Frito Taco Salad Recipe
A flavorful and crunchy Frito Taco Salad that combines seasoned ground beef, fresh vegetables, and crispy corn chips, topped with zesty salsa and Catalina dressing. Perfect for a quick, satisfying meal that can be served family-style or as a build-your-own taco bar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 2–3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup salsa (divided)
- 4 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup drained and rinsed canned regular or seasoned black beans
- 1 cup fresh or drained canned corn or mexicorn
- 1–1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)
- 2 cups Fritos Corn Chips
- 1/2–1 cup Catalina dressing
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Pickled jalapenos
- Fresh corn kernels
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it is fully browned. Make sure to crumble the meat as it cooks for even browning. Once cooked, drain off any excess fat to keep the salad from becoming greasy.
- Season the meat: Add 2-3 tablespoons of taco seasoning along with 1/2 cup of salsa to the cooked beef. Stir everything thoroughly to combine and let it simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Prepare the salad base: Decide if you want to serve the salad as a taco bar for individual assembly or as a large composed salad. For a large salad, take a big bowl and layer the shredded lettuce, rinsed black beans, corn, then the cooked beef mixture on top.
- Add cheese and vegetables: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the salad, followed by the quartered cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, and black olives if using. Then add the crunchy Fritos Corn Chips for a satisfying texture contrast.
- Dress and garnish: Top the salad with the remaining 1/2 cup of salsa and drizzle with 1/2 to 1 cup Catalina dressing based on your taste preference. Add any optional toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, pickled jalapenos, or fresh corn kernels as desired.
- Serve: You can choose to serve the salad untossed, providing tongs so guests can mix it themselves, or toss the salad gently until all the ingredients are evenly combined. Serve immediately to enjoy the crisp textures and fresh flavors.
Notes
- For a spicier salad, increase the taco seasoning or add pickled jalapenos as a topping.
- Using fresh corn instead of canned corn will enhance the freshness of the salad.
- If serving as a taco bar, provide bowls with each ingredient separately for customizable servings.
- To keep the Fritos chips crunchy, add them just before serving rather than mixing early.
- Leftover salad is best eaten within one day to preserve freshness and crispness.
Keywords: Frito taco salad, taco salad recipe, ground beef salad, easy taco salad, fiesta salad, crunchy taco salad
Find it online: https://epicrecipebox.com/frito-taco-salad-recipe/