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Frito Salad With Homemade Catalina Dressing

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Frito salad is a fun twist on a taco salad. It is loaded with flavor and is perfect for potlucks, but also makes a fun dinner main dish. The homemade Catalina salad dressing is easy to make and the salad is packed full of goodies.

Close bowl of frito salad showing lettuce, cucumbers, cheese, taco meat and fritos all tossed in homemade catalina dressing.

Take a salad and make it a dinner they’ll actually ask for! Frito taco salad is so much fun and a great way to get your family to eat their vegetables.

Bring it to a carry-in as a super fun side salad. Or add taco meat and serve it to your family as an all in one dinner dish.

Pouring homemade red Catalina salad dressing over salad loaded with goodies.

The homemade Catalina dressing doesn’t get easier to make and brings the whole thing together. You can use bottled if you want, but making your own only takes a minute and you can use it for other things as well.

Our Family’s History with this Salad

MiMi says she remembers a time where you couldn’t go to a BBQ or potluck without there being a Frito salad there.  I don’t remember these times, so it must have been a LONG time ago. 😉  

Just kidding MiMi, you are young and vibrant!

Anyway, we were having some really special burgers for family dinner this week.  Don’t worry, you’ll get the recipe.  You’ll just have to wait a little longer for it!

Big glass serving bowl full of taco salad with Fritos, cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, lettuce and homemade Catalina dressing.

Spoiler alert: it was my Maw-Maw’s hamburger suprises.  My Maw-Maw was making stuffed burgers before stuffed burgers were a thing!

Anyway, she thought this would be the perfect accompaniment for it.  I wouldn’t exactly say it is the healthiest salad.  

I mean really, the name is Frito salad people!  But, it was a really tasty side to our burgers.

serving spoon full of frito taco salad.

Even if it’s not exactly a superfood, it is a super fun way to get your family to eat some vegetables.  So in my book that is still a win!

You can leave the taco meat out if you want and make it a side dish.  Or you an add it and make the salad the star of the show. (Or add it and still make it a side dish, you do you!)

small bowl of frito taco salad in front of large serving bowl of salad.

The catalina dressing is super simple to make and you may find yourself making that for other salads as well.  You could keep a jar in your refrigerator for more salads or recipes like Catalina chicken.

All of the chopped veggies give a nice fresh flavor to the salad while the beans add lots of flavor and texture as well.  The Fritos give it a nice salty crunch that makes it extra fun!

looking down at a bowl of frito taco salad, served and ready to eat.

Prepping the Salad Ahead of Time

You can do most of the prep work ahead of time. Chop everything up and get it ready.

You can even toss most of it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready.

Just don’t toss in the Fritos, beans and dressing until you are ready to serve. Or the taco meat if you are going full monte! You don’t want anything getting soggy.

fork getting a bite of frito taco salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use turkey instead of beef?

Yes, this salad is great a number of ways. It is perfect without meat as a vegetarian option. Or use ground turkey, beef or even venison with taco seasoning to make it that much more hearty.

Can I use a different dressing?

Catalina as been a classic addition to this salad for decades, but if you want to try something different salsa, ranch or a green goddess dressing would be good.

If you like this, you may also like some of these other salad recipes that are great as side dishes or dinner mains:

Grandma’s Napa Salad is the perfect mix of crunch and flavor. It is an amazing side dish, but we love it with chicken as a meal as well.

Portillo’s Inspired Chopped Salad is loaded with meat, cheese and even a little pasta.  It is such a fun mix of ingredients and there is something for everyone!

Bok Choy Salad with Apples and Yogurt Peanut Dressing is loaded with crunch! It is topped with apples, peanuts and an easy homemade dressing. It is fun, different and flavorful.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a review in the recipe card below!

Close bowl of frito salad showing lettuce, cucumbers, cheese, taco meat and fritos all tossed in homemade catalina dressing.

Frito Taco Salad

Carlee
Frito salad is a fun twist on a taco salad. It is loaded with flavor and is perfect for potlucks, but also makes a fun dinner main dish. The homemade Catalina salad dressing is easy to make and the salad is packed full of goodies.
4.86 from 28 ratings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Salads
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 414 kcal

Ingredients
 

Salad

  • 1 head iceberg lettuce
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 large tomato
  • 8 oz shredded cheese cheddar, co-jack or a mexican blend would be good
  • 14.5 oz can pork and beans drained
  • 9.25 oz bag Frito chips
  • Optional: 1 pound ground beef & 1 packet taco seasoning

Catalina Dressing

  • ½ cup vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¾ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions
 

  • Combine all the dressing ingredients in a mason jar. Shake and put in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
    ½ cup vinegar, ½ cup olive oil, ¾ cup ketchup, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • If using taco meat: brown ground beef in a skillet, then add taco seasoning according to package directions. Set aside until ready to use.
    Optional: 1 pound ground beef & 1 packet taco seasoning
  • Chop all of your vegetables and arrange in a large bowl. Top with cheese and mix.
    1 head iceberg lettuce, 1 red onion, 1 cucumber, 1 large tomato, 8 oz shredded cheese
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve. Then add the drained pork and beans, taco meat (if using) and Fritos and toss with dressing.
    14.5 oz can pork and beans, 9.25 oz bag Frito chips
  • Serve immediately after adding chips and dressing.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 414kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 19gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 815mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8g
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Recipe Rating




Melissa

Monday 31st of July 2023

Can you use apple cider vinegar in the dressing?

Carlee

Monday 31st of July 2023

Yes, apple cider vinegar would be good.

Unknown

Friday 3rd of July 2020

Pork and beans will have to be substituted....my crowd is not a fan. Maybe black beans for us?!

Carlee

Friday 3rd of July 2020

Black beans would be delicious! The pork and beans seems weird (they aren't normally my favorite either...) but they blend in to the whole mix really well.

Brenda

Tuesday 20th of August 2019

Carlie, I love the way you post your ideas and recipes! The Southern in you just makes all the difference in the way it comes out. Thank you very much for sharing "Maw-Maw's" special Hamburger recipe with us! It looks and sounds delicious, and only on a charcoal grill, not gas! I can't wait to try it! Thanks again, Enjoy the rest of the Summer!

Carlee

Friday 3rd of July 2020

Thank you so much! Maw-Maw definitely makes one heck of a burger. I hope you enjoy them!

Brenda

Friday 16th of August 2019

What happened to Mamaw's Secret Hamburger Recipe? I waited for that one until the end, and never learned what it was.

Carlee

Tuesday 20th of August 2019

I posted it! It's Maw-Maw's hamburger surprises!

Carlee

Tuesday 12th of February 2019

Thank you!