NICOLE PARTON’S FAVORITE RECIPES: Southwest Taco Salad

I first ate this excellent salad in Arizona some 40 years ago. I quickly jotted down the ingredients and have been making it ever since. A taco is normally defined as a deep-fried, folded tortilla filled with lettuce, tomatoes, seasoned meat, shredded cheese, and a variety of tasty condiments. Because this one’s baked in the oven, it’s low in fat.

Southwest Taco Salad:
Serve with salsa and sour cream.

You’ll need tortilla bakers to make this salad: They’re available through Amazon.com or in better cooking shops. Form your tortillas formed against the folds of the bakers before oven-baking them, producing a low-fat taco. I have six tortilla bakers (see And Yet a Further Note, below!), but it’s so quick to bake the shells that I simply make them ahead - unfilled - if I’m going to need more than a couple.

Depending on the oven’s brand name and design, baking heat can sometimes be touchy, out a few degrees either way. Buying more tortillas than I need (I save the rest for another time), I usually do one or two “test” tortillas to make sure they don’t bubble or burn.

Back to this wholesome salad: One of many reasons why I like it is that it offers all the basic food groups including vegetables (lettuce, olives, and green onions), fruits (tomatoes and salsa), grains (tortillas), dairy (cheese and sour cream), and protein (ground beef or chicken). The added “plus” is that this combination of foods - all served chilled - is insanely delicious! It’s filling enough that over the many years I’ve been making it, I’ve never been able to finish eating the taco shell that holds it all. Another reason why I like this salad is that making tacos is fun! Olé!

Southwest Taco Salad:

Four 10-in. (25 cm) corn or flour tortillas

Spray-on cooking fat

2 tsp. (10 mL) canola oil

1/2 lb. (250 g) lean ground beef (or cooked, shredded chicken)

2 tbsp. (30 mL) taco seasoning (see Note)

1/2 c. (250 mL) finely chopped green onions (“spring” onions)

1 small head iceberg lettuce, core removed, coarsely chopped

20-to-24 cherry tomatoes, halved (see Another Note)

1 c. (250 mL) grated cheddar cheese

10-to-15 ripe black olives, drained and sliced

Salsa, as needed

Sour cream, as needed

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Have all ingredients prepared and arrayed before beginning.

Prick tortilla shells with sharp paring knife or fork tines. Press into folds of spray-greased tortilla baking pans. Bake test tortilla 8-to-10 min., monitoring to ensure it doesn’t over-brown. Bake remainder of tortillas. Remove cooled shells from baking pans; set aside. Pans will not need greasing for second and subsequent bakings.

In medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil until it sizzles but doesn’t smoke. Fry ground beef over medium heat until no pink remains. Place hot meat in strainer over small bowl to drain fat. Chill and wrap fat, tossing into garbage (not down the sink!). Blot cooked meat with paper towel to ensure it’s fat-free. In a medium bowl, combine meat, taco seasoning, finely chopped green onions, and lettuce. Set side.

Immediately before serving, fill cooled, baked tortillas (now taco shells) with meat-and-lettuce mixture. In this order, top with tomatoes, grated cheese, and olives. Do not fill shells in advance! Serve with salsa and sour cream on the side. In the quantities specified above, this salad serves 4.

Note: I buy a package of powdered taco seasoning, taking only what I need and reserving the rest for next time. Or make your own Creole or Cajun Seasoning!

Another Note: I don’t recommend using large tomatoes; the quantity of liquid in them will produce a soggy salad.

Further Note: If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy my Tex-Mex Nachos.

And Yet a Further Note: No tortilla baker? No wor-ries! Turn a standard muffin tin upside down, spray the bottom, and fold 4-inch tortilla shells between the muffin compartments to produce several small taco shells. Bake as above.