Taco Pasta Salad Doritos Avocado (Printer-friendly)

A colorful pasta salad featuring taco seasoning, creamy avocado ranch, and crunchy Doritos for satisfying texture.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
04 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
08 - 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

→ Toppings

09 - 2 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos, coarsely crushed
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Avocado Ranch Dressing

12 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
13 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
14 - 1/4 cup sour cream
15 - 1/4 cup buttermilk
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
19 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
20 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
21 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
22 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and romaine lettuce.
03 - In a blender or food processor, combine avocado, mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lime juice, garlic, dill, parsley, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
04 - Pour avocado ranch dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Add shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro to the salad, then toss again to distribute.
06 - Just before serving, sprinkle crushed Doritos on top to maintain crunchiness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means you can actually pull this off on a weeknight without losing your mind.
  • The avocado ranch tastes like summer in a bowl, creamy and bright without being heavy.
  • Doritos as a salad ingredient sounds weird until you taste it, then it becomes genius.
  • Works as a main dish or a side, feeds a crowd, and people always ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Adding the Doritos too early is how you end up with chip dust instead of crunch, so wait until the last possible moment.
  • Don't skip the rinsing of the black beans, that starchy water is what makes salads soggy and defeats the entire purpose.
03 -
  • If you're worried about your avocado browning in the dressing, squeeze a little extra lime juice on it and it stays vibrant green longer.
  • Crushing the Doritos with your hands gives you better control than smashing them in the bag, and you get some bigger pieces that stay crunchier.
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