Description
Hearty Frito Taco Salad delivers a Tex-Mex carnival of flavors with crispy corn chips, seasoned ground beef, and zesty toppings. Crunchy textures and bold southwestern spices create a quick, satisfying meal for casual gatherings or weeknight dinners you’ll devour.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
Vegetables and Beans:
- 4 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
Cheese, Chips, and Dressing:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups Fritos corn chips
- 1 cup Catalina dressing
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium-high temperature and brown the ground beef, incorporating taco seasoning until fully cooked and fragrant.
- Allow the seasoned beef to cool and drain excess fat while preparing the salad base.
- Select a large serving bowl and create a foundation of crisp, freshly chopped lettuce as the initial layer.
- Distribute crunchy Fritos across the lettuce, creating a textural base for the salad.
- Scatter kidney beans evenly over the Fritos, ensuring balanced distribution throughout the dish.
- Sprinkle halved cherry tomatoes across the layers to add vibrant color and fresh flavor.
- Generously coat the surface with shredded cheese, allowing it to rest atop the existing ingredients.
- Finely dice red onions and disperse them across the salad for a sharp, zesty accent.
- Gently place the cooled ground beef over the assembled ingredients, creating a uniform protein layer.
- Drizzle Catalina dressing liberally over the entire salad, ensuring complete coverage.
- Using salad utensils, carefully toss all components to integrate flavors and dressing thoroughly.
- Serve immediately to maintain the Fritos’ crispness and enjoy the robust, layered textures.
Notes
- Keep beef slightly crumbly when cooking to prevent dense meat clumps in the salad.
- Drain excess fat from ground beef to maintain a lighter, fresher texture.
- Chill ingredients beforehand for a crisp, refreshing salad experience.
- Replace ground beef with plant-based crumbles for a vegetarian version that maintains the same zesty flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg