Taco Salad: Fresh, Filling, and Made to Order
Taco Salad: Fresh, Filling, and Made to Order
Taco Salad: Fresh, Filling, and Full of Flavor
When people think of Mexican food, the first things that usually come to mind are giant burritos, hot tacos, and plates full of rice and beans. While those are amazing choices, sometimes you want all those great, savory flavors without feeling too heavy afterward. That is exactly where the taco salad comes in. It is the perfect middle ground. You get the seasoned meats, the fresh salsas, and the crunch of a taco, but it is built on a large bed of fresh greens.
At El Famous Burrito, our Fiesta Taco Salad has become one of the most popular items on our menu. It is a huge hit for quick work lunches, light dinners, and healthy eating. Whether you visit us in Lombard, Glendale Heights, or Wheeling, we make sure every salad is built with the freshest ingredients possible. In this article, we are going to look at what makes our taco salad so good, how you can customize it, and why it is a great choice for your next meal.
What Goes Into a Great Taco Salad?
A good mexican salad is all about building layers. If you just throw some meat and lettuce in a bowl, it is going to be boring. You need different textures, different temperatures, and fresh ingredients to make it work. Here is how we build our Fiesta Taco Salad from the bottom up.
1. The Crispy Flour Shell
For many people, the best part of the salad is the bowl it comes in. We take a large, soft flour tortilla and fry it until it forms a golden, crispy bowl. This edible shell holds all the ingredients together. As you eat the salad, you can break off pieces of the crispy shell to use as chips, scooping up the meat, beans, and guacamole. We fry these shells fresh in our kitchens, so they always have that perfect crunch and never taste stale.
2. The Fresh Bed of Greens
The base of the salad has to be crisp. We do not use bags of pre-shredded lettuce that sit in a warehouse for a week. Every morning, our prep team washes and chops fresh lettuce. This gives the salad a cold, crisp base. The contrast between the cold lettuce and the hot meat is what makes the salad taste so fresh and satisfying.
3. Your Choice of Protein
This is where you make the salad your own. You can choose the meat that fits your mood:
Ground Beef (Picadillo): This is the classic, nostalgic choice. Our ground beef is seasoned perfectly with traditional Mexican spices. It is savory, hearty, and pairs perfectly with the crispy shell.
Carne Asada (Grilled Steak): If you want a more robust, street-taco flavor, our grilled steak is the way to go. We chop it into bite-sized pieces and cook it hot and fast so it gets a nice char on the outside.
Grilled Chicken: For a lighter option, our marinated grilled chicken is fantastic. It is lean, tender, and soaks up the flavors of our fresh salsas.
4. Hearty Mexican Beans
A salad needs something to make it filling, and our beans do the trick. We cook our beans slowly from scratch. They add a great layer of protein and fiber to the salad. They also add a creamy texture that mixes well with the crisp lettuce and the crunchy shell.
5. Fresh Toppings and Extras
To finish the salad, we load it up with the good stuff. We add freshly diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, a dollop of rich sour cream, and a scoop of our homemade guacamole. Our guacamole is made using ripe avocados, onions, cilantro, and lime juice. It adds healthy fats and a smooth, rich flavor to every bite.
Eating Smart: How to Manage Taco Salad Calories
One of the most common questions we hear from customers, especially around lunch time, is about taco salad calories. A lot of people order a salad because they want a healthy meal, but a taco salad can easily become a heavy meal if you are not careful.
The great thing about ordering at El Famous Burrito is that you have total control. We make your food right in front of you, so you can easily adjust your order to fit your diet. Here are a few simple ways to make your taco salad healthier and lower in calories:
Skip the Fried Shell
The fried flour tortilla bowl is delicious, but it adds a lot of extra calories and fat to your meal. If you are watching your weight, simply ask for your taco salad in a regular plastic bowl. You still get all the amazing flavors of the meat, beans, and fresh vegetables, but you save hundreds of calories right from the start.
Go Light on the Dairy
Cheese and sour cream taste great, but they are also heavy. You can ask our staff to go light on the cheese, or put the sour cream on the side so you can control how much you eat. Alternatively, you can skip the dairy completely and use our fresh guacamole to give the salad that creamy texture you want.
Use Salsa Instead of Dressing
Many restaurants serve their taco salads with heavy, creamy dressings that are packed with sugar and oil. We do things the traditional way. Instead of dressing, we recommend using our fresh, house-made salsas. Our Salsa Verde (green) and Salsa Roja (red) are packed with flavor from fresh tomatoes, tomatillos, and chilies. They have almost zero calories, zero fat, and they bring a bright, spicy kick that ties the whole salad together. You can also add fresh Pico de Gallo for even more flavor.
The Perfect Quick Lunch Option
If you work in the Chicago suburbs, you know how hard it can be to find a lunch that is fast, affordable, and won't put you to sleep at your desk. Burgers and fries or heavy pasta dishes often lead to that "afternoon crash" where you feel tired and sluggish.
The Fiesta Taco Salad is the perfect solution. The fresh vegetables give you a nice crunch, the protein from the chicken or steak gives you energy, and the beans keep you full until dinner time. Because we move fast on our serving line, you can get in, get your fresh salad, and get back to your day without wasting your whole lunch hour.
Visit Our Local Restaurants
We are proud to serve our local communities. We make sure that no matter which of our doors you walk through, you get the same fresh, high-quality food.
El Famous Burrito Lombard
Our Lombard store is located right on a busy stretch, making it a favorite for local office workers and shoppers. We move fast, but we always keep our ingredients fresh.
Address: 256 W. Roosevelt Road, Lombard, IL 60148
Phone: (630) 613-8460
Hours: Monday: 10:30 am – 8:30 pm, Tuesday – Saturday: 10:30 am – 10:00 pm, Sunday: 11:30 am – 8:30 pm.
El Famous Burrito Glendale Heights
Located right in the center of the neighborhood, our Glendale Heights location is a great spot for families. The dining room is clean and spacious, perfect for sitting down and enjoying a big, crispy taco salad.
Address: 1165 Bloomingdale Rd, Glendale Heights, IL 60139
Phone: (630) 682-5882
Hours: Monday: 10:30 am – 8:30 pm, Tuesday – Saturday: 10:30 am – 10:00 pm, Sunday: 11:30 am – 8:30 pm.
El Famous Burrito Wheeling
For our customers in the northern suburbs, our Wheeling location offers the exact same great menu. It is an easy, convenient stop to pick up dinner on your way home.
Address: 236 McHenry Road, Wheeling, IL 60090
Hours: Check our website or Google for the most current daily hours.
Make It Your Own
The best part about Mexican food is that there are no strict rules. You can build your meal exactly how you want it. Next time you visit us, try the Fiesta Taco Salad. Mix up the meats, add extra guacamole, or try it with our spicy red salsa. It is a fresh, satisfying way to enjoy all the flavors that made El Famous Burrito a local favorite.
FAQ Section
1. Can I get a taco salad without meat?
Yes! Our vegetarian taco salad is a very popular choice. Instead of meat, we give you a double portion of our slow-cooked beans and plenty of fresh guacamole, so you still get a very filling and healthy meal.
2. Do you make the taco salad shells in the restaurant?
Yes, we do. We fry our flour tortilla shells fresh in our own kitchens. This ensures they are always golden, crispy, and taste great when you break them apart to eat with your salad.
3. Is the taco salad gluten-free?
The fried flour tortilla bowl is not gluten-free. However, if you order the salad in a regular bowl (without the fried shell), the lettuce, meats, beans, and salsas are naturally gluten-free. Just tell our staff if you have an allergy.
4. What kind of dressing comes with the salad?
We do not use heavy, bottled salad dressings. Most of our customers use our fresh, house-made salsas (red or green), sour cream, and guacamole to mix into the salad for flavor. It tastes much better and is a lighter option.
5. Can I order the taco salad online for pickup?
Absolutely. You can order through our website or your favorite delivery app. We will package the salad carefully so the lettuce stays crisp and the shell stays crunchy until you are ready to eat.