My taco salad with Catalina dressing and Doritos packs my favorite classic taco flavors, along with tangy dressing, and a satisfying crunch. This easy meal will satisfy picky eaters when served as the main dish and is always a big hit at family gatherings.
I'm biased, but Taco Salad with Catalina dressing is absolutely fantastic! Actually, it was the best taco salad I have ever had. It turns out not only is the addition of Doritos not just a fun twist, they totally make the dish! Biting down on a forkful of salad along with the satisfying crunch of a Doritos chip really gives you that “taco” taste and texture. To me, a good taco salad has that classic taco taste, plenty of meat, tangy dressing, and the occasional satisfying crunch. This recipe has it all!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lean ground beef - I recommend using 90/10 beef so it doesn't get too greasy. If you use 80/20, make sure to drain out the excess fat from the skillet. You could even use ground turkey instead.
- 2 Packets of Taco Seasoning - Use the equivalent seasoning needed for 2lbs meat.
- Iceberg Lettuce - Romain lettuce is a good substitute.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Canned Sliced Black Olives - You can use whole black olives but then you have to slice them yourself, which is a pain.
- White Onion - You can use a yellow onion or a sweet onion, but white onions have the best crunch. The flavor of red onion would overpower this salad in my opinion.
- Tomatoes - Pico de Gallo is a great substitute.
- Catalina Salad Dressing - Western dressing, Ranch dressing, or even French dressing will work as a great substitute.
- Nacho Cheese Doritos - Feel free to substitute your favorite Doritos flavor. I have enjoyed this recipe with Cool Ranch Doritos too. You could use tortilla chips as well for a crunch, but they bring much less flavor to the party.
How to Customize this Taco Salad
If you wish to customize this recipe, sour cream would be a great addition. You can also add your favorite vegetables like green onions, black beans, or green peppers as well! You could even make your own taco seasoning, rather than purchasing packets, by using my taco seasoning recipe! Regardless of how you customize it, you can have this meal thrown together in 15 minutes. To save even more time, I prep all of the vegetables as the beef is browning in the pan.
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, (so it won't wilt the lettuce), 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 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.
More Taco Recipes
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Taco Salad with Doritos
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 packets Taco Seasoning (or equivalent for 2lbs meat)
- 1 head Iceburg Lettuce (chopped)
- 8 ounces Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 6.5 ounce canned Sliced Black Olives
- 1 medium White onion (chopped)
- 2 large Tomatoes (chopped)
- Catalina Dressing
- Nacho Cheese Doritos
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat and add the taco seasoning. Set aside and let cool.
- Chop all vegetables and place in a large bowl with cheese.
- Once taco meat is no longer hot, add to the bowl and toss to combine.
- Add catalina dressing to taste and top generously with Doritos.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com May 26, 2015.
Bev
What’s a western dressing?
Fox Valley Foodie
It is a flavor sold by Wish Bone. Most major stores should carry it.
Janice
What a great recipe. It's so like the way I make mine. It immediately caught my attention. I think it was the Catalina Dressing. I make my beef with ranch beans. When it's ready, I have all your ingredients ready and in bowls plus I use crushed Tostitos instead of Doritos, sour cream, Kraft Honey Catalina dressing and maybe sliced avacado or guac. Guests can add any or all toppings and in any order they choose. Thank you for all the great recipes you offer.
Mary
Hello Foodie,
I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for posting this recipe. You see, my mom use to make this for us as kids growing up in Manitowoc, Wi. She only made it in the summer months, so being from Wisconsin, you know that didn’t last long.
When I was done making it for my family, and of course had to taste a spoonful, all those wonderful memories of my childhood came rushing back to me. You brought a nostalgic tear to my eye and a smile on my face. Thank you, Foodie!
Fox Valley Foodie
Thanks for the nice comment, I enjoy hearing stories like this.
Nancy
I make this one with a half and half combination of Catalina dressing and Southwest Chipolte dressing. i go a tad heavier on the Chipolte if I'm a spicier mood! Tastes awesome!
Tonya
I make one similar to this. I use salsa and thousand island dressing. I mix the chopped up lettuce with the meat add shredded cheese black olives a jar of salsa thousand island dressing and of course the Doritos and mix it all together right before serving it. You better fill your plate up because when going back for seconds it's always all gone.
Sharon
This was even better than I hoped for!
Karly
This is my kind of taco salad. Looks SO good- all the fixins that make a taco salad what it is!