Taco Salad and Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing


One of the go-to dinners that I make at least once a month is taco salads (these are especially great when we have any kind of taco leftovers). I do them differently every time, and they always turn out yummy, but this one turned out a-maz-ing. Things that made it better than usual: cilantro lime rice (leftovers!), avocado, fresh tomatoes, and CILANTRO LIME DRESSING. And it was a cinch to make!

Here's what I usually include in the salads, in the order I usually put them together (not all ingredients are used every time):


Tortilla on the bottom (if desired)
Salad greens (green leaf lettuce, spinach, etc)
Rice (a quick way to season leftover rice: chile powder, garlic salt and cumin)
Beans, any kind: black, pinto, refried (I also ALWAYS flavor the beans with chile powder, garlic salt and cumin—makes them so good!)
Meat (chicken, beef, pork (or this pork), turkey, sometimes I leave it out and just use beans)
Tomatoes
Salsa
Cheese
Avocado
Sour cream
Cilantro
Lime juice
Tortilla chips, crushed
Dressing (I've used regular ranch and it's just NOT as good as cilantro lime!)


So here's the recipe for Cilantro Lime Ranch dressing like Cafe Rio! [I got it from Our Best Bites]

Ingredients:
1 pack (1 oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (ignore the directions on packet)
1/2 cup mayo (I used the reduced-fat olive oil mayo)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used fat-free)
1/2 cup milk
1 lime, juiced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (I left this out because raw garlic is really strong to me, but I used a little garlic salt)
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup green salsa (I used the La Victoria brand)
Hot sauce, to taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients (except hot sauce) in a blender or food processor. Blend until all ingredients are mixed together and finely chopped. Sample and add hot sauce to taste. Allow to thicken in the fridge for a few hours.

See? I told you! Easy-peasy!

Now go make your Cafe Rio salad instead of spending upwards of $10 for one!

Comments

Miranda said…
this looks delicious. and i gotta say...if you guys ever stop blogging...i won't know what to make for dinner. haha, thanks for all of the great recipes. i have a 100% success rate with these. hope you guys are doing well!!
janica said…
amen to miranda. Made this tonight. SOOOOOO GOOOOOODDDD. The dressing was delicious. and i added all your little suggestions for the rice and beans and it was amazing all together. YUM

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