Flamin Hot Cheeto Salad (Print Version)

Spicy crunchy salad combining Flamin Hot Cheetos, cucumber, cilantro, and zesty lime-hot sauce for an addictive snack.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 2 cups Flamin Hot Cheetos, coarsely crushed
02 - 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
03 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

→ Dressing

04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
05 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce (such as Tapatío, Valentina, or Sriracha)
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Place the diced cucumber and chopped cilantro in a large mixing bowl.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Pour the dressing over the cucumber and cilantro, tossing gently to combine.
04 - Just before serving, add the crushed Flamin Hot Cheetos and toss lightly until evenly coated.
05 - Serve immediately for maximum crunch.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It's ready in 10 minutes and requires zero cooking, which means you can make it while someone's already asking what's for dinner.
  • The combination of textures and flavors feels way more sophisticated than the three ingredients it's built on.
  • It's the kind of thing that makes people smile because it's bold and a little bit unexpected.
02 -
  • If you add the Cheetos too early, they become soggy and sad—the timing is everything with this salad, and it's worth respecting.
  • Lime juice is non-negotiable; bottled won't give you the same brightness and will make this taste flat instead of alive.
03 -
  • Crushing the Cheetos by hand in the bag keeps dust down and gives you better pieces than a blender would.
  • Taste your dressing before it meets the salad—you can always add more hot sauce or lime juice, but you can't take it out.
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