Taco Salad
This Taco Salad recipe is my go-to when I want a quick and easy meal. Plus it’s a hit to take along to dinners and potlucks.
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.
This taco salad with french dressing recipe is 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.
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 your whole family. That is, 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.
Why You’ll Love Taco Salad
You cook the seasoned ground beef mixture in advance, and then warm it up right before. Then you can literally make this in no time!
What I really love, is that this cold salad recipe also has so many veggies, it’s very colourful and so tasty.
The bold Mexican taste that brings it all together is thanks to the taco seasoning and French dressing.
How to Make Taco Salad
This easy taco salad recipe has the following simple ingredients. the full recipe and printable recipe card are below.
- 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
To Make: This easy taco salad recipe with french dressing really is the easiest taco salad to make.
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl using a wooden spoon. You may not use all the french dressing in the bottle. Add 3/4 of the bottle, test, and add more if preferred.
Add a dollop of sour cream and some fresh salsa at serving and it’s complete!
To Make Ahead: leave out the chips, seasoning and french dressing until just before serving.
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 or ground chicken 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. Another option is crunchy tortilla strips or crushed corn tortillas.
Toppings:
Sometimes I like to offer an array of favorite toppings for those that are a little extra. My suggestions are: red onion, black beans, cheddar jack cheese, and black olives.
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.
More Salad Recipes:
For 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!
If this salad has your heart and you need one that is easier and won’t get soggy, try this taco pasta salad.
Enjoy!
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.
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
- 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.
- Serve with salsa and sour cream
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 12 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 200Saturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 211mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g
I like the spin you put on it! Whenever I have had a taco salad, it’s been served in a tortilla bowl, but I love the idea of crushed up chips actually in the salad!
We love taco salads in our house! Your take looks amazing!!! Now I am craving some taco salad ;-)!
I love making taco salad for potlucks! It tastes great, and I sometimes omit the beef to make it veggie friendly.
I need to try this! I’m intrigued by the French dressing. Looks delicious!
wow this looks amazing, to very yummy looking. I will have to make this for my mom.
I love taco salad.
Looks delicious,thanks
This looks absolutely delicious, I need to try it, and I’m sure my kid will also love it!
yum, looks delish!
that looks awesome, I want a taco salad now for dinner!
I can’t say I’ve ever tried taco salad before but it looks quite unique!
Thank you for sharing such a great and easy recipe.
I loved this stuff and completely forgot about it until now. Time to make it again.
Oh yum. And the pics are so good, too.
I haven’t made a taco salad in forever. This looks amazing!
yes with all those veggies, it’s not only beautiful delicious. I love what I’m seeing here!
Looks intriguing , I will give it a try
Yum! This sounds perfect for upcoming holiday picnics and events. I am always looking for a new dish to bring with me to pot lucks.
I have always enjoyed Taco Salad. This one looks delicious.
This looks delicious. I always need a good go-to taco recipe!
Great recipe! My family loves taco salads. I agree with your tip…I like my nacho chips crunchy and added just before serving too! 🙂
Oh I’ve had that before and it’s soooo yummy! I never remember to make it at home though – I need to start!
I love taco salad, and yours looks amazing!
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!
Yum! We really like taco salad. Instead of using bottled salad dressing, I use salsa. It gives it extra veggies.
Looks/sounds delicious! I think I’d sub romaine lettuce to get some more nutrients! Need to try soon! 🙂
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!
Love just about anything taco-ed!
This sounds yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!
I love taco salad and your version sounds particularly wonderful! I’ll have to give it a try! Thanks for sharing!
This looks delicious and what a spin on a regular taco salad, I love it… will add to our Menu for the week
I love salads. We made taco salads a few weeks ago, but we did it with crock pot chicken. They were fabulous.
I haven’t had taco salad in years and years! Now I’m craving some
This looks really good. It has been a long time since I have had a taco salad.
bless these pot luck functions 🙂 another great salad recipe
We love taco salad! This looks soo good!!
This looks so good Tami..great for hot summer days!! I am bookmarking this 🙂
YUM> I love tacos and taco salad
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
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
Oh yummy looks so delish , thanks so much for sharing i will be trying your recipe soon , we love taco Salad :0
LOVE TACO SALAD
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.
I’ll have to keep this in mind next time I’m craving some crunch!
This taco salad was delicious!! Loved it! Now I’m looking for more great salad ideas!
Do we add the water for the taco seasoning?
Your Taco Salad makes me hungry. It looks delicious!
Oh man this looks delicious! This might be the first salad that my family might ask for seconds for!
I love taco salad and make a homemade catalina dressing to drizzle over it. so good. I’ve only had it with catalina dressing. but there are so many good dressing that would be good that I could think of jalapeno ranch, salsa, etc.