Beef/ Gluten Free/ Salads

Father’s Day Taco Salad

What does this taco salad have to do with Father’s Day you might ask?Absolutely nothing.
Other than that is when my grandmother usually made it for our family.  In fact, I can’t remember a Father’s day that we didn’t have this delightful, tasty dish.

I’ve been making this for years, as have my sister Ashley and my cousin Stephanie.  When I sent them a picture message of one of the shots I took tonight, this was the reply I got:

Ashley:

Yummy! We had that yesterday

Stephanie:

Mmm I made that Sunday night

We have a three-way message thread dating back a couple of years now.  I just had to laugh when their responses came in mere seconds from each other.

I don’t know where my actual written recipe for this is.  I have been making it for so long now that I am on autopilot. But for blogging purposes, I do need a written recipe.  Whenever I have posted something I have been making for eons, I take the time to measure and weigh things out.  But I wanted to take a shortcut; I sent a text to my grandma asking if she had it written down already.  Of course she did-aren’t grandma’s wonderful?  She took a picture of the recipe and messaged it over.  Goodness, I love technology, and she’s pretty savvy with it.

Turns out she just made this too.  I guess cravings run in the family.  We talked briefly about this recipe; her written copy is just the ingredient portions, no step-by-step directions in her handwriting on “old paper.”  She thinks she got this from a person many moons ago, and not from a cookbook or magazine.  So, whomever gave her this recipe, thank you, we just love it.

Now, some notes about this dish:

·      It makes a lot.  The recipe as written is enough to feed 8 hungry souls

·      The recipes calls for Taco flavor chips-Doritos brand

·      Nacho cheese flavor will work but add taco seasoning to the ground beef

·      This recipe is easily halved and quartered

·      Or make the full batch but don’t mix it all together and just mix as needed during leftovers (it’s what I do)

·      Use Green Goddess dressing, it’s not the same with ranch

·      I used ½ pound lean ground beef and ½ pound ground turkey, which to everyone is blasphemy.

Father’s Day Taco Salad

Author: Michelle De La Cerda
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Ingredients

  • 1 head lettuce (usually iceberg)
  • 2 tomatoes; finely diced
  • 1 avocado; diced
  • 1 small red onion; diced
  • 1 lb . ground beef  (see note above)
  • 3/4 lb . cheddar cheese; grated
  • 1-15 oz . can kidney beans; drained and rinsed
  • 1-11 oz . bag Taco flavored Doritos brand chips; crushed
  • 1-16 oz . bottle of Green Goddess dressing; to taste

Instructions

  1. In a skillet, brown the beef (&/or turkey) and cook until it is done.
  2. Drain the rendered fat.  (If using Nacho Cheese flavored chips, sprinkle the browned meat with about a tablespoon taco seasoning and mix well.)
  3. Allow the meat to cool thoroughly.
  4. While the meat is cooling, shred the lettuce, grate the cheese, and dice the tomatoes, onion, and avocado.
  5. Add it all to a very large mixing bowl.
  6. Add the beans, meat, and crushed chips.  Toss well.
  7. Pour the salad dressing in a bit at a time and begin to mix it.
  8. Continue to add the dressing until it has reached the desired wetness.  It usually takes the entire bottle.
  9. Serve immediately.
  10. Hold off on adding the chips if this will not be served immediately, sadly they get soggy quickly.
Father's Day Taco Salad ~ The Complete Savorist

This is a gluten-free dish.From FritoLay: U.S. Products Not Containing Gluten Ingredients

DORITOS® Taco Flavored Tortilla Chips

https://www.fritolay.com/your-health/us-products-not-containing-gluten-ingredients.html

Green Goddess Dressing:

https://www.thegrocerygirls.com/kraft-seven-seas-salad-dressing-green-goddess.html 

Thank you for sharing!

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17 Comments

  • Reply
    Angie
    May 21, 2014 at 4:31 pm

    Oh yum, I’ve made taco salad before but this looks super delicious . I’m pinning this one

    • Reply
      Michelle
      May 21, 2014 at 10:35 pm

      Thank you Angie. It’s really easy and very delicious.

  • Reply
    Julie @ Tastes of Lizzy T
    June 2, 2015 at 3:01 am

    Mmmm…one of my favorite salads!

  • Reply
    Florian @ContentednessCooking
    June 2, 2015 at 4:23 am

    This looks so vibrant and colorful! Love all the flavors!

  • Reply
    pam (Sidewalk Shoes)
    June 2, 2015 at 5:05 am

    One of my favorite easy go-to salads for the summer!

    • Reply
      Michelle
      June 2, 2015 at 9:44 am

      Same here, easy and delicious.

  • Reply
    Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom
    June 2, 2015 at 5:59 am

    This looks great! And a dish that any father would love–all that meat and cheese is perfect!

    • Reply
      Michelle
      June 2, 2015 at 9:44 am

      Maybe that’s why we have it every Father’s day.

  • Reply
    Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
    June 2, 2015 at 7:31 am

    Looks good! I like the twist of adding Green Goddess dressing.

    • Reply
      Michelle
      June 2, 2015 at 9:45 am

      It makes all the difference.

  • Reply
    Erin
    June 2, 2015 at 8:07 am

    I have never made taco salad before! What have I been waiting for? This looks like something my whole family would love. And we are feeding 8 hungry souls most nights so the size should be perfect for us. 😉

    • Reply
      Michelle
      June 2, 2015 at 9:45 am

      WOW Erin. Taco salads come in all shapes and forms. This can be your gateway Taco Salad, leading you to all the rest.

  • Reply
    Debra @ Bowl Me Over
    June 2, 2015 at 9:48 am

    I have a similar family Taco Salad recipe we make – so delicious, it’s the best! Here’s to Dad’s and Father’s Day and Taco Salads!!

  • Reply
    Beer Braised Blue Cheese Bratwursts - The Complete Savorist
    January 9, 2019 at 1:08 pm

    […] late teen years, my maternal grandmother started making a taco salad, which I have made here dubbed Father’s Day Taco Salad, but when I was younger, and always when with my dad, dinner was served hot from the […]

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