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Recipe for Cantina Black Bean Taco Salad

Colorful Cantina Black Bean Taco Salad recipe with taco ranch dressing developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

Black Bean Taco Salad

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Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields 6 gallons and 1 quart of Cantina Black Bean Taco Salad to make 50–2 cup salad bowls with 2 ounces of round tortilla chips and (approximately 36 chips) and 2 ounces of Taco Ranch Dressing.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 1 cup vegetable oil (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 4 pounds and 8 ounces or 3 quarts and ½ cup frozen, whole kernel corn (USDA food item)
  • 3 quarts and 1¾ cups or two number 10 can black beans, canned (USDA food item)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • 2 quarts ready to use, low fat ranch dressing
  • ¼ cup light chili powder
  • 4 pounds and 2 ounces or 3 gallons and 2 cups ready to use romaine lettuce chopped
  • 3 pounds and 2 ounces or 3 quarts and ½ cup yellow cheddar cheese, shredded (USDA food item)
  • 4 pounds and 3 ounces or 3 quarts and ½ cup fresh whole grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 3 quarts and ½ cup or one number 10 can sliced ripe olives, canned
  • 6 pounds and 4 ounces round tortilla chips

Directions

To Prepare Black Bean Corn Salsa
  1. Heat vegetable oil in tilt skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add frozen corn to tilt skillet, stir until edges start to brown.
  3. Rinse and drain beans. Add beans to tilt skillet.
  4. Add cumin and lime juice to tilt skillet, gently fold until combined. Critical Control Point (CCP): Heat to internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds.
  5. Set black bean corn salsa aside in refrigerator at 41°F or lower. CCP: Hold in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
To Prepare Taco Ranch Dressing
  1. Mix ranch dressing and chili powder in 5 gallon container.
  2. Pour 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons of Taco Ranch Dressing into 50–2 ounce containers. Cover with a lid, set aside in refrigerator at 41°F. CCP: Hold in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
To Assemble Salad
  1. Place 1 cup of lettuce in 16 ounce individual salad bowl with lid.
  2. Portion ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop shredded cheese on top of lettuce.
  3. Portion ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop tomatoes on top of cheese.
  4. Rinse and drain olives. Portion ¼ cup or one number 6 scoop olives on top of tomatoes.
  5. Portion ½ cup or one number 8 scoop black bean corn salsa on top of salad.
  6. Place Taco Ranch Dressing container on side of salad. Cover salad with lid.
  7. Serve one–2 cup individual salad bowl with 2 ounces (approximately 36 chips) tortilla chips on the side.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 581
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 64.90
  • Protein, in grams: 16.60
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 6.80
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 27.50
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 739.40

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields 12 gallons and 2 quarts of Cantina Black Bean Taco Salad to make 100–2 cup salad bowls with 2 ounces of round tortilla chips (approximately 36 chips) and 2 ounces of Taco Ranch Dressing.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 2 cups vegetable oil (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 9 pounds or 1 gallon, 2 quarts, and 1 cup frozen, whole kernel corn (USDA food item)
  • 1 gallon, 2 quarts, and 3½  cups or four number 10 can black beans, canned (USDA food item)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • ½ cup lime juice
  • 1 gallon ready to use, low fat ranch dressing
  • ½ cup light chili powder
  • 8 pounds and 4 ounces or 6 gallons and 1 quart ready to use romaine lettuce chopped
  • 6 pounds and 4 ounces or 1 gallon, 2 quarts, and 1 cup yellow cheddar cheese, shredded (USDA food item)
  • 8 pounds and 6 ounces or 1 gallon, 2 quarts, and 1 cup fresh whole grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1 gallon, 2 quarts, and 1 cup or two number 10 can sliced ripe olives, canned
  • 12 pounds and 8 ounces round tortilla chips

Directions

To Prepare Black Bean Corn Salsa
  1. Heat vegetable oil in tilt skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add frozen corn to tilt skillet, stir until edges start to brown.
  3. Rinse and drain beans. Add beans to tilt skillet.
  4. Add cumin and lime juice to tilt skillet, gently fold until combined. Critical Control Point (CCP): Heat to internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds.
  5. Set black bean corn salsa aside in refrigerator at 41°F or lower. CCP: Hold in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
To Prepare Taco Ranch Dressing
  1. Mix ranch dressing and chili powder in 5 gallon container.
  2. Pour 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons of Taco Ranch Dressing into 100-2 ounce containers. Cover with a lid, set aside in refrigerator at 41°F. CCP: Hold in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
To Assemble Salad
  1. Place 1 cup of lettuce in 16 ounce individual salad bowl with lid.
  2. Portion ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop shredded cheese on top of lettuce.
  3. Portion ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop tomatoes on top of cheese.
  4. Rinse and drain olives. Portion ¼ cup or one number 6 scoop olives on top of tomatoes.
  5. Portion ½ cup or one number 8 scoop black bean corn salsa on top of salad.
  6. Place Taco Ranch Dressing container on side of salad. Cover salad with lid.
  7. Serve one–2 cup individual salad bowl with 2 ounces (approximately 36 chips) tortilla chips on the side.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 581
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 64.90
  • Protein, in grams: 16.60
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 6.80
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 27.50
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 739.40

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

  • Salad recipes
  • Side dish recipes
  • Meatless or plant-based recipes

Serving Suggestion

  • Yield 50 or yield 100–2 cup salad bowls with 2 ounces of round tortilla chips (approximately 36 chips).

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

  • 2 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
  • 2 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich
  • 1¼ cup vegetables (½ cup dark green, ¼ cup red orange, ¼ cup starchy, and ¼ cup other vegetables)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

  • Vegetable oil
  • Frozen whole kernel corn
  • Canned black beans
  • Yellow cheddar cheese, shredded

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

  • California fresh
  • Southwest USA
  • Central or South America

Preparation Time

  • Preparation: 30 minutes for 50 servings or 45 minutes for 100 servings
  • Assembly: 30 minutes for 50 servings or 45 minutes for 100 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

  • CCP: Heat bean mixture to an internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds.
  • CCP: Hold bean mixture in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
  • CCP: Hold Taco Ranch Dressing in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.

Kid Rating

Five-fork kid rating.

Culinary Center

Natomas Unified School District

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, July 09, 2025
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