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4.86 from 7 votes

Ultimate Potluck Taco Salad

Crunchy, flavorful, colorful, and it's got everything but the kitchen sink! My Potluck Taco Salad comes complete with homemade Catalina Dressing, seasoned taco meat, nacho cheese chips, pickled onions, and so much more! You won't believe how quickly this is going to disappear at your summer parties!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Author: Marzia

Ingredients

Taco Salad:

  • 1 pound 95% lean ground beef chicken or turkey
  • 2-3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning or store-bought
  • 8 ounces chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 orange bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes chopped
  • 1 cup roasted corn grilled, drain, or defrosted
  • cup green onion thinly sliced
  • cup chopped cilantro
  • cup pickled jalapeños chopped
  • 1 14-ounce can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1 ½ cups crushed nacho cheese chips
  • Pickled onions sour cream/greek yogurt, for serving

Catalina dressing:

  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons EACH: sugar AND ketchup
  • cup avocado oil or olive
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon EACH: garlic powder AND onion powder

Instructions

  • TACO MEAT: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray, then add ground beef when hot. Cook and crumble. After 4 minutes, season with taco seasoning and stir to combine. Add ½ cup water if you used my homemade seasoning (follow packet directions for store-bought.) Let the ground beef reach a simmer, lower the heat to low and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the sauce thickens and is no longer watery; remove from heat. Allow it to cool to room temp. You can also prep the meat and refrigerate 1 day in advance.
  • DRESSING: In a mason jar, add red wine vinegar, sugar, ketchup, avocado oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and a tiny pinch of kosher salt. Place a lid on top and shake the jar until the sugar dissolves and the dressing is emulsified. Take again if the dressing separates at any point.
  • SALAD: Add the chopped romaine, taco meat, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, roasted corn, green onions, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeños, pinto beans, and shredded cheese to a bowl. Toss with half the dressing, taste and adjust with more as desired. Serve topped with crunchy nacho chips, pickled onions and sour cream.
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