Smothered Fritos Taco Salad is what dinner dreams are made of! Add this simple slow cooker recipe to your meal plan this week!

Name: Slow Cooker Smothered Fritos Taco Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 360 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds lean turkey or ground beef; 1 cup chopped onion; 2 cans Chili Beans or pinto beans – mild chili sauce (do not drain); 8 oz. can Tomato sauce; 1 can Original Rotel (do not drain); taco seasoning packet; 1/2 cup water; Fritos; Favorite toppings (Suggestions: cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, hot sauce, avocado, jalapenos, fresh cilantro, etc.)

I introduce to you…(drum roll please)

Slow Cooker Smothered Fritos Taco Salad.

Something about a recipe with the word smothered in it just really makes me happy. It just sounds delicious from the start right?

Because nothing is smothered in something that is NOT delicious. At least in my experience.

Anyways, I’m crushing on this Fritos Taco Salad because it’s super simple and my people can customize their own bowls with all their favorite toppings.

Or no toppings at all, because sometimes kids are picky am I right?! Toppings one day, no toppings the next. I can’t keep track. And I don’t have to with recipes like this!

*high five*

While it’s mostly a toss in the slow cooker recipe, you do have to brown the meat first. Which brings me to one of my favorite kitchen/budget/time saving hacks.

Prep-Ahead Hack: Buy ground beef in bulk and then browning the beef in bulk and storing in the freezer for later –>

Tap here to get all the details on how to save money and time with this ground beef hack!

Now, back to the recipe…

Cook up the meat and onions. (Or thaw a bag of pre-browned ground beef if you used my pro tip above!)

Then mix in the taco seasoning and water.

Add everything to the slow cooker.

Anxiously await dinner all day as the heavenly smells infiltrate your home while simmering on low in the slow cooker for about 6 hours.

Gobble it up. Pack some leftovers for lunch the next day. Your job here is done.

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Slow Cooker Smothered Fritos Taco Salad

Smothered and sensational! The whole family will love this fun and easy dinner!

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time6 hours

Servings - servings

Ingredients

Taco Salad Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds lean turkey or ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cans Chili Beans or pinto beans – mild chili sauce do not drain
8 oz. can Tomato sauce
1 can Original Rotel do not drain
taco seasoning packet
1/2 cup water

Taco Salad Topping Ingredients

Fritos
Favorite toppings Suggestions: cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, hot sauce, avocado, jalapenos, fresh cilantro, etc.

Instructions

Brown beef or turkey and chopped onions in skillet over medium-high heat fully cooked and onions are translucent and soft. If you are using a high fat content ground beef drain off the excess grease.
Mix in, taco seasoning, 1/2 cup of water
In slow cooker add in chili beans, Rotel and tomato sauce. Then add meat and onions mixture to the slow cooker and mix well.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours
To make your taco bowls, add a handful of Fritos, a ladle of the meat taco mixture then top with your favorite toppings.
Enjoy!