Taco Salad is quick to prepare and easy to cook! Made with fresh healthy everyday ingredients including ground beef, red onions, tomatoes and lettuce.
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How to Make Taco Salad
Start by browning the ground beef in a skillet with a little olive oil, then add the taco seasoning, salsa, chopped cilantro, and a little salt and pepper to taste.
To prepare the salad start by chopping the onions, tomatoes, avocado, and Romaine lettuce. Then assemble all the ingredients in a large bowl and add the black beans and sweet corn.
Make the Taco Salad dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard and a little salt and pepper until it is fully combined and then pour it over the salad and toss the ingredients so that they are evenly coated in the dressing.
Add the cooked taco beef to the top of the salad and sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips. You can top the salad with cheese, a little more cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice and it’s ready to serve!
Taco Salad FAQ’s
Can I make it ahead? Yes, simply cook the beef ahead of time and add in the seasoning and salsa. Cool it in the fridge and reheat in a skillet or microwave later on. Prepare all the salad ingredients ahead of time, and mix up the salad dressing but do not add the dressing to the salad yet. When you are ready to eat simply assemble all the salad ingredients as directed in the recipe card.
Can I use ready made Taco Seasoning? You could, but homemade Taco Seasoning is better as it has no added starches and if you’re like me you’ll know it’s gluten free.
Can I freeze it? You can cook and freeze the ground beef for the Taco Salad, but you cannot freeze the salad ingredients. Defrost the meat in the fridge overnight.
Ingredient Substitutions
Ground Beef – you could use any ground meat here such as ground turkey if you want to lower the calories, or ground pork if you prefer.
Salad Vegetables – You can essentially use any kind of lettuce and combination of salad vegetables you prefer. I’ve made it with arugula, spring mix, and all sorts of other lettuce because that’s what we had in the fridge at the time.
Red Wine Vinegar – The salad dressing is a basic vinaigrette and will work with most vinegars including balsamic, apple cider, and white vinegar.
More Salad Recipes
Taco Salad
Taco Salad is quick to prepare and easy to cook! Made with fresh healthy everyday ingredients including ground beef, red onions, tomatoes and lettuce.
Ingredients
Beef Filling for Salad
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup salsa
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
- salt to taste
Salad Ingredients
- 1 head Iceberg lettuce , shredded
- 16 oz can black beans , omit for lower carb
- 1/2 cup sweetcorn , omit for lower carb
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved
- 1/4 cup red onion , finely sliced
- 1 avocado , diced
Taco Salad Dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/8th tsp garlic powder
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Salad Toppings
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese , use dairy free/vegan cheese if preferred
- 2 cups gluten free tortilla chips , omit for lower carb
- 1/4 cup sour cream (optional) , use dairy free/vegan sour cream if preferred
Instructions
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In a large skillet brown the lean ground beef in the oil, then add the taco seasoning, salsa, and chopped cilantro and cook for a couple more minutes. Add salt to taste.
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Lightly crush the tortilla chips.
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Make the taco salad dressing by adding all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisking with a fork until combined.
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To assemble the salad simply layer romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, black beans, red onion, and avocado, then toss with the salad dressing.
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Next add the cooked beef taco meat and crushed tortilla chips.
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Top the salad with shredded cheese and/or optional sour cream, and garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
Recipe Notes
Low Carb Option – omit black beans, sweetcorn, and tortilla chips to reduce the carbs.
Dairy Free Option – you can use vegan/dairy free shredded cheese and you can either omit the sour cream, or use dairy free sour cream.
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