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Doritos Taco Pasta Salad

This taco pasta salad has seasoned beef, two cheeses, and Catalina dressing with Doritos folded in right before serving. I’ve been bringing this to cookouts every summer since I first made it.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 ounces rotini pasta
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 ounce taco seasoning
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • ¼ slice thinly sliced green onions
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup Catalina dressing
  • 2 cups nacho cheese Doritos crushed
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the rotini pasta, and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool the noodles completely.
    16 ounces rotini pasta
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, and cook until completely browned, breaking it up as it cooks for about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
    1 pound ground beef
  3. Return the skillet to the stove over medium-low heat, sprinkle the taco seasoning packet over the meat, and add the amount of water specified on the seasoning packet. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the liquid reduces, then remove the skillet from the heat and let the beef cool completely.
    1 ounce taco seasoning
  4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rotini pasta, cooled taco ground beef, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
    1 pint cherry tomatoes, ¼ slice thinly sliced green onions, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  1. Pour the Catalina dressing over the pasta mixture and toss all the ingredients together with a large spoon until everything is evenly coated.
    1 cup Catalina dressing
  2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours, allowing the flavors to meld together before serving.
  3. Just before serving the salad, gently fold in the crushed nacho cheese Doritos and top with the chopped fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
    2 cups nacho cheese Doritos, ¼ cup fresh cilantro