Flamin Hot Cheeto Salad (Printable View)

Spicy, crunchy salad combining Flamin Hot Cheetos with fresh cucumber, cilantro, and zesty lime-hot sauce dressing.

# 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 Make It:

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.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • The contrast between the cool, crisp cucumber and the fiery Cheetos creates a texture and flavor dance that keeps you coming back for just one more bite.
  • Its the ultimate crowd-pleaser that takes literally minutes to throw together when you need something impressive but your energy tank is on empty.
02 -
  • The timing of adding the Cheetos is absolutely critical - I once made the mistake of mixing them in advance and returned to find a soggy, sad mess that no one would touch.
  • Crushing the Cheetos in the bag while still sealed (press out the air first) keeps your hands clean and gives you the perfect control over chunk size.
03 -
  • Storing the prepped cucumber and cilantro base in the refrigerator for up to an hour before serving intensifies the flavor contrast when the warm-temperature Cheetos are added.
  • For gatherings, set up a DIY station with the dressed vegetables in one bowl and crushed Cheetos in another, letting guests combine them individually for maximum crunch every time.
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