Catalina Salad Dressing – Barefeet within the Kitchen

In the event you’re like me, you most likely loved a basic taco salad greater than as soon as in your childhood. It’s a staple for a lot of household and potluck occasions and has been for years. And for those who ate taco salad within the 70s, 80s, or 90s, it was possible made with Catalina salad dressing.

Ranch dressing might have taken over in recognition for a lot of salad lovers (and pizza lovers, vegetable lovers, chip lovers, you get my level), however Catalina nonetheless has a spot within the fridge for many people. That mentioned, the home made Catalina dressing I really like right now is a far cry from the grocery retailer variations I recall.

Catalina Dressing

Catalina is contemporary, daring, tangy, and candy, (although rather a lot much less candy than industrial variations!) with loads of zesty flavors to maintain issues attention-grabbing. At this level in my life, I may write an ode to home made salad dressings.

I really like how simple they’re to make, and the very fact you possibly can modify the flavors so simply to your tastes transforms daily dishes into one thing additional particular. Need slightly warmth? Add a pinch of cayenne. Or for a little bit of smoky taste, attempt a splash of smoked paprika as an alternative of the plain selection.

There’s nothing in any respect sophisticated about making most salad dressings, nothing in any respect. You simply mix every little thing in a jar, seal it tightly with a lid, and provides it a shake. For dressings (like this one and basic balsamic vinaigrette), I like to make use of the blender to emulsify the dressing. That method, it gained’t separate as rapidly and doesn’t require as a lot shaking once you’re prepared to make use of it.

I used this batch of Catalina dressing in an old-school taco salad, and wow, was this ever nostalgic. Crunchy crisp lettuce, seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and crunchy tortilla chips, all tossed with this zesty pink dressing. There’s simply one thing about Catalina dressing that ties all these flavors collectively completely.

The taco salads I recall from childhood had been often made with plain tortilla chips, tossed complete into the salad or crushed a bit earlier than being added. Our mates, Paul and Dian, launched us to a taco salad made with Doritos after we had been all newlyweds, and I cherished that variation a lot, we made our salads that method for years. Now? No shock to anybody who is aware of me, I’m all about the Fritos. Nevertheless you make your taco salad, this dressing is a enjoyable and attractive flash from the previous.

I do know I don’t actually need to say this, however hey, that’s what I do, proper? Catalina dressing isn’t only for taco salad. It makes an excellent dipping sauce for grilled rooster or greens, and naturally, it’s a terrific possibility for any variety of salads. So, even when taco salad isn’t your factor, a bottle of home made Catalina dressing may very well be an excellent addition to your condiment assortment.

If you’d like slightly extra salad inspiration, try How to Eat Salad Every Day (and actually like it!) That’s the spine to my salad-loving life, and so many individuals who’ve tried the following pointers have fallen in love with consuming salads.

Along with all of the salad concepts, the dressing options are practically infinite, too. Test them out and discover a number of new favorites!