Do you tend to think that salads are not super duper filling? Yeah, me too. However, Taco Salad is a definite exception in my book, and it makes a terrific tasting, family-friendly meal! And since this recipe has Doritos in it, everyone will love it!  The other nice thing about a taco salad is that it’s so easy to adapt to all different kinds of diets, whether it’s low carb or gluten-free etc. just by varying the ingredients that you put in, or leave out. So if you have family members on different diets or a couple of picky eaters, just let everyone make their own salad by setting up a colorful smorgasbord!

, Taco Salad with Doritos, Joyful Homemaking

Here’s how I make our taco salad:

Brown up a pound of ground beef or ground turkey, and season it with taco seasoning according to the package directions.
Wash and chop up either a head of lettuce or a couple of stalks of Romaine lettuce (my favorite).
Then wash and chop up whatever veggies your family likes. We use tomatoes and red onion, but some people like colored peppers and olives, or avocados and fresh cilantro.

, Taco Salad with Doritos, Joyful Homemaking

You’ll need a 15 ounce can of drained and rinsed black beans, pinto or kidney beans, and an 8 ounce package of shredded Cheddar cheese.

, Taco Salad with Doritos, Joyful Homemaking

Serve Doritos gently crushed, and then let everyone assemble their own salad. Growing up we dressed our taco salads with Italian dressing, but there are other delicious options too. French (or Catalina) dressing is yummy, or I now like to mix ranch dressing and taco sauce together and use that mixture as my dressing. Some people don’t use dressing at all, but prefer it with just sour cream and taco sauce, like a taco or burrito. If you want to mix everything together at once and serve it like that, add the Doritos last so they will stay crunchy.

, Taco Salad with Doritos, Joyful Homemaking

Taco Salad

Taco Salad is a delicious and filling meal that is easy to make and customize for different dietary needs. Despite the common misconception that salads are not filling, taco salad is definitely an exception, and the addition of Doritos adds a nice crunch and flavor that everyone in the family will love.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Serving Size 4 - 6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of ground beef or ground turkey
  • 1 packet of taco seasoning
  • 1 head of iceberg lettuce or a couple of stalks of Romaine lettuce washed and chopped
  • 1-2 tomatoes
  • 1 red onion
  • Optional: avocado olives, colored peppers, fresh ciliantro
  • 1 can of beans black beans, pinto or kidney drained and rinsed
  • 8 ounce package of shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 ten ounce bag of Doritos lightly crushed
  • Dressing of your choice: Italian Zesty Italian, French (Catalina), Ranch + Taco sauce, or just sour cream

Instructions

  • Brown up a pound of ground beef or ground turkey and season it with taco seasoning according to the package directions.
  • Wash and chop up either a head of lettuce or a couple of stalks of Romaine lettuce (my favorite). Then wash and chop up whatever veggies your family likes. We use tomatoes and red onion, but some people like colored peppers and olives, or avocados and fresh cilantro.
  • Drained and rinse a can of beans like black beans, pinto beans or even kidney.
  • Toss everything together with cheese and dressing, or serve as a buffet.
  • Add crushed Doritos right before eating so they'll stay crunchy.

Once you’ve added all your ingredients and the dressing, give it a light toss. It’s helpful to use a larger bowl for your portions so you can toss the salad fixings easier.

Now this recipe, and I use that term lightly, because really all the variations and amounts for everything are up to your personal preferences and tastes. Some like more lettuce than meat, and some, like my family, like more meat than lettuce.  😛  The servings will also vary according to your family size and appetites. My hubby likes a mixing bowl size, whereas I use a cereal bowl for mine.  🙂

, Taco Salad with Doritos, Joyful Homemaking

This is a great meal to make for guests where everyone can make their own!

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