Recipe Background
Easy Cowboy Salad is perfect for a swim meet evening, quick to prepare, and delicious.
The first time I made this Easy Cowboy Salad was during my niece's first swim meet. My sister had called me frantic, saying she needed help preparing something that would fuel up her little athlete and the family. I arrived with a pound of ground beef and an envelope of taco seasoning, knowing the comforting aroma would be a winner. While the beef was sizzling, I taught my niece the art of tearing iceberg lettuce into perfectly imperfect pieces, a skill she giggled through as she perfected. "Less knife, more fun," I told her, adding a dash of play to our kitchen antics.
Meanwhile, my sister worried about picky eaters, so I handed her a bag of nacho-flavored tortilla chips. "Crumble those a bit, they make the magic happen," I said. As we layered cheddar cheese—a personal favorite—over the lettuce, the house filled with a cheesy, savory smell that made everyone peek into the kitchen. For a splash of surprise, we drizzled Catalina dressing over our creation. The salad was a hit, with everyone scooping seconds as we cheered on our young swimmer. Adding this meal to our repertoire became a new family tradition, perfect for casual evenings full of chatter and laughter.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 (1-ounce) envelope reduced-sodium taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 medium head iceberg lettuce torn
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups nacho-flavored tortilla chips broken
- 1/4 cup Catalina salad dressing
Directions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the beef, while crumbling, until no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the excess grease.
- Stir the taco seasoning and the water into the beef and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer the beef mixture, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 4-6 minutes.
- Transfer the beef mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the cheese.
- Top the lettuce-cheese layer with the beef mixture and the chips.
- Serve the salad drizzled with the dressing.
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