This retro frito taco salad recipe came out of my mom’s recipe box. Made with spinach, taco seasoned ground meat, onion, tomato, pinto beans, radish, cheese, Catalina dressing, and of course Fritos corn chips.

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This Frito Taco Salad is the next recipe card that I pulled from those that my mom gave me over the years. But she often didn’t supply a source so I initially wasn’t entirely sure where this one originated.

While searching the internet to determine if this was one of her own creations, I discovered that there are many interpretations of the same dish. Some use Romaine lettuce, beans, corn, or taco seasoning, bur the most consistent thing was ground meat, Catalina dressing, and Fritos corn chips.

Her recipe originally did not call for taco seasoning (just salt and pepper) or pinto beans but I decided to add them because I felt like to be a taco salad it needed taco seasoning, right? After all, where would the taco flavor come from if I didn’t use the taco seasoning? But she did use spinach (albeit half as much) instead of Romaine and radishes so I kept those.

Have you ever had a Frito taco salad before? What’s in your version? This salad actually reminds me a lot of a Doritos salad or as I made it, Cheetos salad. Also similar to a walking taco, or again in my case a Cheetos walking taco (do you see the trend here?).

MOM'S FRITO TACO SALAD WITH CATALINA DRESSING

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Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 10M 10M

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
• 1 package of taco seasoning (or 2.5 Tbsp homemade)
• 1/3 + 1/2 cup Catalina dressing
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 5 oz. fresh baby spinach
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup sliced radishes
• 1 (14 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or a blend)
• 16 oz. bag Fritos corn chips

Directions

1. Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add meat and brown, breaking into smaller pieces, until no longer pink on the outside, about 5 minutes. Add taco seasoning, 1/3 cup dressing, onion, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, combine spinach, tomato, radish, beans, cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup dressing*. Add meat mixture and and Fritos, then toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Stop here if you are preparing ahead of time. Otherwise the Fritos will get soggy.

Source: My mom gave me this recipe in May of 2007, but while digging through old recipe boxes of hers I found a similar recipe from a Charlene Reid of West Junior High School that originally used 1/2 head of lettuce.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

If you are going to take away the meat from my chili you better be able to back it up. This vegetarian bean chili is the next best thing. 

It’s that time of year… chilly chili time! While my go-to chili will always be my dad’s, if I need a vegetarian option this recipe is also exceptional. It involves a variety of canned beans and a lot of vegetable chopping in the beginning (can use a food processor to speed things up), but once it’s in your slow cooker there’s nothing left to do but go about your day and come home to dinner.

Since today is a Saturday that also means I snuck peanut butter and chocolate in there as well for #PBchocSat! The Ohio State Buckeyes are at home against the Wisconsin Badgers today at noon and it’s our toughest match up yet. But I have faith in my team, especially since it’s on our own turf (literally). But just in case I have this comforting chili to take care of my nerves.

Welcome to our #ChiliCookOff! 

We have delicious recipes from across the country to get your chili making to the next level of delicious!

• Slow Cooker Taco Chili by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• White Bean Turkey Chili by Sweet Beginnings
• Frito Pie Chili by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Slow Cooker Vegetarian Buckeye Chili by The Spiffy Cookie
• Sweet Hot Pepper Jelly Ground Beef & Bean Chili by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Steak Fajita Chili by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Garden Fresh Chili by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• BBQ Beef Brisket Chili by Palatable Pastime
• Slow Cooker Classic Chili Recipe by Our Crafty Mom
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili by Kate’s Recipe Box

Three years ago: Chocolate Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Almond Butter Frosting

Four year ago: Beet Biscuits

Six years ago: Sea Salt Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups

Eight years ago: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Caramelized Onions, Bacon, and Apple

SLOW COOKER VEGETARIAN BUCKEYE CHILI

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 celery stalks, chopped

4 red, yellow and/or orange bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 (15.5 oz.) can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained

1 (15.5 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed & drained

1 (15.5 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

1/2 cup unsweetened natural peanut butter

1/4 cup chili powder

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 Tbsp dried oregano

2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

1 Tbsp hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the peppers and celery and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Set your slow cooker to low. Add the sauteed vegetables and remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and cover. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.

Source: Adapted slightly from A Side of Sweet.

Have you had a chance to check out The New Southwest Cookbook by Meagan of Scarletta Bakes? If not then today is your lucky day because not only am I sharing a recipe from her new cookbook, but am also hosting a giveaway for one lucky reader to receive a copy!

To start, there’s a chapter which covers all the essentials for a southwest kitchen pantry as well as acceptable substitutions when you cannot locate a certain ingredient in a recipe, which I completely appreciated as sometimes it is difficult to find certain ingredients. Then there is a “building blocks” chapter covering all the condiments and foodstuffs seen in southwestern cooking from roasted chiles to homemade corn tortillas. Although it is not necessary to make your own tortillas, salsa, etc. from scratch, it certainly adds to the experience. I really want to try making my own tortillas once I get my hands on a tortilla press.

Browsing through the subsequent chapters, several recipes immediately struck me such as the fried sage smashed potatoes and the dulce de leche layer cake with sweet pecan “pesto”. The picture of that cake made me swoon, with pecan “pesto” dripping all over the place. But when I saw the pinto bean breakfast patty melts I knew it was time to treat myself to a hearty, spicy breakfast.

These breakfast patties were easy to throw together and I loved that they could be wrapped up before being cooked and saved for later since I typically only cook for myself. After being fried and topped with cheese, these patty melts were layered with spicy flavor – both in heat and spices. If you are a bit timid to spiciness you may want to consider removing the seeds from the jalapenos.

Want to win a copy? Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter after viewing the recipe below!

One year ago: Chewy Molasses Cookies

Two years ago: Andes Crème de Menthe Chocolate Cookies

PINTO BEAN BREAKFAST PATTY MELTS

Makes 7

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for frying

3/4 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup grated zucchini

2 jalapenos, stemmed and minced

2 Tbsp minced fresh garlic

3-1/2 cups cooked pinto beans

3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

7 slices Monterey Jack cheese

7 English muffins, sliced, toasted

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until golden, translucent, and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, jalapenos, and garlic and saute for just 2 more minutes. Remove pan from heat.
2. Meanwhile, place the beans in a large, heat-proof bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Stir in the breadcrumbs, eggs, cumin, black pepper, coriander, and salt. Fold in the cooked onion mixture. Using a half cup measure, portion off and form seven ‘burgers’. Refrigerate if not using right away.*
3. Once ready to cook and assemble your melts, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy bottomed, lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, applying pressure to the top of the patties to flatten once you have a cooked side facing up. Note that you may need to work in batches so as not to overcrowd your pan, so you may need to refresh your oil between batches.
4. Once patties are crisp on the outside and cooked through, top each with a slice of cheese, replace the lid on the pan and steam just 30 to 60 seconds to melt the cheese. Remove each patty melt to a toasted English muffin bun and serve immediately.

* Note: The patties can be made in advance. Simply separate them with parchment paper so that they don’t stick to each other. Store in the refrigerator until ready to cook and serve.

Source: The New Southwest by Meagan Micozzi of Scarletta Bakes.

Disclosure: Recipe reprinted with permission. I received a complimentary copy of this cookbook and giveaway provided by Meagan Micozzi. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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