Taco Pasta Salad Doritos Avocado (Printable)

A flavorful pasta salad featuring taco spices, crunchy Doritos, and creamy avocado-based dressing.

# What You 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, fresh or thawed
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

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
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 salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Add shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro to the salad. Toss again to combine thoroughly.
06 - Just before serving, sprinkle crushed Doritos on top for maximum crunch and texture.
07 - Serve immediately for best results. Alternatively, refrigerate without Doritos for up to 4 hours and add Doritos just before serving to prevent sogginess.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can prep it while chatting with whoever's hanging around your kitchen.
  • The Doritos stay crunchy only if you add them at the last second, so you get that textural surprise every single bite.
  • People always ask for the recipe because they can't quite believe how good creamy avocado ranch tastes mixed with taco flavors.
02 -
  • The Doritos will get soggy within about ten minutes of being mixed into the salad, so seriously save them for the end, this is non-negotiable if you want the texture you're after.
  • An underripe avocado will leave your dressing grainy and unpleasant, so pick one that yields slightly when you press it gently with your thumb.
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it on the salad because you might need more lime juice or salt depending on how creamy your avocado is.
03 -
  • If your avocado isn't ripe enough on the day you need it, skip the salad that day because using an unripe avocado will wreck the texture of the dressing.
  • Keep the cooled pasta separate from the vegetables until you're ready to dress everything, this prevents the lettuce from wilting too early.
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