Make a delicious taco salad with Western dressing on a warm summer night. Ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, crunchy lettuce, creamy cubed cheese, cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, and crushed Doritos with a drizzle of Western dressing. Yum!
The key to bringing all the flavors together is the homemade Western dressing. Its sweet flavor complements the spicy meat and nacho cheese Dorito chips flavor, which we all love. It is the classic taco salad!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect For Potlucks and Summer BBQs
- Easily Customizable
- Uses a Homemade Western Dressing
Featured Ingredients
- Ground Beef - Choose a lean ground beef. Drain if needed.
- Taco Seasoning - Use homemade taco seasoning, or purchase an option from the grocery store.
- Romaine Lettuce - Crunchy, fresh, and perfect for this salad.
- Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese - Creamy, salty, and classic flavor for tacos.
- Cherry Tomatoes - Love these little bursts of tomato flavor.
- Black Olives - Adds a great briny flavor.
- Doritos Tortilla Chips - Use the original nacho flavor.
- Western Dressing - Make the Western dressing from scratch or purchase a bottle from the store.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on guidance on current serving sizes measured by the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until no pink remains. Add the taco seasoning and ½ cup of water and stir. Simmer until all the water is absorbed.
Next, chop the lettuce and cherry tomatoes. Cube the cheese into bite-size pieces. Crush the chips. Place on a platter or in a bowl and add all the ingredients. Stir and serve right away.
Tips and Tricks
Keep ingredients separate until ready to serve. The salad can get soggy if left sitting for too long.
Use meal-prepped frozen ground beef to save a step in the cooking process.
Ingredient Swaps
- Lettuce Options - Use iceberg lettuce for the true classic taco salad.
- Cheese Options - Swap in pepperjack cheese for spicer cheese. Use shredded for a shortcut.
- Tomato Options - Use Roma tomato. Cut in half and remove the seeds with a spoon.
- Doritio Options - Try different flavors of Doritos for different flavor profiles. Cool Ranch, anyone?
Variations
Dairy-Free Taco Salad: Remove the cubed cheese and replace it with a dairy-free cheese or omit it entirely.
Gluten-Free Taco Salad: Swap out the Doritos, which are not certified gluten free, for Fritos corn chips instead.
Taco Salad With Ranch Dressing: Use a dairy-free ranch dressing for a creamy option.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator and eat as soon as possible. Add additional crushed chips for some extra crunch.
Reheat: Do not reheat the lettuce salad. The ground beef will be cold but still delicious.
Freeze: Do not freeze this salad. Freeze the taco meat if needed.
FAQs
Yes! Just mix everything up and wait to add the crushed Doritos until just before serving. It makes a big bowl and is a great option for serving many.
Meal Planning
What to serve with taco salad? Add a side of guacamole with tortilla chips. Fresh corn salsa is another great dipping option. Make a pan of gluten free cornbread or Instant Pot cilantro lime rice to round out the meal.
Additional Salad Recipes
Recipe
Taco Salad With Doritos and Western Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese block cubed
- 8 ounces Monterey cheese block cubed
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 2.25 ounces black olives sliced and drained
- 2 cups homemade Western dressing
- 9.25 ounce Doritos bag nacho cheese flavor
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the hamburger until no pink remains. Drain if needed. Add the taco seasoning and ½ cups of water. Simmer until the water is gone, then set aside.
- Add the chopped lettuce, the cheddar and Monterey cheese cubes, tomatoes, and drained black olives to a large bowl or a platter.
- Drizzle the Western dressing over it all and stir until combined.
- When ready to serve, add the crushed Doritos and stir. Reserve some crushed chips for garnish.
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