingredient in this homemade dressing is a can of tomato soup. Yes, I said TOMATO SOUP!

The dressing will stay in the fridge for a couple weeks, just give it a good shake to re emulsify the oil. The dressing recipe makes 2 pints, so it is easily halved (as is the salad recipe) if you aren’t feeding a crowd and don’t want leftovers.

You can easily prep the salad, meat mixture and dressing the night before serving and just throw them all together at the last minute (just be sure to shake the dressing before adding).

How to Make Taco Salad with Homemade Dressing

Step by Step Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet and drain.
2. Add drained beans and ground beef back to skillet and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. For taco salad dressing recipe, add all of the ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.
4. Toss ground beef/beans, lettuce, onion, tomatoes, cheese and Doritos together and top with dressing. Serve immediately.

For the full instructions for Doritos Taco Salad, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Ingredient List

• Lean Ground Beef
• Red Kidney Beans
• Iceberg Lettuce or Romaine Lettuce
• Diced tomatoes (cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, etc.)
• Yellow onion, white onion or red onion
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Nacho Cheese Doritos
• Canned tomato soup
• Sugar
• Vegetable oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Dry mustard powder

Optional Ingredients

• Sliced Avocado
• Salsa
• Corn
• Black Olives
• Green onions
• Fresh cilantro
• Sour cream
• Diced bell peppers

Recipe FAQs

• Use your favorite taco salad ingredients.
• Substitute black beans or pinto beans for kidney beans.
• Do not toss this until right before serving. You do not want a soggy salad.
• This Catalina dressing will stay good in the refrigerator for a couple weeks. Just give it a good stir or shake before using. Feel free to make it ahead of time.
• Any flavor of Doritos can be used.

What dressing for taco salad?

My three favorite dressings to top a taco salad is Ranch dressing, Catalina dressing and Avocado dressing.

More Taco-Inspired Recipes

Mexican Lasagna

Crock Pot Enchiladas

Easy Taco Salad

Ground Beef Burritos

Taco Chopped Salad