Doritos Protein are coming. Here’s how they taste.
USA TODAY’s Mike Snider compared Doritos Protein chips, which have 10 grams of protein, to the traditional Nacho Cheese flavor chips.
What’s the latest way to add protein to your diet? Apparently, Doritos.
Protein is everywhere these days, so why not Doritos? New Doritos Protein snacks are coming to stores this March in two flavors: Nacho Cheese and Sweet & Tangy BBQ. A 1-ounce serving of Doritos Protein has 10 grams of protein – in comparison, traditional Nacho Cheese Doritos net 2 grams of protein per serving.
Doritos Protein chips use milk protein (casein) as the protein source and are made without artificial colors or flavors.
“Consumers today want more from their snacks. They don’t want to choose between great taste and functional benefits,” Hernán Tantardini, chief marketing officer at PepsiCo Foods U.S., told USA TODAY. “Protein has become a meaningful part of how people think about everyday eating, and we saw a real opportunity to bring that benefit to one of the most iconic brands in our portfolio.”
Doritos Protein nutritional information
A comparison of Doritos Protein chips with traditional Nacho Cheese Doritos finds similar caloric and fat levels, but less sodium and, of course, more protein in the new chips. Here’s what’s in a single serving, according to PepsiCo:
Doritos Protein (serving size, 10 chips): 150 calories, protein (10 grams), total fat (8g), cholesterol (less than 5 milligrams), sodium (150mg), total carbohydrates (8g), dietary fiber (1g), total sugars (0g).Nacho Cheese Doritos (serving size, 11 chips): 150 calories, protein (2 grams), total fat (8g), cholesterol (0 milligrams), sodium (170mg), total carbohydrates (17g), dietary fiber (1g), total sugars (less than 1g).
Doritos Protein Nacho Cheese chips may be made differently, but compared to traditional Nacho Cheese Doritos, Doritos Protein “looks, tastes and crunches like the Doritos Nacho Cheese fans know and love,” Tantardini said. “From the shape to the texture to that bold, cheesy flavor, the experience is unmistakably Doritos,” he added.
When can I get Doritos Protein chips?
Doritos Protein chips will be available in select markets and retailers in March in two sizes: a 7-ounce package ($4.89) and a 12.75-ounce package ($7.39). More markets and retailers will get the products later this year.
Additional sizes, including a single-serve size option with 17 grams of protein per bag, are planned for later this year to bring consumers even more snacking options.
This is just the latest dietary strategy move from PepsiCo, which recently announced it would lower prices by up to nearly 15% on many of its popular snacks, including Doritos, Lay’s potato chips and Cheetos . The snack giant acquired prebiotic soda brand Poppi in March 2025 and subsequently released its own Pepsi Prebiotic Cola in Original Cola and Cherry Vanilla flavors in fall 2025.
Protein has been a prominent driver behind new food products and menu items lately. Starbucks began serving Protein Lattes and offering Protein cold foam as a drink upgrade in September 2025, while Target in January expanded its protein product portfolio by offering ButcherBox 100% grass-fed beef and more protein snacks as part of its wellness strategy.
More recently, Chipotle dropped a High Protein Menu, Dunkin’ added Protein Milk as a drink customization option and Subway bolstered its menu with Protein Pockets.
“Consumers are telling us they want protein, and they want it in more of the foods they already enjoy, including salty snacks,” Tantardini said, citing an online survey of 1,000 nationally representative Americans conducted for Pepsi last month by RepData. “When 86% of Americans are actively adding protein to their diet and 70% want salty snacks to have protein – that’s not a passing trend – that’s a fundamental shift in expectations.”
In taking this “strategic step into the growing protein snack space,” the food maker had to “ensure that protein never came at the expense of taste or texture,” he said. “Doritos has a very high bar when it comes to flavor and crunch, and we weren’t willing to compromise on either. … We’re simply giving fans another option that fits the way they snack today – one that delivers the same great flavor and crunch, with the added benefit of protein.”
Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
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