Homemade Doritos-Style Locos Tacos

Name: Homemade Doritos-Style Locos Tacos
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Mexican
Ingredients: 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour; 0.25 cup Beef Stock; 1 tbsp Canola Oil; 0.5 tsp Cheese Powder; 1 tbsp Chili Powder; 1 tsp Diced Bell Pepper; 1 cup Diced Tomatoes; 0.75 tsp Garlic Powder; 0.25 tsp Ground Turmeric; 1.5 lb Lean Ground Beef; 1 tsp Onion Powder; 1.5 tsp Paprika; 1 tbsp Powdered Buttermilk; 0.5 tsp Ranch Dressing Mix; 0.25 tsp Red Pepper Flakes; 1.5 tsp Salt; 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese; 1.25 cups Shredded Lettuce; 1 cup Sour Cream; 0.75 tsp Sugar; 0.75 tsp Taco Seasoning; 6 whole Taco Shell; 1 tbsp Tomato Paste

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪Snack 🍿 Tex-Mex 🇺🇸🇲🇽Mexican High-Protein 💪Low-Carb Halal 🕌Comfort-Food Anabolic Diet

Homemade Doritos-Style Locos Tacos deliver a bold crunch with shells dusted in tangy ranch and cheesy seasoning, wrapped around juicy, spiced ground beef. Each bite balances creamy sour cream, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, and sharp cheddar for a fun, nostalgic twist. Perfect for game nights or casual dinners when you want fast-food flair at home.

Prep40 mins
Cook10 mins
Serves6
DifficultyMedium

1

To make the “Cool Ranch” and "Nacho Cheese" shells, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (162 degrees C).
2

For the "Cool Ranch" shells, place tomato powder, buttermilk powder, onion powder, sugar, garlic powder, cheese powder, and ranch dressing mix in a food processor bowl; pulse until well combined. Move the spice mixture to a medium bowl. Working with 1 taco shell at a time, brush the outside of the taco shells with canola oil using a pastry brush; sprinkle the outside of each shell evenly with the tomato powder mixture, tapping it against the side of the bowl to shake off any excess. As you finish coating each shell, arrange them in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.
3

For the "Nacho Cheese" shells, add cheese powder, buttermilk powder, dehydrated bell pepper, cheesy taco seasoning mix, onion powder, tomato powder, sugar, and garlic powder to a food processor bowl; pulse until the dehydrated bell pepper is ground and everything is well combined. Working with 1 taco shell at a time, brush the outside of the taco shells with canola oil using a pastry brush; sprinkle the outside of each shell evenly with the tomato powder mixture, tapping it against the side of the bowl to remove any excess. As you finish coating each shell, place them in a single layer on the same large rimmed baking sheet with the “Cool Ranch” shells.
4

Bake the “Cool Ranch” and “Nacho Cheese” shells in the preheated oven at 325 degrees C (162 degrees C) for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until lightly toasted.
5

To make the taco filling, whisk flour, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, sugar, garlic powder, red pepper, and turmeric together in a bowl. Whisk in beef stock; set the mixture aside.
6

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef to the pan; cook, stirring and “chopping” with a wooden spoon to break it up, until the beef starts to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Increase the heat and stir in the beef stock mixture; cook for 1 minute. Stir in cheesy taco seasoning; cook, stirring often, until the beef is cooked through and the liquid has thickened. Remove from heat.
7

To assemble the tacos, spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture into each of the 12 shells; top the meat evenly with sour cream. Evenly layer lettuce, tomato, and cheese on each taco.