Doritos Taco Salad

Doritos and a tangy dressing with a little bit of heat, this salad is the tastiest way to get your kids to eat their vegetables!

As every mom knows, getting kids to eat their vegetables is a constant battle.  My thirteen year old covers most of her vegetables in so much ranch dressing that it is hard to consider them a vegetable and not a condiment.  This taco salad is one of my favorites.  I can get the kids to eat a ton of it, and it is easy to customize with your favorite taco toppings!

If you want to mix everything together before serving, I recommend choosing things that don’t give off a lot of moisture.  Lettuce like romaine or even kale works well, seeded Roma tomatoes, black olives, and firm peppers such as pepperoncinis are my top choices.  Toppings such as avocado are best served alongside so they don’t turn brown if there are any leftovers.

To make this salad in advance, mix together the dressing, meat, and toppings.   Reserve the Doritos and avocados, if using.  When you are ready to serve, toss the lettuce, dressing mixture, cheese, Doritos, etc. together.  Serve the crushed Doritos alongside if you prefer them at their crispiest.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef 93/7 is best, but 80/20 works too. Or you can use 2 c. Cooked black beans or lentils for vegetarian
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped if using romaine hearts, use two.
• 1 bottle creamy french dressing regular french or Dorothy Lynch dressing can be used too.
• 3 small Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 can black olives, drained and sliced
• 1/2 small yellow onion, optional
• 1/4 cup pepperoncinis, sliced optional
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup medium taco sauce
• 1 10 oz bag Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed the generic brand works just as well.

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the meat up into smaller chunks. Drain. Allow the meat to cool to at least room temperature. Placing the meat into a bowl and then into the refrigerator works best.
2. Meanwhile, prepare lettuce and other desired vegetables or toppings.
3. Stir dressing, taco sauce, and taco seasoning together in a small bowl.
4. When you are ready to serve, toss lettuce, vegetables, meat, cheese, and dressing mixture together in a large bowl. Doritos can be stirred into the mixture, or served alongside for topping at the table, if you prefer your chips to stay crispier.