Pioneer Woman's Salad Tacos

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 16 whole taco shells
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 (4 ounce) can tomato paste
• salt
• 1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans or 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 head green leaf lettuce, sliced very thin
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (or diced regular tomatoes)
• 1 cup grated cheese, cheddar or 1 cup monterey jack pepper cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix (optional)
• extra hot sauce (optional)
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Recipe

• 1 heat taco shells according to package directions. set aside.
• 2 brown ground beef until fully cooked. drain excess fat, then add taco seasoning, tomato paste, beans and hot water. stir to combine, then add salt as needed. keep warm.
• 3 to make the dressing: mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, salsa, ranch dressing mix and hot pepper sauce. taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if it needs it.
• 4 to build the tacos, first fill the shell with plenty of lettuce. spoon on some of the meat mixture, then add tomatoes and cheese. top with a light drizzle of the dressing and serve immediately.
• 5 optional: add a little of the dressing on top of the letuce before adding the meat.