Discover the best Beef Taco Salad recipe. Quick to make, easy to customize, and loaded with flavor, it is a dinner hit for the whole family.
My Easy Taco Salad is a go-to family Salad Recipe and kid favorite; this grown-up version is just as easy and delicious, and sure to be a hit! Be sure to check out my Big Mac Salad, too!
Why You’ll Love This Beef Taco Salad?
- A tasty mix of bold taco flavors, combined with a zesty lime dressing, and topped with a satisfying crunch.
- Beef Taco Salad comes together in only 20 minutes, making it perfect for last-minute weeknight dinner!
Sabrina’s Beef Taco Salad Recipe
When you are looking for a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love, you can’t beat a tasty Beef Taco Salad. This delicious salad is easy to make because the only cooking you do is the beef mixture. It makes for an easy weeknight dinner, or you can easily double or triple the ingredients to serve a larger crowd. This recipe is simple but sure to impress. Checkout my Chef’s Note and Variations section below the recipe card to get more inspiration on preparing this simple salad.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Taco Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup taco sauce
- 1 lime , squeezed
Beef Taco Salad
- 1 pound ground beef , (85/15)
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix , (about 3 tablespoons homemade)
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 cups lettuce , chopped (romaine or iceberg)
- 15 ounces black beans , drained and rinsed
- 2 vine tomatoes , chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives , sliced
- 1 avocado , chopped
- 2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded
- 3 cups tortilla chips , crushed
Instructions
- To make the dressing mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, taco sauce and lime juice.
- In a large skillet on medium high heat add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking it apart as you cook.
- Add the taco seasoning to water and stir, then add to the skillet.
- Cook until the liquid has evaporated then remove the beef to a bowl to cool.
- In a large bowl layer the lettuce, cooked ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, black olives, avocado chunks, cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.
- Pour the dressing evenly over the salad then toss gently and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Note from Sabrina
One of the best things about a quick Taco Salad is that you can top it with all the ingredients you have on hand! Use iceberg lettuce instead of romaine lettuce, low-fat cheese to make it healthier, or grape tomatoes instead of regular chopped tomatoes. Switch it up from a conventional Taco Salad to a new and exciting family dinner with flavored chips, or try our crispy tortilla bowl. It’s easy to get creative with.
Table of contents
About this Recipe
This healthy Taco Salad recipe is made with natural ingredients, and you can make it completely from scratch with your own Homemade Taco Seasoning. It’s made with spices from your pantry, so it’s cheaper than store bought taco seasonings with less sodium or preservatives. Load it up with a delicious assortment of easy Taco Salad ingredients like lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and avocado, and top it off with a creamy dressing. You can also add taco seasoning to the salad dressing for more flavor.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes! To meal prep Salad Lunch Bowls without getting wilted romaine lettuce or soggy veggies, try layering in a container with the meat on the bottom. Then add the remaining salad ingredients from wettest to driest, ending with the chopped lettuce on top. A good order would be meat, beans, cheese, tomatoes, olives, avocados, then lettuce. Store dressing separately in a small container. You can store this pre-made in the fridge for up to 3 days. Unfortunately, you don’t want to freeze this meal because it won’t keep well. You can make the taco meat prior and freeze it up to 3 months.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Add lime juice to the chopped avocado to prevent browning before adding it to the taco salad.
- Make sure you dry your lettuce thoroughly; any extra moisture will make this salad recipe very soggy. I like to use a salad spinner to remove all of the extra water.
- Serve in a large, wide, shallow bowl so you are able to easily toss all the ingredients together.
- Keep tortilla chips in a side dish to individually add when served to prevent them from getting soggy, so each dish gets that delicious crunch.
Serving Ideas
You can serve this salad as a side dish to all your favorite Mexican Recipes, like Chicken Enchiladas, or as a light and filling main dish. Have a soup and salad night by pairing this delicious salad with a cup of Easy Taco Soup. Try homemade toppings like Corn Salsa, Pico De Gallo, or Guacamole to take your Taco Salad to the next level.
How to Store
- Serve: Salad is best with served fresh chopped lettuce and toppings, and it can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours before it needs to be stored.
- Store: To keep veggies and chopped lettuce crispy, store salad ingredients separately in airtight containers. The prepared taco meat and salad dressing can be kept for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze: This recipe isn’t the most favorable to freeze. The only salad ingredients that you want to freeze are the prepared taco meat and shredded cheese. Freeze the shredded cheese up to 6 months and the taco beef up to 3 months, in sealed containers, and thaw overnight before reheating.
Variations
- Meat: Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken for the taco meat. You could also use leftover steak, grilled chicken, or shredded Rotisserie Chicken.
- Beans: Replace the cup of black beans with any other canned beans like chili beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, or garbanzo beans.
- Veggies: Make this a Healthy Taco Salad with extra veggies like roasted zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, red onions, canned corn, or green onions.
- Creamy Cilantro Dressing: Make a creamy cilantro lime dressing by using salsa verde instead of taco sauce and add ½ cup chopped cilantro. Blend everything in a food processor until smooth, adding buttermilk if you want it thinner.
- Chipotle Dressing: Skip the taco sauce and make a spicy Creamy Chipotle Dressing. Add 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo, plus spices like chili powder, salt and pepper, and a teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder.
- Low Carb: To make a Low Carb Taco Salad, replace the cup of black beans with soy beans (edamame) and use Parmesan Crisps for a corn chip sub.
- Chips: Try mixing it up with Fritos or Doritos. You can also have a variety of chips on the side to give your kids or guests the opportunity to put their own twist of flavor on their dish.
Crispy Tortilla Bowls
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add 4 cereal-sized oven safe bowls or ramekins to a baking sheet and spray with cooking oil.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.
- One at a time, pan fry 4 large flour tortillas in oil for 30-45 seconds on each side until they are puffy and bubbly.
- As each flour tortilla is done frying, use tongs to form it inside a cereal bowl, carefully not to pop bubbles.
- Bake tortillas for 9-10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Fill with Taco Salad ingredients and serve.
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