Trash Bag Taco Salad

Trash Bag Taco Salad is a fun and easy salad to prepare for potlucks and parties. It’s loaded with taco meat, shredded lettuce, and all the trimmings for a sure crowd-pleaser and it’s tossed together in a trash bag for quick clean up.

I know what you’re thinking and I totally agree. Trash bag taco salad doesn’t sound very appetizing but trust me, this is one of the best salads you’ll ever have!

I found this taco salad recipe online years ago and it has since become my go-to food to bring for potlucks and parties. The name intrigued me to try it and the taste got me hooked. Loaded with crisp corn chips, flavorful ground beef, ranch-style beans, salsa, cheddar cheese and a colorful slew of tomatoes, onions, and olives, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

As the salad is popular for large gatherings and the bulk amount makes it difficult to mix in a regular-sized container, all the ingredients gets tossed together in a trash bag instead. It’s easy and fun to prepare and makes clean-up a breeze. But although simple and convenient, making this trash bag taco salad can easily turn into a major fiasco. Can you just imagine the mess and stress if the bag broke and everything spilled all over the place?

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As you’ll see in the recipe below, this trash bag taco salad makes a whopping 40 to 50 servings! You can, of course, scale it down for a regular family dinner or double to easily feed an army. Either way, enjoy!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @OnionRingsAndThings on Facebook and Instagram!

4.5 from 2 votes

Trash Bag Taco Salad

Trash Bag Taco Salad is a fun and easy salad to prepare for potlucks and parties. It’s loaded with taco meat, shredded lettuce, and all the trimmings for a sure crowd-pleaser and it’s tossed together in a trash bag for quick clean up.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Author: Onion Rings and Things

Course: Salad

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40 Servings

Ingredients

For the Taco Meat

• 3 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 3 ounce taco seasoning mix

For the Salad

• 3 iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 5 tomatoes, seeded and chopped,
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 30 ounces ranch-style beans, drained
• 1 cup sliced olives, drained
• 16 ounces corn chips
• 16 ounces Catalina salad dressing
• 1 1/2 cups salsa
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

For the Taco Meat

• In a skillet over medium heat, add ground beef. Cook, breaking into pieces with back of the spoon, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until it begins to release fat. Drain excess fat if needed. Add onions and garlic and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until beef lightly browns and onions and garlic are softened.
• Add water and taco seasoning mix. Stir until well-dispersed. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

For the Salad

• In a trash bag or very large container, combine taco meat, lettuce, beans, olives, corn chips, salad dressing, salsa, and cheese. Gently toss until well-distributed. Transfer to serving container.

Notes

Adapted from Taste of Home

Nutrition Information

Serving: 190g, Calories: 278kcal, Carbohydrates: 28.4g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 10.8g, Saturated Fat: 2.5g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 408mg, Potassium: 608mg, Fiber: 4.8g, Sugar: 2.9g, Vitamin A: 250IU, Vitamin C: 9.1mg, Calcium: 80mg

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”

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