Mom’s Frito Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
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This Frito Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing is hands down the best Frito salad recipe out there! It is always the standout “salad dish” for potlucks!
The Fritos and taco-seasoned beef combine perfectly with the sweet and tangy flavor of the Catalina Dressing for a flavorful taco salad everyone enjoys.
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Mom’s Frito Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
We have a family get-together planned on Sunday at my sister-in-law’s house and have been asked to bring a dish. I decided my Mom’s Frito Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing recipe would be perfect. It’s such a great salad recipe that it always gets polished off whenever I take it to a potluck.
With the holiday weekend coming up, I figured wasn’t the only one trying to think of a dish to bring to a potluck, so I thought the taco salad recipe would be a perfect recipe to share with you guys today.
Why You Should Make this Frito Taco Salad
Can I admit right now that it’s been so long since I made this Frito Taco Salad – I forgot how delicious it really is.
And before you ask, yes, salads can be a main dish! The only issue you might face with a salad for dinner is that when you say the word “salad,” some kids will automatically complain! (I’ve got one who will try anything and another who complains about everything not made with chicken and can’t be cooked in the air fryer, lol.)
The greatest thing about a Frito Salad is the FRITOS!
It’s amazing what a few salty, crunchy corn chips sprinkled into a salad will do. Kids gobble it up!
There is just something about the Fritos, Catalina dressing, and taco flavors that go together just perfectly.
Ingredients in a Frito Taco Salad
Want to Give this recipe a try? Make sure to add these ingredients to your grocery list:
- 1lb of lean ground beef (or turkey)
- taco seasoning
- 8 to 10 cups of romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped.
- 1 can of black or pinto beans, drained
- 1 cup of corn
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1.5 cups of shredded cheese
- 2 cups of Fritos
- Catalina Dressing
- optional toppings: chopped green onions or black olives
How to Make this Taco Salad Recipe
(Scroll to the bottom for the Printable Recipe Card.)
1 Brown the ground meat: add the package of taco seasoning towards the end (If your taco seasoning is in bulk, use 2.5 tablespoons.)
Tip: Don’t break the ground beef up in too small of pieces – larger bites of taco seasoned ground beef are just tastier.
2 Add all the ingredients: to a large bowl and mix together.
3 Add the dressing: Combine well, making sure everything is coated. Top with extra Fritos and desired extra toppings. Serve immediately!
Recipe Tips
- For the beef: Keep the ground beef slightly chunky when browning. Those bigger pieces soak up the taco seasoning for a more satisfying bite.
- Romaine vs. iceberg: Romaine adds a little more crunch, but iceberg is a classic if you’re going for that retro vibe. Either works!
- Add the dressing right before serving: To keep the Fritos crunchy, mix everything together (dressing included) just before it hits the table. No sad soggy chips here!
- Tacos for everyone: Set up a “taco salad bar” if you’re feeding picky eaters. Lay out all the ingredients for assembling their own plates—everyone wins.
- Sneaky greens: Want to pack in more veggies? Toss in some chopped bell peppers or cucumber.
Variations
- Meatless Mondays: Swap the ground beef for plant-based crumbles or double up on the beans for a vegetarian twist.
- Spicy kick: If you’re a spice fan, add diced jalapeños or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper to the mix.
- Upgrade the cheese: Shredded pepper jack or crumbled cotija adds a little something extra.
- Change up the dressing: While I prefer the sweet and tangy taste of the Catalina dressing for this salad, many people swear by a salsa and sour cream mixture for their dressing. If you think the Catalina dressing sounds weird or you’ve never tried it, I thoroughly recommend purchasing a small bottle and giving it a try.
- Taco upgrade: Swap Fritos for Doritos for extra flavor (Cool Ranch or Nacho Cheese both taste great here!).
Storage Suggestions
- If you have leftovers, the prepared salad will keep in the fridge for about a day before it is too wilted to eat. You can store the ingredients seperately, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Meal prep: Prep all the ingredients in advance, but don’t mix in the Fritos or dressing until it’s mealtime. This is great if you’re packing lunches.
FAQs
Can I Use Turkey Instead of Beef
Of course! This Frito Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing is traditionally made with ground beef, but I’ll sometimes substitute turkey or even shredded chicken, and it is just as good!
Can I Make the Salad Ahead of Time
Once prepared and dressing is added, you should serve the Taco Salad immediately. But, if you want to put the salad together ahead of time for a party or potluck, mix the cooked and seasoned beef with the beans and corn and place in one container and the lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese in their separate bags.
Once you are on location and ready to serve, combine everything, adding the Fritos and Catalina Dressing to the salad last.
Another fun idea would be to serve the salad and all the ingredients “buffet style”. That way your guests can pick and choose what to add and how much to their salads. (Kind of like a taco bar, but it’s a taco salad bar!)
Want More Potluck Dish Ideas? Check these out:
- Walking Tacos (Frito Pies in a bag)
- Texas Caviar (a delicious black bean and corn salsa)
- Sausage and Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe
- Easy Tropical Fruit Salad
- Apple and Walnut Salad
- Blueberry Dump Cake Recipe
- Banana Cream Pie Bars
- Cherry Dump Cake
Did You Make This Frito Taco Salad Recipe?
Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmomrecipes!
Print
Mom’s Frito Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 1
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 5 to 6 1x
- Category: salad
- Method: stovetop
Description
This Frito Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing is always the standout “salad dish” for potlucks! The Fritos and taco seasoned beef, combine perfectly with the sweet and tangy flavor of the Catalina Dressing for a flavorful taco salad everyone enjoys.
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 cups of romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped. (Or whatever looks like enough to feed your family.)
- 1lb of lean ground beef (or turkey)
- 1 package of taco seasoning (or 2.5 tablespoons bulk seasoning)
- 1 can of black or pinto beans, drained (pintos are best)
- 1 cup of corn
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1.5 cups of shredded cheese
2 cups of Fritos - Catalina Dressing (use your judgment on the amount.)
- (optional toppings: chopped green onions or black olives)
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Instructions
- Brown the ground meat, adding the package of taco seasoning in towards the end (If your taco seasoning is in bulk, use 2.5 tablespoons.)
Tip: Don’t break the ground beef up in too small of pieces – larger bites of taco seasoned ground beef are just tastier. - Remove from heat and drain if needed.
- In a large bowl, add all the ingredients to the salad and mix everything together. Combine well, making sure everything is coated with the dressing.
- Top with extra Fritos and desired extra toppings. Serve immediately!
Notes
If you want to put this together ahead of time for a party or potluck, mix the cooked and seasoned beef with the beans and corn and place in one container and the lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese in their separate bags. Once you are on location, combine everything, adding the Fritos and Catalina dressing to the salad last.
Nutrition
- Calories: 504
- Sugar: 14
- Fat: 29
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 24
Still hungry? Check out a few of my brand new recipes:
- Blueberry Jam Recipe – Only 3 ingredients
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- Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe – it’s no cook!
- Green Chile Chicken Tacos – (both slow cooker and instant pot instructions)
- Easy Loaded Baked Potato Soup for One (in the microwave)
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I have made this for years! Love it, Love It, LOVE IT! I make it often to take to work and only combine ingredients when it is time to eat. We make it all veg. Put beans, chopped/diced onions, tomatoes (seeded/chopped) and chopped bell pepper in large zip bag. Add catalina dressing and taco seasoning mix, stir to combine, then add to veggies. Marinate overnight. Keep greens/cheese/chips individually separate until ready to serve.
I made this tonight and it was very good.
I made this salad this past weekend for company. It was 100 degrees outside so it was perfect. Just for something extra, I made mini tacos and had a cheese, cracker and fruit plate. You should try the Tangy Bacon Catalina. It is so good with this salad.
Love this recipe. If you melt velveeta cheese (about 1/2 a cup) with a can of Rotel and use that as your dressing … game changer 🙌🏻
I made this for a family reunion this week. It tasted good but was NOT pretty and most of it was left uneaten. The lettuce wilted before the first person got any. I was embarrassed. Of course the reunion was outside which probably didn’t help. I will NOT be making this again.
I am sorry your lettuce wilted. If taking to a gathering, it is recommended (and stated in the post) to not put it together until just before serving to avoid the lettuce wilting.
This was a salad my Mom used to make when I was kid and I loved it. I wa so excited when I happened to come across this recipe. However I did use a pre made chopped Salad and it turned out great.
Can you use a different dressing?
Sure, use whatever you like.
I had to look twice to see if my daughter had posted this! The picture looks just like mine. I’ve actually made a similar recipe for 25-30 years and it is delicious! I’ve never added corn, but just might try that. Green Giant has a Fiesta Corn that would probably be a tasty option. I use chili cheese fritos now and chop a small purple onion up to mix in then garnish with the green onions, but any way you slice it, it’s delicious.
I love adding sweet corn to just about any salad I make. It gives such a little little pop of sweetness, it’s so good!
I hadn’t made this dish in probably 40 years, but it’s exactly what I remember it tasting like. A delicious and quick salad to put together.
I have made this with both Fritos and Doritos. Both so yummy. I have also made with a mixture of Fritos and Doritos because I didn’t have enough of either so I thought why not. Didn’t have time to run to the store. That was also yummy. I can’t find my recipe and low and behold here is a recipe. I use to have it my head but it’s been a long time since I made it so wasn’t sure. I won’t forget again, I’ll just have to make more often. Thank you so much for sharing.
We love this salad!
my family loves this
this is so good made it 2 already
Turned out delicious. Used nacho cheese Doritos and pinto beans with french dressing.
Everyone liked it! That’s great for picky eaters!
Thanks, Jamie, for posting this recipe! I had forgotten all about it – loved it as kids 🙂 Have a great 4th of July!
I’ts so goo right? I originally posted this in 2011 (I left one of the original images at the very bottom.) We made it for fathers day this year, so I planned a head and got new photos!
I love this salad! The last time I made it I used taco flavored Doritos in place of the Fritos and I thought it was even better!
My mom used to make this, but used purple onion in it as well
I made this salad, but I make layers….same ingredients. Everyone enjoyed it!
I bet that is pretty in a glass bowl. Do you serve it and then put the dressing on?
Thank you for being so generous to share this. I had it at a church potluck and have been trying to find the recipe. I love the combination of sweet, spicy, and crunchy.
Me too!