Taco Pasta Salad Doritos Avocado (Printable version)

A vibrant Tex-Mex pasta salad with Doritos crunch and creamy avocado ranch 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 frozen
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 or milk
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
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 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large salad bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, and romaine lettuce. Toss to combine.
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. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Pour avocado ranch dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro over the salad. Toss gently to incorporate.
06 - Just before serving, sprinkle crushed Doritos generously over the top to maintain their crunch and texture.
07 - Serve immediately for optimal flavor and texture. Alternatively, refrigerate without Doritos for up to 4 hours, adding the crushed chips immediately before serving to prevent sogginess.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, making it perfect for unexpected guests or weeknight dinners when you want something impressive.
  • The avocado ranch is so good you'll find yourself making it just to dip chips into it later.
  • It's the kind of dish that bridges the gap between comfort food and something you'd actually serve at a nice gathering.
02 -
  • If you make this ahead of time, keep the Doritos completely separate until serving, or they'll turn into sad soggy crumbles within an hour.
  • The avocado dressing will oxidize if you make it too far in advance, so this really is a same-day dish, but that's actually liberating because nothing about it is stressful.
03 -
  • If your avocado is perfectly ripe but you're worried about browning, add lime juice immediately after blending and keep that plastic wrap trick in your back pocket.
  • The secret to a salad that actually tastes good is aggressive seasoning in the dressing itself, so don't be shy with the salt and pepper before blending.
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