Catalina Taco Salad
Catalina Taco Salad is a retro favorite that’s as fun to eat as it is easy to make. Crisp lettuce, pinto beans, ground beef, juicy tomatoes, and shredded cheese are tossed with crunchy Fritos and a generous drizzle of sweet-tangy Catalina dressing. This colorful, satisfying salad became a wildly popular potluck and family-dinner staple in the 1970s, and it’s still a hit today. The ingredients scale up or down effortlessly, so you can make a quick lunch for one or a big bowl to feed the whole family.
Ingredients
- 1-2 head lettuce amount as needed
- 1 15 oz can pinto beans rinsed and drained
- 1/2-1 lb ground beef
- tomatoes diced; amount as desired
- green onion diced; amount as desired
- cheddar or Colby Jack cheese shredded; amount as desired
- Fritos corn chips amount as desired
- Catalina dressing amount as desired
- salt to taste, for beef
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef and drain excess fat. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
- Wash and drain the lettuce. Tear or chop the desired amount into a bowl.
- Add the rinsed and drained pinto beans, cooked beef if using, tomatoes, optional onions, shredded cheese, and corn chips in your preferred quantities.
- Toss with Catalina dressing just before serving.
Notes
Flexible quantities: The original suggests 1 can pinto beans and 1/2 pound beef for an average family, without specifying a serving count or quantities for the other ingredients. Adjust to taste.
Meatless option: Omit the ground beef and uses more beans for individual lunch salads.
Keep it crisp: Add the cheese, corn chips, and dressing immediately before serving, especially when transporting. Whole Fritos look neater; crumbled chips are easier to eat. Undressed components are better for making individual portions than storing a fully dressed salad.
Dressing: See Homemade Catalina Salad Dressing.
Nutrition
Calories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 11gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 51mgPotassium: 344mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 676IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 2mg
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