Try this with (new flavor)... "spicy sweet chili" - purple bag... is outstanding.

In a pinch you can used canned tomatoes. Rotel works well.

I use sour cream and mix bottled taco sauce with it to make a dressing. Pour it over as you would the Italian dressing. It adds a little kick.

Correction to my previous posted recipe/comment (posted May, 21): I also add Tostitos Nacho cheese chips when adding the tomatoes, onions and olives. That makes a big difference. Betty Andrews

I make this but with Good Seasons Italian dressing mix. It is so good and light and not heavy with dressing. You can really taste all the ingredients.

Good idea, Sharon, when I have others over to eat. But I use ground beef, Ranch beens, Lawry's Hot Taco Mix, (cool this mixture), addded to lettuce, chopped onions, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, Catalina dressing, shredded Mexican blend cheese and sour cream when it's just my son and me. (I'm widowed and we take care of each other.) Thank you, Cooks.com for this amazing website. Betty Andrews

Love this! I served it to my husband. He loved it too. I am now using it all summer as my go to dish for guest. I used turkey instead of beef, and chick peas instead of beans. AWESOME!!

Tastes better to use your own ingredients rather than taco seasoning packets. Plus you know what's being put in your food. I like to use cumin, garlic powder and turmeric as taco flavor. Has anticancer benefits as well

My mom used to make this for me all the time when I lived at home. But instead she used ranch dressing and left of the kidney beans. It was very good!!!

We use thousand island instead of Italian, also salsa, and olives. Yummy!

I loved this idea so much that I bought a big pack of Doritos!

I also make it this way but with black olives and green goddess dressing. Old Spanish recipe.

I did this one, but instead of lettuce, used veg pasta salad, also added little feta cheese, quite tasty.

I have a lot of people that eat this that have different tastes to I do a basic lettuce, tomato, meat and cheese and fill my lazy susan server with all kinds of options to add on so people can build their own. Also I leave the dressing off and leave different kinds out for people. It is perfect and fun for everyone to build-their-own taco salad.

YUMMY! This recipe always brings back memories for me. My Mom always used Catalina dressing and Fritos corn chips. I'm going to make this over the weekend. Great recipe!