Epic Taco Salad
Our favorite taco salad recipe is an easy weeknight meal with fresh lettuce, tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef, cheese, and a creamy cilantro lime dressing. It’s SO good! We love tacos of all kinds (see all of our taco recipes as proof), but we REALLY love taco salad. It’s fast, fresh, and super easy! You’ve got perfectly seasoned ground beef made with our homemade taco mix, crisp fresh lettuce, and all the best taco toppings. I’m always happy when this taco salad is for dinner! You have a lot of play with when it comes to making this taco salad recipe, but I’ll walk you through my process since this is genuinely one of my favorite salads! It’s healthy, but doesn’t feel that way, so it feels like a splurge. For more taco-inspired recipes, see this comforting and super easy taco soup! Key Ingredients Taco Meat: I’ve used lean ground beef (80/10) for my salad in the photos, but you can substitute ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken without any changes. Instead of using a store-bought seasoning, we make our own with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. When we cook the meat, we also add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, which helps make the meat extra tasty. You can also swap our seasoning below for our homemade taco seasoning, which is equally as delicious. Lettuce: You want crisp, crunchy lettuce for this salad, so Iceberg or Romaine is perfect. All the Toppings: So this is where you get to have fun. Think of your favorite taco toppings, and then add them to this salad. I love pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole, and shredded cheese, but add your favorite toppings as you see fit! Taco Salad Dressing: My favorite dressing for this is our creamy cilantro lime dressing. Still, you can substitute your favorite store-bought dressing or go with another homemade dressing like this easy ranch dressing. Tortilla Chips: So these are optional and take away a little bit from the healthy angle, but I do love them! Make homemade tortilla chips or use some from your favorite store-bought bag, and add them to the top right before digging in. They add that corn tortilla flavor and lots of crunch. Some people prefer Fritos, but to be honest, I like to stick with regular chips. I’m such a fan! Taco Meat: I’ve used lean ground beef (80/10) for my salad in the photos, but you can substitute ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken without any changes. Instead of using a store-bought seasoning, we make our own with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. When we cook the meat, we also add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, which helps make the meat extra tasty. You can also swap our seasoning below for our homemade taco seasoning, which is equally as delicious. Lettuce: You want crisp, crunchy lettuce for this salad, so Iceberg or Romaine is perfect. All the Toppings: So this is where you get to have fun. Think of your favorite taco toppings, and then add them to this salad. I love pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole, and shredded cheese, but add your favorite toppings as you see fit! Taco Salad Dressing: My favorite dressing for this is our creamy cilantro lime dressing. Still, you can substitute your favorite store-bought dressing or go with another homemade dressing like this easy ranch dressing. Tortilla Chips: So these are optional and take away a little bit from the healthy angle, but I do love them! Make homemade tortilla chips or use some from your favorite store-bought bag, and add them to the top right before digging in. They add that corn tortilla flavor and lots of crunch. Some people prefer Fritos, but to be honest, I like to stick with regular chips. I’m such a fan! Find the full recipe with measurements below. Tips for Making the Best Taco Salad Tip 1: Season the ground meat heavily. I’m extra generous with the salt and seasonings for my taco meat. It may taste slightly too seasoned on its own, but when you scatter it all over the salad, it works! If you like spicy tacos, add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the spice blend. Tip 2: Add lots of textures. My favorite part about this salad is the variety of textures. We want to keep the prep to a minimum since this is very likely something you are making on a weeknight, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pack in lots of goodies. Avocado is creamy, tomato or pico de gallo is fresh, and the chips add some crunch. Think about other fridge staples like sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or pickled red onions. They will all work well in this salad. Tip 3: Make the taco meat ahead of time. You can cook the ground beef with the spices, then keep it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This way, it’s ready for you when you are craving this taco salad. The dressing is great for making ahead, too! Epic Taco Salad PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins TOTAL 30 mins PREP 15 mins COOK 15 mins TOTAL 30 mins This easy taco salad recipe with ground beef is such an easy weeknight dinner. Make our recommended cilantro lime dressing recipe (which is sort of like a cilantro ranch) or skip that step and use your favorite store-bought ranch. 4 Servings Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need For the Taco Meat 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon dried oregano ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil 1 pound lean ground beef, 90/10 (450g) 2 tablespoons tomato paste (35g) ½ cup chicken stock or water 12 cups shredded crispy lettuce, like romaine or iceberg lettuce 1 cup homemade pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes ½ cup Mexican blend shredded cheese (113g) 1 large avocado, pitted and sliced 1 cup tortilla chips, try homemade tortilla chips, optional Cilantro Lime Dressing, Homemade Ranch, or your favorite store-bought ranch Directions 1Make spice mix: In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. 2Cook the seasoned beef: Heat the avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sprinkle the spice mixture over it. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks, stirring until it begins to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chicken stock (or water) and let it simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste, and then add more salt if you think it needs it (since this will top a salad, keeping this well seasoned works really well with the rest of the salad.) 3Make the salad: In a large salad bowl, toss the lettuce with 4 to 8 tablespoons of the dressing (adjust depending on how dressed you like your salad). Divide the lettuce between four bowls or plates, then top each with a generous ½ cup of the beef mixture, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and the avocado. Sneak some tortilla chips on the side, then enjoy! 1Make spice mix: In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. 2Cook the seasoned beef: Heat the avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and sprinkle the spice mixture over it. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks, stirring until it begins to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chicken stock (or water) and let it simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste, and then add more salt if you think it needs it (since this will top a salad, keeping this well seasoned works really well with the rest of the salad.) 3Make the salad: In a large salad bowl, toss the lettuce with 4 to 8 tablespoons of the dressing (adjust depending on how dressed you like your salad). Divide the lettuce between four bowls or plates, then top each with a generous ½ cup of the beef mixture, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, and the avocado. Sneak some tortilla chips on the side, then enjoy! Adam and Joanne's Tips More toppings: Feel free to add more of your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, salsa, chopped tomatoes, queso fresco, red onion, black olives, and more! Seasoning: I prefer the spice blend above to your average packet of taco seasoning from the store; however, if you have a favorite, feel free to swap our blend for the packet. Of all the options I have tried, Siete Foods has the tastiest. Lettuce: I usually buy the romaine hearts sold in threes at the store. For 4 servings (12 cups), you will need two 12-ounce bags of romaine hearts. The nutrition facts are estimates. More toppings: Feel free to add more of your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, salsa, chopped tomatoes, queso fresco, red onion, black olives, and more! Seasoning: I prefer the spice blend above to your average packet of taco seasoning from the store; however, if you have a favorite, feel free to swap our blend for the packet. Of all the options I have tried, Siete Foods has the tastiest. Lettuce: I usually buy the romaine hearts sold in threes at the store. For 4 servings (12 cups), you will need two 12-ounce bags of romaine hearts. The nutrition facts are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/4 of the recipe (1/2 cup beef) / Calories 534 / Total Fat 40.7 / Saturated Fat 10.6g / Cholesterol 95.2mg / Sodium 1069.8mg / Carbohydrate 14.3g / Dietary Fiber 6.7g / Total Sugar 5.4g / Protein 29.7g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us