Taco Bell has undergone quite a few menu changes this past year. Their taco salad, a seemingly popular menu item, was removed from all menus during the first quarter of 2020 along with a host of other popular items. Nacho cheese sauce, beef tacos, and Baja Blasts remained, but regrettably the perfect salad was gone. For those of you who haven't had the Taco Bell taco salad, it was a riff on a Mexican salad. Ground beef was mixed with refried beans and crispy tortilla strips, then topped with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and shredded cheese. The best part of the salad was that it was served in a crunchy tortilla bowl.
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The reasoning behind its departure, as well as many other items, like the Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco, is to be more effective. Taco Bell analyzed items for several months and wanted to evolve to ensure a fast and easy experience for customers. While some of the fan favorites are retiring, they are constantly innovating and coming up with new, tasty menu items. Some fan favorites even made a return after an outcry on social media, so not all hope is lost.
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The Fiesta Taco Salad was an okay option for those trying to be a tad healthier. According to the nutrition information, It had 50mg of cholesterol and 20% of your daily value of vitamin A. It had 40% of dietary fiber and 15% of your daily vitamin C. The total carbohydrate is 41g, mostly from the tortilla bowl. Surprisingly, the salad had more calories than their regular soft taco.
Luckily, if you're craving a Taco Bell salad, you can make a similar one at home that may just taste even better.
DIY Fiesta Taco Salad Recipe
If you're craving a delicious taco salad, this recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight. For this salad, you'll need: ground beef, taco seasoning, beans (kidney or black), lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, and salad dressing (we prefer ranch dressing).
First, you'll cook the beef and add the seasoning packet and water. Then, mix in your beans, cheese and sour cream. Lastly, top with the fresh veggies and dressing.
The great thing about this salad is you can really customize your toppings to jazz it up. If you're a fan of spice, add some chopped jalapeños or chipotle peppers. If you miss the crunch of the Taco Bell Strips, add some tortilla chips to the top.
We like serving this up with a side of fresh guacamole and pico de Gallo. If you're not eating this salad to be healthy, you could even serve it in a tostada bowl to get the full Fiesta Taco Salad vibe. If you're able to snag some Taco Bell hot sauce, you just might trick yourself into thinking you ordered it in the drive-thru.
Get the recipe here.
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