Love Ranch on Pizza? This Doritos and Papa Johns Collaboration Is for You

There's ranch on pizza... and then there's Cool Ranch on pizza.

In each of their own respective ways, Papa Johns and Doritos aren't afraid of a little culinary innovation. From Doritos releasing dips of its most popular flavors to Papa Johns pushing the limits of what pizza can do and be with the release of its pizza bowls or crispy parmesan crust. Now, the two brands are collaborating to create a new dish — the Doritos Cool Ranch Papadia — and they let us get a first taste.

As a variation on the thin Italian flatbread "piadina," Papa Johns introduced the Papadia to its menus in 2020. With their signature meatball Papadias, BBQ Papadias, and a create-your-own Papadia option, Papa Johns' latest ranch-forward offering features the company's original dough stuffed with chicken, steak, or any filling of your choice. The Doritos Cool Ranch Papadia is also filled with a ranch-style sauce and then toasted and before being dusted with Cool Ranch seasoning. In addition to the sauce on the inside, orders come with a side of ranch sauce for dipping.

“At Papa Johns, flavor exploration puts us at the forefront of our menu innovation, which is why we couldn’t be more excited to bring together our Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. promise with the iconic flavor of Doritos Cool Ranch to create this limited-time Papadia,” Kimberly Bean, Papa Johns VP of Menu Strategy & Calendar Planning, shared in a statement provided to Food & Wine.

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"Papadias are still not well-known to the public. Many haven’t tried one yet and may not even know what it is,” Bean told me. “We’re hoping this collaboration with Doritos will introduce a whole new group to our papadias.”

I have to admit that trying the Doritos Cool Ranch Papadia was also my first experience eating any type of Papadia. And as for my personal preferences, I lean toward team "Dipping Pizza In Ranch," which may not be everyone's cup of tea (or cup of dressing, in this case). After taking the first bite, I noticed that my fingers were completely coated in Doritos ranch seasoning — something that was important to the team behind the product. According to Bean, "If we didn't deliver that Doritos effect, we didn't deliver it." The ranch-heavy sauce and seasoning are prominent, and add a zesty punch. Eating it felt (and tasted) akin to drenching a slice in ranch, then folding it in half. So if you're staunchly anti-ranch, maybe pass. But Cool Ranch Doritos fans — or simply ranch dressing fans — may want to give it a try.

Papa Johns Papa Rewards loyalty members will get their hands on the collab first, set to debut on May 1 before becoming available nationwide on May 4. The limited-time offering will appear on Papa Johns menus through July 23 for $7.99.

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