Taco salad with Catalina dressing is served over crisp lettuce with cheese and pico de gallo for a Mexican-inspired feast. Add some crushed Doritos to dial up the flavor and crunch!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read my disclaimer.
Want to switch things up for your next Mexican night? This super easy taco salad with Catalina dressing is bursting with flavor and ready in less than half an hour!
A tasty taco meat mix with ground beef and kidney beans comes together in minutes on the stove. After that, simply serve over crisp lettuce, add all your favorite toppings, and dig in.
I personally recommend adding crushed Doritos on top to dial up the flavor and crunch!
When you need a yummy meal that can be ready in less than 30 minutes, taco salad never disappoints.
And if you want to get the little ones excited about this dish, let them crumble their own Doritos on top. Trust me; it works every time!
Why You’ll Love This Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
- Super easy to make
- Ready in less than 30 minutes
- Full of delicious flavors and textures
- Bright and colorful presentation
- So fun for Taco Tuesday
What is Catalina Dressing?
Catalina dressing is a kind of salad dressing that gets its flavors from ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar, oil, ground mustard, and a little cayenne pepper.
It’s most similar to French dressing, although French dressing doesn’t use Worcestershire and includes Dijon mustard rather than ground mustard.
You should be able to find Catalina dressing at any grocery store. The most popular brand is Kraft, but plenty of other brands are available if there’s a different one you prefer!
Catalina Taco Salad Ingredients
- Lean Ground Beef
- Taco Seasoning – homemade or store-bought
- Beef Broth – or water
- Kidney Beans
- Lettuce
- Pico de Gallo
- Cheddar Cheese – shredded
- Doritos
- Toppings – Catalina dressing, avocado, diced red onion
How to make Taco Salad with Doritos
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat.
STEP TWO: Once hot, add the beef. Cook until the beef is browned and no pink remains, then drain any excess fat.
STEP THREE: Add the taco seasoning and broth, then stir until combined.
STEP FOUR: Stir in the kidney beans and simmer for about 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
STEP FIVE: Place the lettuce in a large serving bowl or individual bowls.
STEP SIX: Top the lettuce with the cooked meat. Add pico de gallo, cheese, and any other desired toppings, then toss with Catalina dressing and serve.
STEP SEVEN: Grab a 9.25 oz bag of Doritos nacho cheese chips, then add them to the bowls on top of the meat. I will mention that if you’re going to have leftovers, only add the Doritos to the portion that you plan to eat. If you try to store the taco salad with the chips, the Doritos will get soggy in the refrigerator.
It’s entirely up to you if you want to crush them up or leave them whole. Enjoy however you like!
VARIATIONS OF DORITO TACO SALAD WITH CATALINA DRESSING
Want to change up your flavors, add more ingredients, or swap a few things out? No problem! This taco salad recipe is super versatile.
- While ground beef is the traditional meat to serve over a taco salad, you could replace it with ground turkey or even ground chicken for a lower-fat option. This will change the flavor, but the other options will be delicious in their own way!
- Black beans or pinto beans are an easy swap in place of the kidney beans
- Add black olives, diced red onion, avocado, and corn kernels, all of which are popular toppings for taco salads. Feel free to add anything you like!
- Use homemade taco seasoning — I love this homemade mild taco seasoning for a less spicy flavor
WHAT TO SERVE WITH DORITO TACO SALAD
- Air Fryer Bell Peppers
- Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
- Avocado Crema
- Air Fryer Taquitos or Flautas
- Frozen Empanadas in the Air Fryer
- Mexican Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
STORING THIS TACO SALAD RECIPE WITH CATALINA DRESSING
If possible, I recommend only adding the Catalina dressing to the portion of the salad that you plan to eat. Undressed lettuce will stay crisper in the fridge.
Store any extra taco salad in a gallon bag or airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 3-4 days.
I recommend enjoying cold or storing the taco meat mixture separately so you can reheat it before adding it to the salad!
Other Taco Tuesday Recipes
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
- Air Fryer Nachos
- Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
- Taco Lasagna
- 30 Ways to Use Leftover Taco Meat
- Instant Pot Tilapia Tacos
Taco Salad Recipe with Catalina Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 1.25 ounce package taco seasoning (or homemade)
- ½ cup beef broth or water
- 1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 6 cups lettuce chopped
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- SERVE WITH Doritos Catalina dressing, avocado, diced red onion, favorite salad toppings
Instructions
- Brown beef over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.Â
- Add taco seasoning and broth and stir until combined, the stir in the kidney beans and simmer for about 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Place lettuce in a large bowl (or individual bowls). Top with cooked meat, pico de gallo, cheese, and desired toppings.
