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Fun Fact, Doritos were invented at Disneylands’ Casa De Fritos resteraunt, where they used old tortillas to make their chips. Frito began producing and selling regionally in 1964 and became the first tortilla chips sold nationwide in 1966. The name originates from the spanish word “doradito,” which means “little fried and golden thing.” They have released many, many flavors since then, some great, some not so great. Let’s take a look at the top five most popular variations.
Here is our lineup:
1) Nacho Cheese
2) Cool Ranch
3) Spicy Nacho
4) Salsa Verde
5) Flamin’ Hot
So, of course, the classic Nacho Cheese takes the top spot. It’s the fan favorite and does the best in sales. With its cheesy, slightly zesty flavor we all know and love, it’s been the staple of parties since its debut in 1972. The popular snack now partners with Taco Bell, which brought us the amazing Doritos Locos Taco. The chip is meant to pair perfectly with queso and bean dip. Personally, I have used them crushed up as a crisp topping for mac and cheese, or other casseroles, as well as breadcrumbs in a meatloaf. They’re so easy to cook with and provide the perfect crunch and flavor bomb. I give this one a 3/5.
Coming in at number two is Cool Ranch, which is my personal, classic favorite. The tangy, cool flavor was realeased in 1986, and its popularity quickly sky rocketed. This flavor was also turned into a taco shell in the Taco Bell collab. The spice of a good salsa, even a fruity salsa, is a fantastic addition to the cool, calm flavor of the chip. A favorite in my house is the cheesey chicken Cool Ranch casserole, it’s amazing. I also think they would make a good crust on chicken strips, so I will have to try that too. 4/5 for the Cool Ranch Doritos.
Number three is the controversial Spicy Nacho. The controversy is that it is too similar to the original, and I can see that. The only difference is a slight warmth to the chip, but I wouldn’t call it spicy. Released in 1997, Doritos’ first attempt at spice tickled the fancy of spice lovers, and this new market brought in a lot of sales. I love spice , but these just dont provide a lot of it. I would say a 2/10 on the spice scale. They are meant to be paired with five layer dip or quacamole. I dont know of any ways to utilize these in recipes, but I am sure there are fantastic recipes out there. Let me know if you find any.
Introuduced in 2014 , Salsa Verde is in spot number 4. A tangy flavor, meant to resemble the famous sauce often used in Mexican cuisine, paired with a bright green color, makes for a unique chip. Personally, I don’t like this flavor, I am not a fan of cilantro, and they do have cilantro as part of the profile. With that being said, I don’t snack on these, or cook with them, but maybe a crust on fish would be yummy? With that being said the sales of this particular chip proves its fandom, 1/5 for my tastebuds.
Number five is my favorite off of this list. Hitting shelves in the late 1990s, it quickly found a loyal fan base, me included. The spice I would say is a 5.5/10, and the infamous blazing red color is so nostalgic. Personally, I like to dip them in french onion dip, or sour cream. My favorite way to use these in the kitchen is as a crust for fried pickles. Trust me, it was so, so good. I also want to use them as a base for nachos, so when I do, I will report back to you guys! These are a 4/5 for me.
Personally, my favorites out of all the variations are the new BBQ flavor or the hard to find Blazin’ Buffalo Ranch. The BBQ is the perfect, sweet, smokey, tangy combination, I can literally eat the whole bag. Its a taste that you keep coming back for, I love them. The Blazin Buffalo Ranch is missing from shelves 90% of the time, but when I do manage to find them, I stock up. The classic flavor combo is done so well. It speaks volumes to Doritos’ flavor capabilities!
On the other hand, the newest additon to the Doritos line up is Baja Fiery Mango, and it is…terrible. Reviews lean towards it being a mistake. They are shockingly sweet, like mango candy, and the aftertaste is really bad. I bought these to try a couple of weeks ago (a small bag), and after 2 chips, I tried to pawn it off on a couple of friends. None of us liked it, I just threw the bag away. Don’t waste your money.
Make sure to let me know what your favorite is!
Until next time, friends!
