You can’t buy the legendary Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing at the restaurant or in the store anymore, but now you can make it at home! Perfect sweet heat for tacos, salads, sizzling meats, party dips – and much, much more!
On December 31, 2017, the Original Taco House, Portland’s first “Mexican” restaurant and a fixture on the Eastside for more than fifty years, abruptly closed its doors forever – yet another old-school Portland restaurant lost to the mists of time.
The Original Taco House was one of those places that brought families together. The food was dependably good and priced to sell in our working-class neighborhood, and when I was little, it was one of my family’s go-to spots for a night out. My Dad was a middle school teacher, and he often had former students who waited tables there, so there was always a smiling face to greet us. They treated Dad like a celebrity, and we always got great service.
The Original Taco House on Powell was the second OTH to open. [Image by Victor von Salza, used with permission]
When I got older and started dating Mr B, we made some fond memories of our own at The Original Taco House. The original location on 82nd Avenue was just a short walk from our high school, and in 1980-something you could get a beef “El Picador” (what they called nachos before we called them nachos) or a large “meat & cheese salad” – both smothered with that amazing Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing and big enough for two – for four or five bucks. Needless to say, Mr B and I spent many (extended) lunch hours there sharing a meal and gazing adoringly into each others’ eyes.
Later, when I went on to have my own family, we often found ourselves eating at the Original Taco House when we visited my parents, to the point where it became one of my kids’ favorite eating spots. And the last time we ate there as a family, my grandchildren were sitting around the table with us. After three generations, dinner at the Original Taco House had become a solid family tradition.
Our last family dinner at the Original Taco House. We don’t usually take pictures at restaurants, but this was a special occasion. (Any time we get five of our girls all together in the same place at the same time, it is a special occasion!)
After all that history, it probably goes without saying Mr B and I were pretty broken up about the Original Taco House’s sudden closing. Sure, the decor was dated and the menu anything but authentically Mexican, but we loved it because of those things, not in spite of them. Now there will be no more pictures of adorable black-eyed babies in sombreros hanging on the wall watching you eat. No more burros with brightly colored saddle packs. No more (amazing!) corn-flake crusted deep-fried ice cream balls. No more sizzling “El Picadors” heaped with melting cheese and olives and peppers. No more amazing house-made Fiesta Dressing.
Wait! What?!?
When I figured out that our favorite salad dressing would no longer be available, I started to worry. I checked our bottle in the fridge: only about two or three ounces left. I checked local stores: discontinued, and limited to stock on hand. Amazon: same. I sprung into action:
Me: “OK, no one touch the taco salad dressing!”
Them: “Why?” (Until that moment, no one was even thinking of it.)
Me: “I have to figure out the recipe before it’s all gone. I need it for taste comparison.”
Them [reaching into the fridge door for the bottle]: “What if we just use a little?” (Once again, no one had even considered using it that day until I mentioned it.)
Me: “Not. One. Drop.” (Translation: Just put the bottle down and walk away slowly, and no one will get hurt.)
Good thing they know when I mean business.
To recreate the recipe, the first thing I did was consult the ingredient label on our treasured “last bottle.”
“The Last Bottle”
Conveniently, ingredients on product labels are listed in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the greatest amount first, followed in descending order by those in smaller amounts. This gave me a good road map for figuring out the recipe. I chose the brands of necessary premade products (i.e., El Pato Tomato Sauce, Chalula hot sauce) based on the ingredients listed parenthetically on the label list (i.e., the list of collective ingredients in the hot chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, etc. as listed on the label) in an effort to keep them as close to the original ingredients used as possible.
After that, it was just a lot of mixing, tasting, adjusting, tasting, mixing, adjusting, tasting… and repeat. (Let’s just say that I have enough Fiesta Dressing in my fridge now to get us all through a major nation-wide salad dressing shortage.)
In the end, I think we hit it pretty darn close. (We even nailed the exact calorie count of the original!) The mixture I created is somewhat creamier in appearance than the original Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing, but the flavor is spot-on and it has the familiar slightly sweet kick and peppery tang that we crave so much.
Fiesta Dressing is essentially a Tex-mex spin on Catalina: a sweet, spicy, and tangy, with just a hint of Romano.
Here’s to happy memories! Enjoy!
Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing {Copycat Recipe}
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup Canola oil
- 6 tablespoons crushed or diced canned tomatoes drained
- 6 tablespoons hot chili sauce I use El Pato Tomato Sauce
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce I use Chalula
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum optional
- 1 ounce Romano cheese fresh, finely grated
- 3/4 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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Put everything in a blender jar except the Romano cheese and black pepper, and blend until smooth and creamy.
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Add the cheese and pepper and pulse to break up the cheese a bit more. You want the pepper and cheese to be a little grainy to give the dressing some texture.
Recipe Notes
This dressing is ready to use immediately, but a day in the fridge will help the flavors really come together.
1 serving = 2 tablespoons = 60 calories = 2 Weight Watchers SmartPoints [2018]
Ingredient Notes:
- El Pato Tomato Sauce has the exact list of “hot chili sauce” ingredients as are listed on the OTH dressing label, in the same order. It was the only sauce I could find that did.
- Xanthan gum is a thickener, and can be found the bulk food area of many stores. You don’t have to use it, but if omitted, your dressing will be a little thinner.
The entire recipe for The Original Taco House “Meat & Cheese Salad” is contained in its name: Meat+Cheese+Salad (i.e., lettuce, tomatoes, dressing). So simple, and yet so good. (I make ours with seasoned ground chicken.)
Fiesta Dressing adds a sweet little kick to tacos, salads, and nachos, of course, but I’ve also used it in everything from eggs to soups to casseroles, and as a marinade for grilling, all with amazing results.
I’d never been to the Original Taco House, but this post makes me want to test out this dressing! It’s summer salad season now and I love to have a variety of dressings to mix dinners up.
Loved that dressing! Glad you did a copycat.
Loving your website and all the old-fashioned inspired recipes! You totally have me craving a taco salad now! Such a delicious dressing!
Thanks for stopping by, and I’m glad you like the dressing recipe! (I’m not sure how “old-fashioned” recipes like Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Chanterelles & Baby Yukons are, but I’ll take it!) 😉
I love to make homemade dressing! This looks so delicious – it’s a must try!
I never ate at Taco House, but the dressing sounds great, especially hearing about how tempted your family was to eat it!
Oh my, this dressing looks and sounds like it’ll make everything tastier! YUM!
Ohh can’t wait to try this dressing it looks delicious!
This sounds delicious. I’ve never had it before, but now I want it!
Thank you for your persistence in recreating this – I didn’t have all these wonderful memories of Original Taco House, but was shocked too when they closed last year!
I’ll reserve my experiences with the food at the taco house for a private conversation ;), but I LOVE that you recreated a salad dressing from a place that holds so many special memories for you and your family. And what a great capture of all of your girls in one spot!
Now we need the salsa. I miss the salsa
Me too, Dan. Me too. 😢
On The Border salsa was another good one and their chips light and airy….
So much of our childhoods is dying out and it’s sad. If the Waddles didn’t wantto continue they should have at least offered the staff the option of taking over and keeping it going. I never met a Waddle at either location and always returned wanting the el picador or flaming chicken burrito….
Thank you so much! I grew up eating at the Taco House and raising my kids we ate at the Burrito House. Both unfortunately closed last year. I now live at the coast and always had a bottle of this dressing in my fridge to put on salads or homemade nachos. I have been searching Copy Cat sites for months, and was about to give up when I found your recipe. Thank you again!
You are so welcome, Kelly! I couldn’t live without it either! 😉
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have 1 bottle left and have been doling it out to myself. Any chance you have a copycat of their burrito/enchilada sauce?
My heart was broken when they closed! Just like you, my husband and I spent many of our early dates at the 82nd location, as we both grew up in the neighborhood, I started my bachelorette party there, went there for a few anniversaries, and any time the hubby wanted to surprise me and put a smile on my face, we’d pull into that parking lot and I could instantly taste that dressing, I was so excited to eat! Not at all authentic, salty and fatty but oh so many memories, my kids ordered their first “Shirley Temple” there and absolutely loved their beans! Unfortunately my dressing at home had expired when I got the news, which made me so mad at myself like I’d taken that last bottle for granted! I can’t wait to make this and have those memories live on! Thank you so much!!
My dad has been devastated about the closing of OTH! It’s been apart of our family for decades! His absolute favorite was the El Picador. He’s been on a hunt for a similar chip(with the delish seasoning) and salsa(his absolute favorite–if you make a copycat recipe, we’re so in! We have an empty container that lists the ingredients!). But the fiesta dressing would make his homemade El Picador to a whole new level! We live in Portland and would love to buy some of this dressing if you made a batch of it! 🙂
Thank you for reading this! And for creating this recipe!
OMG!!!! I LOVE YOU!!! I have written to Jeff Waddle & have been trying to figure out HOW to recreate this!!! Like so many others, I grew up eating at the Original Taco House & it held so many great memories. The Fiesta dressing is the ONLY salad dressing my husband will use & of course, I loved it too but am not quite as discerning (that’s a really nice way of saying “picky,” right?) THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! I don’t have all these exact ingredients on hand but will use what I have today, since it’s Taco Tuesday & I have been CRAVING an OTH Tostada with Melted Cheese!!! I’ll let you know how it turns out. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart…stomach…
Thank you so much. I too grew up eating there. Was so sad when could no longer buy dressing. You have saved me from all future sadness. Made this dressing today and is is pretty darn close. Thank you for taking the time to share.
This could almost be our story, verbatim! The only difference was that growing up, our location was the one on Powell!
We were devastated when we heard they closed and I instantly got online looking for a recipe, but to no avail! Two days ago, my husband gave it another go and look what popped up….YOUR recipe! We were out the next day gathering all the ingredients, and came right home and made it. HOLLA…you nailed it! We had a dab left to taste compare, and I actually told my husband I might like your version better!
Thank you for recreating this dressing! We have long since moved from Portland, and will definitely miss our trips to the OTH when we come for visits, but at least we will have this dressing to remind us of what was!
Now, about that enchilada sauce…
I’m so glad you like my recipe! I’m just happy that I got it right and can preserve a little of Portland’s history for future generations. 😉
Hi Renee!
Like so many of the previous commenters, I also spent many happy times at both Original Taco houses on 82nd and Powell back in the 70s and 80s during high school and college days, I took all of my girlfriend’s there and we just loved that place! Spent many wonderful afternoons and evenings in those romantic settings! The only things I ordered there were the meat and cheese salad, and the large El Picador with extra cheese and sauce. LOL
Since I moved to California I have not been able to find any satisfactory substitute for the old Pic sauce (as it used to be called), except I have tried using La Victoria’s Mild Taco Sauce in a pinch which is okay, but not exactly like the original……I do have a question for you: have you figured out how to make a DIY El Picador? I have tried many times here at home only to discover there was more to those wonderful dishes than just chips and cheese and Pic sauce!
Blessings,
John
My husband and I were big fans of both the meat & cheese salad and the El Picador. The dry seasoning they used on the Pic was key, and I don’t know what it was, but I’ll work on it.