Salads

Taco Salad

This Taco Salad recipe is my go-to when I want a quick and easy meal. Plus, as evidence proved, it’s a hit to take along to dinners and functions.

taco-salad

Once again I have a recipe feature that is brought to you from a pot luck function. Maybe 12 years ago, at a staff pot luck and a co-worker brought her famous Taco Salad with french dressing.

I, along with many others, left that afternoon with this recipe in hand. It was that good. It’s a popular potluck recipe that is sometimes called doritos taco salad, because the crunch of the chips just might be the best part of this salad.

Even years later, we still talk about this potluck taco salad recipe when together, and claim how much we all still make it today. This Best Taco Salad recipe is my go-to when I have ground beef on hand and want a quick and easy meal.

This Taco Salad recipe is my go-to when I want a quick and easy meal. I love the spices and crunch! Plus, it's a hit for dinners and a potluck salad!

The Best Potluck Taco Salad Recipe

Plus, as evidence proved, this potluck taco salad is a hit to take along to dinners and functions. I’ve also made it out camping, it’s such a tasty fun meal to have anywhere!

Please note: The recipe you’ll find below is party-sized, so please half the amount if making for just your family unless you have a very large family. When halved, it’s the perfect amount for our family of 5, even with at least one person having seconds.

I also like that you can cook the seasoned ground beef mixture in advance, and then warm it up right before. Then you can literally make this in no time!

taco-salad-recipe

What I really love, is that this cold salad recipe also has so many veggies, it’s very colourful and so tasty.

How to Make Taco Salad

This easy taco salad recipe includes:

  • lean ground beef
  • iceberg lettuce
  • sweet peppers
  • green onions
  • cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
  • cheddar cheese, or mexican cheese blend
  • nacho flavoured tortilla chips
  • taco seasoning
  • french dressing

The full recipe directions are below, just see how simple it is to put together. It really is the easiest taco salad.

The bold Mexican taste that brings it all together is thanks to the taco seasoning and French dressing.Add a dollop of sour cream and some fresh salsa at serving and it’s complete!

Classic Taco Salad

Tips for Making Taco Salad

When taking this Classic Taco Salad recipe to functions such as a fun potluck, I suggest waiting until just before serving to add the nacho chips and dressing. Or else can get soggy depending on how long it sits before enjoying.

You could add the taco seasoning to the meat when cooking (taco meat), yet I find that sprinkling it on at the end is best.

This is so that everyone can add as little or as much as they prefer. Plus, the taco taste is more pronounced that way.

Taco Salad Substitutions

  • You can use ground turkey instead of making a ground beef taco salad.
  • While this is a taco salad with french dressing, you can also use Catalina dressing if you prefer.
  • Sometimes I use a crisp lettuce blend of iceberg and romaine lettuce for this recipe.
  • I like to use nacho cheese doritos as the chips, yet Cool Ranch Doritos taste great too if that is your personal preference.
Classic Taco Salad

I’d call Taco Salad a heathy meal or side, with the exception of the chips of course. You want the crunch yet you can always try and substitute as desired and see how it turns out. Also note that serving ‘chips for dinner’ makes you absolutely the best parent in the world. Just ‘sayin!

While the dressing is a little more intricate, I would very much compare this to the ever-popular ‘Taco in a Bag’ idea.

Yet this dorito taco salad recipe is party-sized. I sometimes CRAVE this salad, and it’s been a favourite of mine for years, and I hope it becomes one of yours as well. It’s my party go-to, and it seems everyone enjoys the flavors of a taco as an appetizer.

If you are looking for other great salad recipes to enjoy at home or for a potluck, try this southwest grilled chicken salad, garden-fresh pasta salad, this broccoli salad or this amazing BLT Pasta Salad – they are all to die for!

Yet if taco tuesday is where your heart is, try my Chicken Taco Soup recipe!

Don’t forget to try my BBQ Chicken Salad, it’s also a hit with the masses!

Enjoy!

Taco Salad
taco salad recipe

Taco Salad

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

This Taco Salad recipe is my go-to when I want a quick and easy meal. Plus, as evidence proved, it’s a hit to take along to dinners and functions.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 - 2 lbs Ground Beef, cooked and well drained
  • 1 head Iceberg Lettuce, shredded
  • 1 Green Pepper, diced
  • 1 Red Pepper, diced
  • 5 Green Onions, chopped
  • 2 Tomatoes, diced
  • 1.5 cups Cheddar Cheese, grated
  • 1 bag Cheese Nacho Chips, crush in bag before opening
  • 1 envelope Taco Seasoning
  • 1 bottle French Dressing
  • Salsa and Sour Cream, as desired

Instructions

  1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl {if not serving right away, leave out the chips, seasoning and french dressing until just before serving}. You may not use all the french dressing in the bottle, add 3/4 of the bottle, test, and add more if preferred.
  2. Serve with salsa and sour cream
  3. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 12 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Saturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 211mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

© My Organized Chaos
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Salads

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53 Comments

  3. I love making taco salad for potlucks! It tastes great, and I sometimes omit the beef to make it veggie friendly.

    Reply
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  26. We have a lot of parties throughout the year and they consist of about 8 adults, 7 toddlers and a teenager that would love to be considered an adult. This is a “fun” salad and so much more interesting than a fruit salad!

    Reply

  27. Yum! We really like taco salad. Instead of using bottled salad dressing, I use salsa. It gives it extra veggies.

    Reply

  28. Looks/sounds delicious! I think I’d sub romaine lettuce to get some more nutrients! Need to try soon! 🙂

    Reply

  29. Taco salad is a perfect hot day supper. I’ve been trying to come up with a bunch of summer recipes and this is definitely going on my list!

    Reply

  32. I love taco salad and your version sounds particularly wonderful! I’ll have to give it a try! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  39. This looks so good Tami..great for hot summer days!! I am bookmarking this 🙂

    Reply

  42. Honestly I think I’ ve made almost everything but I am excited to try this taco salad because this is entirely new to me and it looks so delicious.I love anything Mexican flavored and so does my family

    Reply

  43. Oh yummy looks so delish , thanks so much for sharing i will be trying your recipe soon , we love taco Salad :0

    Reply

  45. I am making this for dinner tonight. Already cooked beef, but how do you recommend heating it before serving? I have never made this before, but the recipe looked so good…Thanks for posting it.

    Reply

  47. This taco salad was delicious!! Loved it! Now I’m looking for more great salad ideas!

    Reply
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