This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy. Are any of you football fans? I think it’s football season, right? Please don’t throw tomatoes at me. They’ll only hit the computer screen. It’s just not worth it… I’ll have you know, I went to a football game in high school (once). I was cheering for effort and sometimes for the wrong team. I don’t really want to talk about it. You can take this Taco salad dip to any party really. It’s just an all-around-amazing dip; sort of like the 7-layer dip, but it holds it’s own. My family members gobbled it up. This is yet another recipe from DeAnna Pavlenko who shared her Healthier Carrot Cake recipe a few months back. DeAnna, thank you so much for sharing your amazing food with the rest of us!
Taco Salad Dip Ingredients:
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix (we bought Original Taco by McCormick) 1/4 cup water 1 lb lean ground beef (I purchased 7% fat) 1 (8oz) package cream cheese 1 cup cottage cheese (any size curd) 1 cup salsa (we used our roasted salsa, but you can use any salsa) 2 cups (8 oz) finely shredded medium cheddar cheese 2 cups shredded green lettuce such as iceberg 2 cups finely chopped tomatoes 1 avocado, diced, optional Cilantro for garnish, optional Taco Chips (or any kind of firm tortillas) to serve
How to make Taco Salad Dip:
In a large skillet, brown ground beef (No need to add oil). Drain with a paper-towel if there is excess liquid. My 7% beef didn’t have any extra juices to drain.
Combine 1 packet of taco seasoning mix with 1/4 cup water. Once the beef is fully cooked, stir the taco seasoning mix into the beef and remove from heat to cool down.
In the bowl of a food processor (we are using the Cuisinart Prep 11-Cup Food Processor, blend 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 package cream cheese and 1 cup salsa until well combined and smooth.
I could just dip my chip right in there.
Spread beef into the bottom of a 9×13-inch glass baking pan, or into individual glass ramekins if you want to get fancy, or if you have time to kill. Top the meat with the blended cream cheese mixture.
Sprinkle evenly with finely grated cheese. Top with sliced lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado and cilantro (if using). If you aren’t serving right away, you might squeeze some lime juice over your avocado to keep it from browning, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve (if you have the will power not to eat it right away).
Serve with Taco chips; naturally. These are the organic chips from Costco. They are so good. My husband has to pull the bag away from me when I finish my dip because I just keep eating the chips (true story). :-O
