Taco Salad - Perfect for Summer

This easy Taco Salad recipe is the perfect light summer meal when it's too hot to cook.

On the menu tonight is........ Taco Salad!!! Serve this salad on a hot day for a perfect summer meal minus the stove. I don't know about you but when I hear Taco Salad, my sisters recipe is the one that comes to mind. The first time I had this salad was about 20 years ago.

I had never had taco salad prepared this way, but I was instantly hooked. This recipe contains traditional ingredients such as lettuce, tomatoes, kidney beans, ground beef, cheese, black olives and tortilla chips.  This salad does have a twist with a non traditional ingredient "French Dressing". 

When I heard that she added french dressing, my first thought was no way!!! I told her don't think I'm going to like that, but I gave it a try and I was instantly hooked. As of today this is the only way I will make taco salad. You can adjust the amount of dressing added to suit your taste. I prefer not to add the whole bottle, but everyone is different. Just taste the salad as you add the dressing and find you own personal preference.

If you're taking this salad to a get - together to avoid a soggy mess, add all the ingredients except the chips and dressing. Place the taco chips in a plastic bag and cover the salad and keep it in a cooler while traveling. When ready to serve, add in the taco chips and dressing and toss to coat. This way the salad stays fresh and crisp. Lets get to the recipe!!!

Start by browning ground beef and drain off any grease. Add taco seasoning packet and prepare according to package directions (I use less water so it isn't so saucy). When the ground beef mixture is cooked, set aside to cool. 

While the meat is cooling chop up you veggies. Cut up the lettuce and tomatoes and add to a large bowl. Add the black olives and the cooled meat mixture, drained and rinsed kidney beans, cheese and tortilla chips. I break my chips up just a bit and I don't add all of the chips to the salad or they will get soggy. 

Finally add the French Dressing and toss together. At this point you can taste the salad and see how much dressing you would like. You can add anywhere from 1/2 of the bottle or you can add the whole thing its really your own preference.

With the big tomato scare and the FDA saying we cannot eat some of the tomatoes (Red Romas or Round Red Tomatoes) due to the Salmonella scare. Taco salad just wouldn't be taco salad without tomatoes!!!! but no worries. 

I'm so glad I don't have to go out and actually buy tomatoes, I am so lucky that we grow our own tomatoes so we have plenty every year. So be careful when purchasing your tomatoes. Always wash them first before adding to any dish but that's just common sense.

Add Salad to a large serving bowl and dig in. If you want more chips you can add them to each bowl. This is really the best Taco Salad I have ever had.

Disclosure: I’m excited that I’ve entered into a paid, formal partnership with Bush’s Beans and the post above represents part of that agreement.