Who hasn’t tipped back an empty bag of Doritos and inhaled the spicy, cheesy, intoxicating powder, colloquially known as Dorito Dust? Sure, naked corn chips are fine, but that scientifically engineered seasoning is what makes a Dorito a Dorito.
In The Dorito Effect, author Mark Schatzker discusses the complex flavor profile that makes snack foods and drinks, like Doritos and Coca-Cola, so craveable. Everybody knows what Coca-Cola should taste like, but it’s very difficult to isolate exactly what’s going on flavor-wise. Do we detect a little bit of vanilla? A hint of lime? Maybe some cinnamon? It’s the same with Doritos, which are at once cheesy, garlicky, peppery, and packed with umami. Your brain can’t completely process their taste—which means it’s easy to consume large quantities without ever getting sick of that elusive nacho-cheese flavor.
While the exact formula for that sacred seasoning blend might be under lock and key, we set out to replicate Doritos seasoning with common pantry ingredients. The result? Our own Doritos spice blend that’s as good on chips as it is on chicken or tofu. With this handy recipe in your arsenal, you can get your snack on without making a trip to the corner store.
How to make homemade Doritos seasoning:
Some DIY Doritos seasoning recipes rely on obscure or hard-to-find ingredients, like tomato powder or cheddar cheese powder. Ours comes together with spices you’re likely to have in the cupboard already. Nutritional yeast brings the cheesy flavor, while MSG brings the umami punch the chip is known for. Giving the spice blend a quick whiz in the food processor (or a spice grinder) breaks it down into a fine powder, ideal for coating chips or sprinkling over popcorn. (If you don’t have a food processor, just give the mixture a nice whisk.)
What you’ll need:
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp. MSG
What to do:
In the bowl of a small food processor or spice grinder, combine ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder, ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. smoked paprika, and ¼ tsp. MSG. Pulse until the mixture is powdery, with no large flakes of nutritional yeast remaining.
Use Doritos seasoning to make flavor-charged tofu bites.
How to use homemade Doritos seasoning:
Want to make your own DIY Doritos? It’s as easy as coating tortilla chips in this transformative powder. (If you’re an overachiever, feel free to cut and fry corn tortillas yourself—but the easier route is to use a bag of tortilla chips from the grocery store.) We like to flash them in the oven until toasty and golden before tossing them with the Doritos seasoning blend. Remember that tortilla chip brands vary in their salt content, so taste them and adjust the amount of salt in the spice blend as necessary.
