Taco Pasta Salad Doritos Avocado (Printable)

A bright mix of pasta, taco flavors, crunchy Doritos, and creamy avocado dressing for a fresh twist.

# Ingredient list:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces 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, fresh or frozen
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 0.5 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 0.5 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 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Avocado Ranch Dressing

12 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
13 - 0.5 cup mayonnaise
14 - 0.25 cup sour cream
15 - 0.25 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 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
21 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
22 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

# Cooking steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and romaine lettuce.
03 - Add avocado, mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lime juice, minced garlic, dill, parsley, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Pour the avocado ranch dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently with salad tongs or a large spoon until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro over the salad. Toss again to incorporate.
06 - Just before serving, top the salad with crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos to maintain crunchiness.
07 - Serve immediately while the Doritos remain crispy. Alternatively, refrigerate the salad without Doritos for up to 4 hours and add them immediately before serving.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can go from craving it to eating it before the craving passes.
  • The Doritos stay crispy instead of soggy because you add them right before serving, and yes, this actually matters more than you'd think.
  • One bowl feeds a crowd and tastes even better than it sounds, every single time.
02 -
  • If you add the Doritos even 15 minutes early, they'll lose their crunch and taste like wet cardboard—this is the mistake that taught me patience.
  • A ripe avocado is essential for a smooth dressing, but if you can't find a good one, Greek yogurt mixed with a little mayo makes a surprisingly good substitute that's also lighter.
03 -
  • Make the dressing a few hours ahead if you can—it gives the flavors time to meld and actually tastes better than when it's freshly made.
  • Keep the pasta and vegetables separate from the dressing until right before serving if you need to transport this, because the pasta can get mushy if it sits in dressing too long.
Return