You’ve probably never heard of such a thing. No worries, neither did I until I met my husband. One Friday night I came home and I told him that I didn’t feel like cooking, yet I also didn’t feel like going out to dinner. He knew this meant that he either had to make something or order in. He looked around the kitchen and said to me, “How about some Haystacks?”

I thought, “A what stack?” Even though he explained the concept to me, I chose to observe and learn instead. You see, the recipe below is an all-out version of what he made that night, because we basically “stacked” whatever relevant ingredients we had on hand. Primarily beans, some sort of shredded cheese, corn chips, then salad fixings.

The combination of warm beans, crispy corn chips, and crunchy salad toppings, finished with a yummy dressing, totally had me at first bite. It has since become a Friday night tradition for us to make Haystacks. We hope you make it yours too!

Now… one last thing. Don’t overthink the measurements. Add as much or as little of each layer as you’d like… have fun with it!

Haystacks Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 lb ground meat (veggie, turkey)
1/3 cup onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 tbsp mixed seasonings (oregano, cumin, garlic, onion, black pepper)
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup corn chips
4 cups lettuce, chopped
2 tbsp black olives
1 cup tomatoes, diced
2 medium avocados, diced
Banana Waxed Peppers, to taste
1/4 cup chipotle salsa (or medium salsa of choice), evenly divided
Creamy salad dressing of choice (e.g. goddess dressing, ranch)

Instructions

1. Ground Meat: In a medium size skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook onions until translucent (3-4 minutes). Add ground meat, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until meat is done. Set aside.
2. Beans: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine black and kidney beans and bring to a simmer. Add seasonings and stir until well combined. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes then set aside.

To stack:

1. Divide ingredients evenly across 4 servings.
2. Layer meat, beans, cheese, corn chips, lettuce, olives, tomatoes, avocados, and wax peppers.
3. Dollop approximately 1 tablespoon of salsa over each salad.
4. Dress the salad with creamy dressing of choice.
5. Serve while beans are still warm.

Notes