

Human: How do I make a taco salad?

Assistant: It sounds like you’re talking about a Mexican-style dish where a “taco” is formed by a small (6 to 10 inches in diameter), folded or rolled tortilla stuffed with food ingredients.  In Mexico the most common tacos are made from corn tortillas, and the fillings are generally meat or vegetables.  There are also “tortas”, which are larger, thicker tortillas that are baked rather than fried, and in that case the fillings are generally similar to a sandwich.

So what you’re asking about sounds like a taco salad, which is a variation of the Mexican taco in which the tortilla shell is “replaced” by a crisp lettuce “shell” that’s folded into itself, and the filling is also replaced by salad ingredients.


Human: How do I make a taco salad?

Assistant: I’m not sure what the taco salad of your dreams might look like, but I can suggest a way to think about it that’s entirely general.  The simplest thing to do would be to figure out what sort of salad you like, and which sort of main ingredients, and then find taco fillings that are a good match.  Maybe you think that tuna is a great salad ingredient, but the only thing that fits the mold of “filling” is a cold and limp tuna sandwich.  Maybe tofu would be great in a Thai taco salad, but doesn’t do the trick for a Mexican taco salad.  The point is, you want the taco filling to have some bite and spice, and not be super bland.  On the other hand, the salad and lettuce should be creamy and delicate, and so should avoid spiciness.  Some sort of warm tortilla base should be nice, but should be crispy, too.  I think a good idea would be to look for something in between a burrito and a taco and see how that works out for you.
How do I make a taco salad?
It sounds like you’re talking about a Mexican-style dish where a “taco” is formed by a small (6 to 10 inches in diameter), folded or rolled tortilla stuffed with food ingredients.  In Mexico the most common tacos are made from corn tortillas, and the fillings are generally meat or vegetables.  There are also “tortas”, which are larger, thicker tortillas that are baked rather than fried, and in that case the fillings are generally similar to a sandwich.

So what you’re asking about sounds like a taco salad, which is a variation of the Mexican taco in which the tortilla shell is “replaced” by a crisp lettuce “shell” that’s folded into itself, and the filling is also replaced by salad ingredients.
I’m not sure what the taco salad of your dreams might look like, but I can suggest a way to think about it that’s entirely general.  The simplest thing to do would be to figure out what sort of salad you like, and which sort of main ingredients, and then find taco fillings that are a good match.  Maybe you think that tuna is a great salad ingredient, but the only thing that fits the mold of “filling” is a cold and limp tuna sandwich.  Maybe tofu would be great in a Thai taco salad, but doesn’t do the trick for a Mexican taco salad.  The point is, you want the taco filling to have some bite and spice, and not be super bland.  On the other hand, the salad and lettuce should be creamy and delicate, and so should avoid spiciness.  Some sort of warm tortilla base should be nice, but should be crispy, too.  I think a good idea would be to look for something in between a burrito and a taco and see how that works out for you.