Taco Salad Recipe

I think you will love this tasty taco salad recipe. It's loaded with taste.

Just take traditional taco or nacho ingredients, mix them together in a salad and top with crushed tortilla chips - voila, an easy recipe for taco salad.

This recipe uses prepared taco seasoning mix. If you prefer to season the beef using your own seasoning mix, that's fine.

You can use all cheddar cheese for this recipe, but the mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack, both cheeses that have a lot of taste, is just perfect to me.

If you want to up the heat level, add some chopped jalapeno peppers and more hot sauce to the meat mixture.

Taco salad recipes are terrific to serve a group and great party pleasers.

Taco Salad

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

2 pounds ground beef
2 packages taco seasoning mix
few drops of hot sauce (optional)
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 red onion, chopped
1 medium yellow or sweet onion, chopped
2 heads iceberg lettuce, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
1 can black olives, chopped
1 large bag of tortilla chips, crumbled
1 8-ounce bottle oil and vinegar salad dressing

Brown the ground beef with the chopped yellow onion. Add 1 package of taco seasoning mix and water according to the package directions. When browned, set the meat mixture aside to let it cool completely. If you like it hot, add a few drops (or lots) of your favorite hot sauce.

In a large bowl, mix together the chopped lettuce, tomato, cheeses, avocado, red onion, olives, and the second package of taco seasoning. Add the cooled beef mixture and stir together. Keep cool until ready to serve.

Just before serving toss the whole mixture with the salad dressing. Add the crushed Doritos or tortilla chips.

• Add a can of black beans to the meat mixture to create a frito and bean salad. With the beans added especially, this salad is a meal in itself.
• Add chopped jalapeno peppers if you like heat.
• Change up the salad dressing. Try Catalina or ranch dressing if you prefer. Or, a low fat alternative, is to eat the salad topped with salsa.
• Serve extra crushed tortilla chips on the side so people can add extra if they want.

Serves 8 to 10.