The ultimate party snack, Doritos are massively popular throughout the UK, US and Europe. Packed full of flavour, they are amazing either by themselves or with your dip of choice.
Made by Frito-Lay, part of the PepsiCo organisation, they were originally created by a Mexican restaurant in Disneyland, California. What a beginning, am I right?
Back to the most important question. Are Doritos vegan?
Short answer, not really. But they do offer some vegan options for the diehard Dorito fan, so let’s look at it in a little more detail.
Vegomm score: 50%
- Brand is certified vegan: NO
- Brand offers a selection of vegan products: YES
- Brand tests on animals: NO
- Parent company tests other brands on animals: YES
Are Doritos Certified Vegan?
Doritos aren’t certified vegan, and while they do have some vegan products, they’ll unfortunately never get a certification for them.
The reason for this is simple. All flavours of the tortilla snack are made In the same factory. This means that alongside the vegan varieties, are all of the other flavours that contain milk powder.
It is this risk of cross-contamination that prevents the brand from ever being vegan-certified.
Is Not Being Vegan Certified a Problem?
It depends. Do you feel it’s a problem?
This is a very personal thing. Many vegans won’t eat foods that aren’t certified vegan, but others feel that the risk of cross-contamination is low enough that they’re still happy to eat the vegan flavours on offer.
Which Doritos are Vegan?
Now for the answer to the question you’ve been waiting for. Which flavours of Doritos don’t have animal products?
The wait is over, we have a comprehensive list right here. Let’s dive straight in.
Are Flame Grilled Steak Doritos Vegan?
No. The Grilled Steak flavouring contains milk, so this is a no for vegans everywhere. There aren’t any other animal products however, making these Doritos vegetarian friendly, even if they do have ‘steak’ in the name.
Are Cool Original Doritos Vegan?
No. Known as Cool Ranch in America and Cool American elsewhere in Europe, it’s always been known as Cool Original in the UK. So are Cool Ranch Doritos vegan? Still no. This flavour uses multiple different types of milk-based products, no matter what country you’re in.
Are Chilli Heatwave Doritos Vegan?
Yes. One of the most popular flavours in the UK, you can munch away in happiness.
They are however made in the same factory as all of the other Doritos, so it’s really up to whether you think the risk of cross-contamination is low enough. Are chilli Doritos vegan? Well, they’ll never be certified, but the ingredients say yes.
Are Tangy Cheese Doritos Vegan?
No. Unfortunately, as with most things that have cheese in the name, they contain milk, and so aren’t vegan friendly. Yet they are suitable for vegetarians and make a great vegetarian taco salad with Doritos.
Are Guacamole Doritos Vegan?
No. A new flavour to the UK, their popularity hasn’t been decided yet. Guacamole Doritos contain milk products, and so aren’t suitable for vegans. They are however vegetarian friendly.
Are Flamin’ Hot Tangy Cheese Doritos Vegan?
No. There are multiple, multiple sources of milk in this new Doritos flavour so it’s a firm no when asking are cheese Doritos vegan. Unfortunately, recreating an authentic cheese flavour without milk just isn’t a priority for many companies.
Are Lightly Salted Doritos Vegan?
Yes. Lightly Salted Doritos are vegan. This flavour used to be available in the US under the name ‘Toasted Corn’ but was discontinued in 2019. Bad luck for them.
There are still potential cross-contamination issues to deal with, but there are no animal products in lightly salted Doritos.
Are Hint of Lime Doritos Vegan?
No. While suitable for vegetarians, the flavourings in hint of lime Doritos contain milk powder, and so aren’t suitable for vegans.
Recap: Are Doritos Vegan?
In the UK, only two flavours are vegan, and even then, these aren’t certified. There is always the risk of cross-contamination from products that contain milk.
This isn’t a problem for all vegans, however. If you’re ok with it, then the two vegan flavours of Doritos are:
- Chilli Heatwave
- Lightly Salted
There was one other flavour on the UK market that was vegan yet this now seems to have been discontinued (The HeatBurst BBQ & Chilli flavour).
Are Doritos Cruelty-Free?
Because they are owned by the parent company PepsiCo, we can’t say that Doritos are cruelty-free.
PepsiCo states that:
‘PepsiCo does not conduct any animal tests and does not directly fund any animal tests on its beverages and foods. Where governmental agencies require animal tests to demonstrate ingredient safety, companies using those ingredients rely on third party testing.’
What this actually means is, that if animal testing is required to sell their product in a country, such as China, then they are more than happy to wash their hands of that responsibility.
PepsiCo will let a third party test on animals for them – instead of banning the sale of goods there.
All this means that Vegomm has to say that no, Doritos aren’t cruelty-free.
Are Other Doritos Products Vegan?
Doritos have other threats available in the UK and let's see if any of these is vegan-friendly.
Spoiler: Luckily, some of these are vegan.
Let’s take a look.
Dips
For many, Doritos tortilla chips go hand in hand with one of the brand's dips.
A few flavours are available in the UK and when it comes to these being vegan or not, we have an even split.
- Unsurprisingly, "Nacho Cheese" and "Cool Sour Cream and Chives" both contain milk, as their names might suggest, but also egg, so these dips are definitely NOT vegan. They are suitable for vegetarians though.
Yet Doritos isn't going to leeave your tortilla chips completely high and dry!
- Their salsa dips, "Mild Salsa" and "Hot Salsa" are 100% vegan friendly as they don’t contain any animal products.
This means that you can now watch movies with the accompaniment of both chips and dip.
Doritos Stax
A new Doritos product in the UK, Stax come in four flavours.
- Ultima Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Mexican Chili Salsa
- Flaming Chicken Wings
Sounds good right?
Well, unfortunately, none of these products is vegan, not even the chilli flavour. While it’s always nice to try new products, these are some that need to be avoided.
Alternative Vegan Chips to Consider
There are loads of vegan crisps on offer but getting that wonderful chip shape and style can be difficult when you’re looking for a vegan alternative.
It’s ok, they do exist, and we have you covered.
Here are just a few chip alternatives to consider.
Eat Real Lentil Sea Salt Chips
Taste, Nutrition and Real Ingredients are at the basis of everything that Eat Real produces. They have a huge range of vegan crisps available, and the lentil Sea Salt Chips are some of the best. An indulgent snack, yet still healthy, it has only natural flavours and no added colouring or preservatives. Tasty!
PROPERCHIPS – Barbecue
Again, with a large range of vegan snacks on offer, PROPERCHIPS are gluten-free as well as vegan. The Barbecue flavour really packs a punch and is a great tortilla chip alternative. Perfect for dipping, they are also healthy, so get your salsa at the ready.
Gran Luchito Mexican Tortilla Chips
Crunchy, large and flat tortilla chips, Gran Luchito are great for dipping or for making vegan nachos. The best thing about this brand is the fact that they are made using only three ingredients. Corn, Sunflower Oil and Sea Salt. Not only does this make them vegan, but they also taste like authentic Mexican tortillas.
Emily Apple Crisps
Not really a tortilla chip, but still a great snack alternative. These crisps are made from dried apple and are absolutely delicious. Healthy, crunchy, and with a sweet aftertaste, there are no animal products in this bag! Great with a sweet or savoury dip, these crisps are even Vegan Society certified.
Final Thoughts
Are Doritos vegan and cruelty-free? No and no. Yet there are two flavours of these tortilla chips available in the UK that are vegan.
It’s up to you to decide if potential cross-contamination is enough to steer you away from these chips, or if you decide to try one of the many vegan alternatives available instead.