Flamin Hot Cheeto Salad (Printable)

A bold, crunchy mix of spicy Cheetos, crisp cucumber, and cilantro with tangy lime 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 until fully incorporated.
03 - Pour the dressing over the cucumber and cilantro, tossing gently to combine evenly.
04 - Just before serving, add the crushed Flamin Hot Cheetos and toss lightly until evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Serve immediately while Cheetos maintain their crunch for optimal texture.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • The ridiculous crunch factor that makes everyone keep eating
  • Takes literally ten minutes and nobody can guess the secret ingredient is junk food
  • That hot lime hit that somehow works disturbingly well
02 -
  • If you dress this more than 15 minutes before serving you will have sad soggy orange mush
  • The heat level creeps up on you—start with less hot sauce than you think you need
  • Room temperature Cheetos crush better than cold ones straight from the pantry
03 -
  • Use a light touch when tossing the final mixture—overmixing makes the Cheetos disintegrate
  • Extra lime on the table lets people adjust the acid to their taste
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