The famous Doritos tortilla chip is one of the most popular in many countries, especially in the United States, with it being available in almost every corner store, movie theatre, and grocery store throughout the country. Since 1966, this delicious snack has graced our shelves nationwide, providing the ultimate treat for movie nights and picnics. Of course, parties, which is what makes them so appealing – they are incredibly versatile.
If you are vegan, you might have wondered if you can still indulge in Doritos, and while not all of them can be considered vegan Doritos, we may have some good news for you, so sit back and let us delve right in. As well as this, we will show you exactly how to get your hands on these vegan flavors, what to look out for, and more helpful information which goes hand in hand with leading a vegan lifestyle. So, before you reach for the nearest bag of Doritos, look at our findings first.
Here is all you need to know about vegan Doritos and which ones are vegan-friendly.
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A Bit About Doritos – The popular tortilla chip
While many of you have seen this lining the shelves in supermarkets, you may not know the Doritos' story and how they became such a staple snack for millions of Americans. Well, believe it or not, this tasty American tortilla chip was created at Disneyland, and for some, this snack was a dream come true, just like meeting Mickey Mouse in the flesh. The result of the chip, made at Casa de Fritos restaurant in Anaheim, California, resembled a dry version of the Mexican snack called chilaquiles, while the original idea was to create something similar to totopo. So, many might wonder where the name Doritos came from. It is a play on the Spanish word 'doradito,' which means little golden fried thing – and that is what it is! The snack became popular from the get-go and led to a nationwide production, with the first tortilla chip launching in 1966 throughout the United States. The rest is history, as we say!
The original tortilla chips were made back in the sixties with minimal seasoning. As you might have gathered, over the years, the flavors have expanded more and more with options such as Wasabi and Cheeseburger, to name a few. As a result, Doritos have become well known for its incredible creativity in flavor combinations and marketing campaigns involving countless celebrities and brands. So, if this has got you drooling, and you are keen to know if vegan Doritos exist in this world, then read on for our in-depth look at potential options for your next movie night.
Do Vegan Doritos Exist? - What Vegans should look out for
Many of us grew up eating Doritos and wonder if we can continue to eat them with the ever-expansion of flavors and an endless list of ingredients for which the brand has become known. While plenty of flavors are far from being vegan-friendly, there are a few you can look out for that will match your vegan lifestyle. The original Doritos flavors were considered vegan since they were made up of a plain tortilla chip that was mildly seasoned and didn't contain cheese or dairy of any kind; however, these days, even the most subtle flavors end up having hidden ingredients that come from animals, something which you should look out for.
The Hidden Truth
Yes, Doritos are made from the tortilla, which may seem like a safe bet when looking for a vegan-friendly snack, but there are plenty of things to watch out for when choosing which flavor and style to indulge in. Not all flavors are vegan; in fact, only a handful are! As a vegan, you need to be aware of animal products, animal bi-products as well as how ingredients are processed, which can turn out to be far from vegan friendly, which is why we have listed the three types of vegan Doritos which you can chow down on, with your favorite dip, without an ounce of worry. We have compiled our list of vegan Doritos that contain zero animal ingredients and are safe for any vegan to consume.
So, if you are curious about which ones these are, take a look here.
Your Choices of Vegan Doritos
Let's start with these delicious vegan Doritos, which are guaranteed to satisfy your cravings and set your palette on fire – but that's why we love them, right? Yes, Doritos Blaze is, in fact, 100% vegan-friendly and is one of the best vegan Doritos you will find, especially if you love snacks with a kick.
The ingredients you will find in a bag of Blaze chips include:
- Corn
- Vegetable Oil
- Maltodextrin
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Salt
- Sugar
- Dextrose
- Spices
- Garlic Powder
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
- Onion Powder
- Tomato Powder
- Jalapeño Pepper Powder
- Artificial Color (Red 40 Lake)
- Modified Corn Starch
While it is imperative to take note of the artificial colors that can be present in many snacks these days, since they can be derived from animal products, you can rest assured that Red 40 is 100% vegan since it comes from strawberries. So, there you go, a fantastic choice for getting your hands on a bag of vegan Doritos.
If you are looking for a great chip that goes with various dips and is entirely vegan, then you can count on the lightly salted flavor, which is an excellent choice for vegan Doritos.
The ingredients in this recipe are corn, vegetable oil, and salt, the old-fashioned recipe before Doritos went wild with their flavorings. Unlike many other Doritos flavors (which are not vegan-friendly, regardless), this flavor is ideal for pairing with just about anything and makes a perfect base if you prepare some delicious vegan nachos.
If you are a big fan of Doritos flavors, then this is one that you can be sure is vegan and that you can continue to enjoy as long as the ingredients list stays as it is.
Here is a list of the ingredients:
Corn, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Canola, and Sunflower Oil), Salt, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate, Fructose, Sodium Diacetate, Soy Sauce (Soybean, Wheat, Salt), Onion Powder, Maltodextrin (Made from Corn), Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Garlic Powder, Torula Yeast, Malic Acid, Extractives of Paprika, Spices, Caramel Color, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Dextrose, and Natural Flavor.
IT CONTAINS WHEAT AND SOY INGREDIENTS
Caramel Color: While seeing the ingredient 'caramel' can set off alarm bells for vegans, it is worth noting that this 'caramel color is not derived from the caramel itself and is 100% vegan-friendly, making these vegan Doritos a winner in our eyes. Did we mention that even PETA listed it as a vegan snack?
What do You need to Know? - All about Vegan Doritos
When it comes to sourcing vegan Doritos and vegan snacks in general, it is always good to take time to dissect the ingredients, to unveil the truth behind the label. It may come as a shock, but some snacks that appear vegan on the surface tend to have non-vegan-friendly ingredients.
You can safely assume that all of the other Doritos flavors we have not listed here, such as Salsa Verde, Cool Ranch, Nacho Cheese, Taco, Flamin Hot Limon, or even Dinamata Chile Limon- which is commonly considered to be vegan when compared to its vegan Mexican twin 'Takis,' are NOT vegan. These flavors contain animal products such as cheese, whey, and milk.
While these three vegan Doritos are suitable for those who lead a vegan diet, it is worth noting that these may be made in the same factory, and cross contamination could occur, so for strict vegans, it may not be ideal to consume these flavors. However, if this is not enough to turn you off, or if you are happy in knowing that Doritos do its best to stop the spread of contamination, then, by all means, indulge in the vegan Doritos we have listed to your heart's content.
Now that you know the ins and outs of vegan Doritos exist and the main things you need to know, the choice is yours.
Final Thoughts
We have all grown up seeing and eating this snack, no matter what the occasion, and now that you know that there are, in fact, three vegan Doritos options that contain no animal ingredients, you can continue to indulge in your favorite snack. It is no surprise that Doritos is one of the most popular brands of chips in the world and the most recognizable tortilla chip since they have come out with an array of extraordinary flavors over the years. Nevertheless, as a vegan, there are many things to watch out for when reaching for a bag of Doritos, so be sure to check the ingredients list carefully as many of these contain dairy, but better still, why not stick to our list of the three vegan Doritos which are ideally suited to you.
So, which vegan Doritos are you keen to get your hands on?