Get a quick, easy, and healthy dinner on the table in minutes with this nostalgic Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing recipe.
Old Fashioned Dorito Taco Salad Recipe
I remember being a little girl and eating a taco salad for the first time at a little local cafe. I'm sure my eyes must have lit up with I saw that giant, fried taco salad shell!
This Dorito Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing recipe comes from one of my besties, Lisa, and is just as impressive! I use Nacho or Taco Doritos instead of fancy fried shells, and the flavor is so good!
This means this recipe can be on the table in under 20 minutes and is one of my standard go-to recipes that takes little thought and is made with ingredients I almost always have on hand.
This easy taco salad for a crowd is budget-friendly comfort food. Stretching the taco meat with the addition of beans, paired with crunchy chips, creamy shredded cheese, and sour cream, and then topped with cool lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and onions, makes a fantastic, satisfying meal.
I've listed all my favorite toppings in the recipe, but this is a recipe that is easily altered to meet your likes and dietary needs, which makes it perfect for picky eaters and potlucks.
"If your mom ever brought this to a church potluck in the '90s, you already know: taco salad with Catalina dressing is the MVP of retro party food."
--Chuckie
Ingredients
Seems like a long list, but it is a very simple recipe with lots of topping choices. Below are a few ingredients to put in a taco salad.
- Ground Beef - or ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey work well.
- Onion - yellow, white, or red
- Garlic - I used fresh, but use dried if that's what you have
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Salt, Pepper
- Sugar
- Black Beans - rinse and drain these
- Doritos
- Lettuce
- Avocado
- Tomato
- Shredded Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Olives
- Green Onion
- Cilantro
- Catalina Dressing
How to Make Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
- In a skillet, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until ground beef is browned.
- Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, and sugar on cooked ground beef, stir 1 minute. Add rinsed and drained beans.
- Add water and cook until the ground beef mixture is heated through and the water has evaporated.
- Build your taco salad with chips, ground beef/bean mixture, and all the toppings you like.
- Drizzle with Catalina Dressing or my Homemade Taco Salad Dressing below and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
Homemade Taco Salad Dressing: Catalina Dressing is an easy topping, but if you don't have it, consider making a homemade dressing that I love.
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½-1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
Mix together in a small bowl and top your taco salad.
Dorito Taco Salad--Use Nacho Doritos or Taco Doritos to add some additional flavor to your taco salad.
Chicken Taco Salad--use chopped or ground chicken in place of the ground beef or even add some chopped-up leftover rotisserie chicken.
Vegetarian Taco Salad--leave out the meat and increase the canned beans.
Ranch Taco Salad--Use ranch or spicy ranch for your dressing. I love a little BBQ sauce mixed with Ranch for a sweet, creamy version.
Storage
This recipe is best if stored not assembled. Store all but the corn tortilla chips in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Top Tips
Chop all ingredients a little smaller than bite-sized. Having a little bit of everything in each and every bite is always my goal. This means the "perfect bite" every time.
Serve immediately: Taco Salad is best served right away. No one likes a soggy chip or cold taco meat. If you need to do some prep in advance do all of the chopping and put in covered bowls in the fridge until you're ready.
Keep the Dressing on the side: This keeps your Taco Salad fresh and allows everyone to pick their favorite dressing.
Build Your Own Taco Salad: Let everyone build their own! That way people like me can have alllll of the olives! 🤭
Something Else To Try
Need a sweet treat that goes along with this Taco Salad? Finish your meal with Rice Pudding with Sweetened Condensed Milk for a dessert with a little Mexican flavor.
Mexican Mac and Cheese is another quick Mexican-inspired recipe my family loves. Or if you're after something with an Asian flair, try my Quick Korean Bulgogi Bowl.
Did You Try This Recipe? ❤️
Lastly, if you made Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!
I love hearing from you! I'll do my best to respond to each comment.
And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag @laughingroostereats on Instagram and hashtag it #laughingroostereats! Seeing your photos is our favorite thing!
Food Safety
- Wash hands before cooking
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
Ingredients
Method
- In a skillet, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until ground beef is browned.
- Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, and sugar on cooked ground beef, stir 1 minute. Add rinsed and drained beans.
- Add water and cook until the ground beef/bean mixture is heated through and the water has evaporated.
- Build your taco salad with chips, ground beef/bean mixture and all the toppings you like.
- Drizzle with Catalina Dressing and serve right away.
Linda says
Looks delicious!! Will definitely be making this dish soon!
Chuckie says
Thank you! Let me know how yours turns out. 🙂
Teresa Franklin says
Yum!