Why Youll Love This Taco Salad
You really cant go wrong with dairy free taco salad. With so many variations of what goes into a taco salad, its a fantastic way to get rid of leftovers too.
The combination of the beef mince fried in flavoursome taco seasoning and then tossed through with other vegetables makes for a hearty meal on its own. Great for Taco Tuesdays!
The corn ribs are our take sprucing up an otherwise simple-looking taco salad. This is great if you want to impress your guests as I can tell you that those corn ribs sure look appetising!
The Catalina dressing is delicious and helps to bind all the ingredients together. You can make extra and dip the corn ribs in them for a snack.
Whats The Difference Between Thousand Island And French Dressing
Is French Dressing the Same as Thousand Island? However, the original Thousand Island is heavily mayo-based and served as a sandwich condiment much of the time. French dressing is usually reserved for salads. Chili sauce is also a traditional component of Thousand Island, though the heat is very minimal.
Ingredient Swaps And Substitutions
- Catalina Dressing: I like to make Homemade Catalina Dressing. You can still purchase bottled Kraft brand at the grocery store. A good substitute is bottled dressing labeled Western Dressing. I have also used French dressing.
- Canned Beans: Please look for canned beans labeled beans in chili sauce, or ranch style beans If you cant find those, a can of pinto beans or red kidney beans, drained, will work.
- Ground Beef: If youre opposed to eating beef, ground chicken or turkey will work great in this recipe.
- Cheese: I like shredded cheddar for this recipe, but a mix of Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack and cheddar would be good here.
- Taco Seasoning: Again, I like to make Homemade Taco Seasoning, but simply use a packet of your favorite brand from the grocery store to season this taco meat.
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How To Assemble The Salad
In a large mixing bowl, add the beef mince, salad onion, avocado, apple cucumber, cherry tomatoes, black beans and ¾ of the salad dressing. Toss until well combined.
On a large platter, scatter the cos lettuce leaves. Then drizzle the Catalina dressing on top.
Add the salad on top of the lettuce leaves.
Place the corn ribs on top of the salad.
Place the rest of the dressing in a small bowl to serve on the side.
Put some blue corn chips in a bowl to serve on the side.
Serve.
Catalina Taco Salad Ingredients
- Crisp lettuce. Use green leaf, romaine lettuce, or iceberg lettuce. Or combine a couple of lettuce varieties. My favorite combo is green leaf and romaine lettuce.
- Crunchy corn chips, like Doritos or crunchy Fritos. Any type of corn chips can be used for this recipe.
Crush tortilla chips into bite-sized pieces. Im not talking chip crumbs, but small pieces you can scoop with your fork. They add the perfect crunch to every bite.
Doritos chips are the most popular tortilla chip to use in this recipe. Some would argue that a Dorito taco salad recipe is the only true Catalina taco salad.
Any flavor bag of Doritos is fine for the recipe. Varieties that are especially good are nacho cheese Doritos, spicy Doritos, or cool ranch Doritos.
If you prefer, use Frito chips. Fritos are already bite-sized. No need to break them. Use regular, chili, or jalapeno Fritos. You will love Frito taco salad.
- Meat. Use lean ground beef.
Cook one pound ground beef with ½ to 1 fresh jalapeno pepper for flavor.
- Beans . Cook the beans from scratch or use them from a can. If you use canned beans, drain them completely before adding them to the meat.
- Taco seasoning. Use a taco seasoning packet or homemade taco seasoning. My favorite taco seasoning combines chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. The seasoning will infuse the meat and beans with spicy taco flavors.
You can substitute French dressing or thousand island dressing if you dont have Catalina dressing.
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Should Ground Beef Taco Salad Be Served Warm Or Cold
I usually enjoy this taco salad when the meat is freshly cooked and warm. However, this alsotastes great when served chilled especially leftovers. It really all depends on when you plan to eat it! But do not toss with the salad dressing or corn tortilla chips until just before you are ready to eat! This is one salad that needs to be assembled fresh and is not great as a leftover.
How To Cook The Corn Ribs
Add 3 cups of vegetable oil to a saucepan or use your deep fryer.
Cut the corn in half lengthwise, standing up vertically. If you lay the corn flat on the chopping corn, youll mash the kernels as cutting uncooked corn is quite tricky. Then cut it lengthwise into quarters.
While the corn ribs are so worth it in the end, cutting it vertically is a little precarious. Use a big knife or even a cleaver. If you have a mallet, you can use it to bang on the knife to help with the process.
When the oil is hot, add the corn ribs and deep fry for about 3-5 minutes or until the kernels are nicely browned. Remove, place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
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Why You Should Make This Frito Taco Salad
Can I just admit right now, that its been so long since I made this Frito Taco Salad I forgot how delicious it really is!
And before you ask, yes, salads can be a main dish! The only issue you might face with a salad for dinner is that when you say the word salad, some kids will automatically complain!
The greatest thing about a Frito Salad is the FRITOS!
Its amazing what a few salty, crunchy corn chips sprinkled into a salad will do. Kids gobble it up!
There is just something about the Fritos, Catalina dressing and taco flavors that go together just perfectly.
Why Is French Dressing Called French Dressing
The first recipe bearing such a title appeared in The Ladies Home Journal in 1900, and afterward it simply became the term we use to describe the most common type of salad dressing that the French put on their salad. Lo and behold, right there on a can of Campbells Tomato Soup was a recipe for Tomato French Dressing.
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Taco Salad Recipe With Doritos
This taco salad recipe can be made with Doritos or Fritos. And you can still find bottled Catalina Dressing on the salad dressing aisle at your market. But if you cant find it, I urge you to make Homemade Catalina Dressing. Its easy.
I hope you give this dorito salad recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have a favorite Taco Salad recipe, let me know, Id love to give it a try.
Dorito Taco Salad With Catalina
In this post Im sharing how to make a Dorito Taco Salad with Catalina.
You may have seen this salad at a potluck or luncheon. It is quite popular. This delicious taco salad has Doritos mixed into it. Ive heard it is equally delicious with Fritos corn chips also.
A Doritos taco salad for a crowd is easy to put together. The first time that I had this awesome salad was at an office luncheon party. One bite was all it took.amazing!
I dont know where the recipe originated but you see it everywhere now. Ive read that the founder of Fritos and Doritos did. If thats true Id say he came up with a winnerwith the chips and the salad recipe.
You can easily pick up all of the ingredients that you need at your local grocery store or Walmart. This salad is sure to get rave reviews from your family and friends.
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Can I Make Chicken Taco Salad Ahead Of Time
Yes! Both the Cilantro Lime Chicken and the Catalina Dressing can be made and refrigerated ahead of time. All the fixings except the avocados can be chopped and stored in separate airtight containers so this Chicken Taco Salad can come together in a flash when you are ready to chow down.
All thats left to do is give them a toss to create the perfect compliment of textures and flavors in every Chicken Taco Salad bite! And then let your jaw drop
What To Serve With The Perfect Taco Recipe Salad With Catalina Dressing
A taco salad can be a meal by itself. It is a hearty salad with protein and veggies. But if you want a side dish, check out these great ideas.
- Taco Bell Seasoned Rice. Craving some Mexican rice for dinner? Looking for a tasty Taco Bell seasoned rice recipe? Try my expert tips for the easiest flavorful copycat version of this fan-favorite dish. It is a simple recipe you can make in 30 minutes from the comfort of your own kitchen.
- Guacamole. The perfect dip, topping, or spread. Make your own guacamole and control the spice level and flavor.
- 7 Layer Dip. Try this versatile 7 layer dip recipe and find out why it will be the last one youll ever need. Learn all the layers in a 7-layer dip, plus discover why a recipe for this quick snack is optional.
- Quesadillas. Need more carbs with your Catalina taco salad? Then cook up some quick cheese quesadillas. Slice them in wedges and serve them next to your salad.
- Mexican street corn. Serve it on the cob or sliced off, Mexican street corn is the perfect side dish to any Mexican recipe.
- Mexican fruit salad. You have your veggies. Now get your fruits in a fruit salad. It can be as simple as slicing watermelon wedges or as fancy as ambrosia salad.
- Cornbread. Tex Mex and cornbread. Oh yeah. Smear it with butter and honey and enjoy it warm.
- Mango salsa. Dip a few of those extra taco salad chips in some homemade mango salsa.
- Pico de gallo. Sprinkle on top of the salad or eat with the chips.
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How Do I Serve Chicken Taco Salad
There are three ways to serve Chicken Taco Salad:
Can I Make The Salad Ahead Of Time
Once prepared and dressing is added, you should serve the Taco Salad immediately. But, if you want to put the salad together ahead of time for a party or potluck, mix the cooked and seasoned beef with the beans and corn and place in one container and the lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese in their separate bags.
Once you are on location and ready to serve, combine everything, adding the Fritos and Catalina Dressing to the salad last.
Another fun idea would be to serve the salad and all the ingredients buffet style. That way your guests can pick and choose what to add and how much to their salads.
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How To Make It
This is a really easy taco salad recipe to make. Begin by browning the ground beef in a large skillet. Once browned, stir in the taco seasoning.
Tip: It is often easier to add a little water when adding the taco seasoning to help it disperse more evenly. Then cook the water out.
The vegetables can all be prepped and chopped while the ground beef cooks. Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Once the ground beef is cooked, remove it from the heat and let the meat mixture cool.
Once the beef is room temperature, , add it to the large bowl with the Doritos and plenty of Catalina dressing, to taste. Mix well with a wooden spoon and serve.
How To Cook The Beef Mince
Add 1 tsp of olive oil to a large fry pan. Pan fry beef mince until it has cooked through, and then add 1 packet of taco seasoning. Fry until brown and well cooked.
Rest a colander over the prep bowl. Ensure that there is space between the bottom of the colander and the prep bowl. Put the cooked beef mince in the colander and allow the juices to drain. This part of the process is important as it will ensure the salad doesnt turn into a soggy mess.
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How To Make Taco Salad Ahead Of Time
This meal can be prepared ahead of time! The secret is to assemble everything in layers and simply toss before serving. Using the layered method keeps ingredients from becoming soggy.
- Your bottom layer will be the cooked and seasoned ground beef topped with the dressing.
- Next layer the pinto beans and sliced olives.
- Follow this with the peppers and tomatoes.
- Next layer is the lettuce and the onion.
- Add the cheese on top.
- Leave out the Doritos until just before serving.
Using the layering method above, you can assemble this Dorito salad and refrigerate for a quick and easy meal at the end of a busy day or to take along to a backyard BBQ party or potluck. Simply toss to coat everything just before serving and wait for the compliments to pour in!
How Do You Make Dorito Taco Salad
Anyone can make this Taco Salad recipe because its so easy! If you can brown hamburger you can make it since thats the hardest part of the entire recipe.
- Brown Hamburger Grab your skillet and brown the hamburger then drain off the grease.
- Mix Ingredients Mix it together with lettuce, dressing, tomatoes, onion and cheddar cheese in large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve When you are ready to serve it mix in the Doritos and top with dressing!
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How To Store Taco Salad
This delicious taco Salad with Catalina dressing is great to make in advance, actually, it is best to make in advance because it tastes fantastic cold the next day! Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and add the dressing and crushed Doritos when you are ready to eat. The Doritos will get soft and mushy if you keep them in the fridge with the salad.
How To Layer The Delicious Taco Salad
Ready to Layer? If you think the whole salad will be eaten in one sitting, layer the salad on a large serving dish.
However, if you think there may be leftovers, it is best to let everyone layer their own salad on their plate. That makes storing leftovers easier.
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Easy Catalina Taco Salad Recipe
If you like a traditional taco salad, youll probably like this version. Catalina dressing provides a fun twist that makes the salad taste slightly different but in a good way.
This delicious salad can be an easy meal all by itself or as the main dish with some sides.
Or you can serve it with any of your favorite soups. If your family likes to go full-on taco, try it with some taco soup that youll see in the section titled More Fun Family Dinner Ideas below.
Its also a great addition to potluck get-togethers or family gatherings. Youll be surprised that even picky eaters only the taco flavors in this salad.
How To Deep Fry Corn Ribs
Heat a saucepan of vegetable oil. After cutting the corn into quarters lengthwise, all you have to do is put it into the oil and let it do some work. Dont overcrowd the saucepan, as you need space for the corn to curl.
In about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the heat, the corn will start to curl, and the kernels begin to brown. As it takes on a lovely caramel colour, remove and place on paper towels to drain off the excess oil.
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How To Make Dorito Taco Salad With Catalina Dressing: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown up your ground turkey with a packet of taco seasoning.
Step 2: To a large bowl, add your lettuce.
Step 3: Whisk all salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl. OR put all dressing ingredients in a medium jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until ingredients are combined.
Then, top lettuce with all the toppings: taco meat, tomatoes, corn, cheese, olives, onion and crushed Doritos. Drizzle with dressing, toss and serve!
How To Store Leftover Taco Salad Recipe With Catalina Dressing
If everyone layered their own taco salad on their plate, storing leftovers will be a breeze. Store the taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Eat within two days.
Store the rest of the cold toppings separately in airtight containers. To save storage dishes , combine the vegetables. Add the tomatoes, peppers, radishes, and onions to the lettuce and store in a lidded salad bowl.
Beware of the avocado. It will turn brown overnight. Sprinkle it with a little lime juice to prevent the oxidation. Store the avocado separately in case the browning is unavoidable.
Place the shredded cheese in a zip top bag and refrigerate.
Store the broken chips in a zip top bag in the cupboard.
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