Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing has loads of fresh, chopped veggies, taco-spiced ground beef, and a sweet-spicy flavor. It's yummy for a casual dinner or as an appetizer.
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This dish has been a favorite of ours for a long time. We first discovered a version of Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing many, many years ago at a party where it was set out as a dip. After a few bites, we pretty much spent the rest of the party parked at that bowl, digging in with tortilla chips.
We dashed home that night and recreated it for ourselves, leaving out a few things we didn't want and adding in ingredients we love.
What is a taco salad?
The first taco salad is credited to Charles E. Doolin, the man who created the Fritos corn chip empire. In the '50s he opened Casa de Fritos at Disneyland, where parkgoers were introduced to Mexican food. (Fun fact: he invented Doritos there!)
It was also at Casa de Fritos that Doolin served "Tacups"—spiced beef and toppings like sour cream and beans in a Frito corn chip bowl.
Taco salads today take many forms depending on the favorite fillings of the people making them. They may be served in bowls made of crisp taco shells or fried tortillas, or simply on a bed of lettuce.
My Taco Salad is served dip-style, with all the ingredients tossed together in a big bowl and set out with lots of tortilla chips, so folks can dig right in.
What is Catalina dressing?
Tying all the ingredients together in this taco salad recipe is this dressing. Catalina dressing is also known as California French. It's a thick, tomato-based dressing that is sweet and tangy. It's thinner in consistency than French dressing and has a vivid red color.
If your store carries Kraft bottled dressings you should be able to find their Catalina, or other brands labeled as Catalina or California French. Wishbone also has a Western Dressing that is similar to Catalina.
You can also make your own, homemade Catalina dressing—here's a recipe to try.
Why you'll love this recipe
My Catalina Taco Salad is a tantalizing blend of fresh veggies: green and red bell peppers, tomatoes, and corn plus seasoned ground beef and shredded cheese. The beef still warm from the pan combines so tantalizingly well with the crisp, fresh veggies.
Catalina dressing may sound like an unlikely sauce for this salad, but trust me—in combination with the taco-spiced meat and the crisp veggies, the sweet-tangy dressing is so delicious.
In our house, we always have this easy Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing as a light dinner, with plenty of salty tortilla chips. It also makes a really delicious party appetizer or Super Bowl snack.
🔪 How to make Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
Taco Salad ingredients:
- Corn: Use cooked kernels sliced from cobs or canned or frozen corn
- Tomatoes: I prefer Roma tomatoes
- Bell Peppers: Use multiple colors for a striking salad
- Green Chiles: A small can of diced green chiles
- Ground Beef: I used 93% lean, but higher fat percentages will work too
- Taco Seasoning Spices: My own blend of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt
- Catalina Dressing: Look for Kraft brand or dressings labeled as California French
- Shredded Cheese: Pick up shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend
Step 1: Prepare the veggies
Place the corn in a large bowl. Dice the tomatoes and peppers; add these to the bowl as well.
Step 2: Make the seasoned beef
Brown the ground beef in a skillet until it's cooked through. Stir in the spices; cook the beef and taco seasonings for a few more minutes.
Step 3: Assemble the salad
Add the taco meat to the bowl with the veggies and stir them all together. Pour the Catalina dressing into the bowl, and stir to coat everything. Finally, sprinkle in the shredded cheese. Serve the taco salad with plenty of tortilla chips!
The beef still warm from the pan combines so tantalizingly well with the crisp, fresh veggies.
FAQs
Instead of ground beef, try making this Taco Salad with ground turkey or chicken. Or use plant-based crumbles. You can add in jalapeños or other hot peppers for an extra kick. If you like beans, stir rinsed, drained black beans into the mixture.
This dish already has loads of veggies and protein, plus crunchy chips on the side. However, if you want to add a little more to the meal try sides of white or Spanish rice, or refried beans.
Yes! Spoon the leftovers into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to three days. You can eat the leftovers cold or warm them just a little in the microwave.
Tips:
- I like to use fresh sweet corn sliced right off the cob. If it's not available, use good-quality canned or frozen sweet corn instead.
- I like Roma tomatoes because they have fewer seeds and thick walls—so you get a lot of diced tomato with less mess! Romas are great to use in salsas, too.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to two days.
Share Catalina Dressing Taco Salad as an appetizer, but if you enjoy it as much as we do you may decide to keep it all for yourself!
The Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing recipe is below, and here are more spicy and zingy recipes to try:
💬 What do you think of this Taco Salad? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
Ingredients
- 3 ears sweet corn cooked and sliced from the cobs - about 2¼ cups of kernels (or an equivalent amount of canned sweet corn)
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4½ ounces can diced green chiles
- 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup Catalina dressing (sometimes labeled as California French)
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Tortilla Chips
Instructions
Prepare the veggies:
- Put the corn kernels into a large bowl. Prep the tomatoes by slicing them in half, scooping out the seeds, and then dicing the tomatoes. Add the diced tomatoes to the bowl.
- Slice open the green and red bell peppers, remove the membranes and seeds, then dice the peppers. Add these to the bowl with the corn and tomatoes. Pour the green chiles (with the liquid) in as well, and stir all of the veggies together. Hold this aside while you cook the beef.
Cook the beef:
- Crumble the ground beef into a medium-sized skillet and brown it over medium heat. When all of the beef is browned, drain off the excess grease then add the spices to the pan: the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, black pepper and oregano, along with ½ cup of water.
- Stir the spices and water in with the beef and bring everything to a simmer. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
Assemble the salad:
- Spoon the beef and sauce into the bowl of veggies. Pour in the cup of Catalina dressing, and stir to combine the beef, veggies, and dressing. Sprinkle in the shredded Mexican-blend cheese and fold it into the salad.
- Serve the taco salad immediately with tortilla chips, portioning some into smaller bowls if you're having it for dinner like we do!
- Leftover salad can be stored in a covered container for up to 2 days. Makes about 10 cups.
Notes
- I like to use fresh sweet corn sliced right off the cob. If it's not available, use good-quality canned or frozen sweet corn instead.
- I like Roma tomatoes because they have fewer seeds and thick walls—so you get a lot of diced tomato with less mess! Romas are great to use in salsas, too.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to two days.
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