Listen, I love Taco Tuesday as much as the next girl, but taco salads really take the cake. I’ve always said that salad is the ultimate “fast food” and I stand by it. Think about it, they’re quick, easy, and almost always require very little cooking. If you want a little something extra, this Lean Ground Beef Taco Salad is just the thing It. You can make taco salad at home for a fraction of the price and have enough salad for meal prep all week long.
What is Taco Salad?
Taco Salad is everything you love about crispy beef tacos, but in salad form! I made sure it was packed with salad and extra veggies to keep you full all day.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this taco salad:
- Sour cream: Forms the creamy, spicy base of the dressing.
- Lime: The juice and zest of two limes add acidity and a bright citrus flavor to the dressing.
- Garlic: Gives the dressing a balancing earthiness.
- Spices: Salt, chili powder and sugar round off the taste of the dressing.
- Olive oil: Helps emulsify the dressing.
- Minced meat: The classic choice for a taco salad. You can also easily substitute ground chicken or turkey if you prefer. I used lean ground beef so I didn’t have to strain any fat while cooking, which saved me some time. Vegetarian? No problem! This salad is incredibly delicious with or without meat.
- Taco seasoning: Adds classic Mexican flavor.
- Vegetables: Red onion, tomatoes, corn, avocado and jalapeño add freshness, crunch and a touch of spice.
- Black beans: Add creaminess and extra protein.
- Corn chips: Add saltiness and crunch.
- Cheddar cheese: Adds a creamy, cheesy flavor.
- Iceberg lettuce: The perfect neutral, crunchy basic salad that makes the vegetables shine.
What else can I add?
I love that this is a great recipe to get those leftovers out of the fridge. Here are a few ideas:
This salad is a crowd pleaser! When entertaining guests or family members who don’t eat certain ingredients, I keep everything separate so everyone can make their own perfect taco salad! I like mine without ground meat and always use extra beans…yum! I love that anyone can enjoy this salad along with a wide variety of toppings and leave feeling full and satisfied.
Taco salad
This taco salad recipe is super customizable without compromising on the savory and satisfying flavors. It’s the ultimate meal prep salad!
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dressing
- 4 oz. sour cream ($0.49)
- 2 Limes, juiced and grated ($1.00)
- 1 clove minced garlic ($0.05)
- 1/4 TL Salt ($0.01)
- 1/4 TL Chili powder ($0.03)
- 1/2 TL Sugar ($0.01)
- 4 tablespoon olive oil ($0.80)
Additional toppings
- 1/2 red onion, julienne ($0.37)
- 2 Roma tomatoes ($0.60)
- 1 Cup Corn kernels ($1.66)
- 1 15 ounces. may black beans, drained and rinsed ($0.89)
- 1 Avocado, diced ($0.99)
- 1 Cup Tortilla chips, crushed ($1.44)
- 1 Cup grated cheddar (about half of an 8-ounce block) ($1.25)
- 1 Jalapeno, cut into thin rings ($0.30)
- 1 Head Iceberg lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces ($1.79)
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Gather and prepare all topping ingredients: julienned red onion, chopped tomato, defrost frozen corn, drain and rinse black beans, dice avocado, crush tortilla chips, shred cheddar cheese, and slice jalapeno. Set aside or toss together in a large serving bowl.
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Cut iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
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Combine sour cream, lime juice and zest, minced garlic, salt, chili powder, sugar and oil in a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
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Add the lean ground beef and taco seasoning packet to the pan. Break up the ground meat with a spatula and mix in the taco seasoning. Cook until all the minced meat has browned.*
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Top the chopped salad with prepared vegetables and cooked minced meat. Mix all ingredients together.
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Drizzle a generous portion of dressing with crumbled tortilla chips on top! Serve and enjoy.**
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**When meal prepping, keep the wet ingredients (like beef and salad dressing) separate so your veggies and salad don’t wilt and the tortilla chips don’t get soggy. Just get dressed and throw on when you’re ready for lunch.
Portion: 1saladCalories: 804kcalCarbohydrates: 56GProtein: 28GFat: 55GSodium: 1228mgFiber: 13G
Read our full nutritional disclaimer here.
How to make taco salad – step by step photos
Gather all topping ingredients. Julienne 1/2 red onion, chop 2 Roma tomatoes, thaw 1 cup frozen corn, drain and rinse 1 can black beans, dice 1 avocado, crush 3 cups tortilla chips, shred 1 cup cheddar cheese, slice 1 jalapeno. Set aside or toss together in a large serving bowl.
Cut 1 head of iceberg lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
Mix 110 ml sour cream, juice and zest of 2 limes, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 4 tablespoons oil in a small mixing bowl.
Whisk to combine.
Add 1 pound lean ground beef and 1 package taco seasoning to the skillet. Break up the ground meat with a spatula and mix in the taco seasoning.
Cook until all the minced meat has browned. I used lean ground beef, so I added my spices and beef at the same time. I ended up running out of fat to strain out, which saved me a bit of prep time.
Top the chopped salad with prepared vegetables and cooked minced meat.
Mix all ingredients together.
Drizzle a generous portion of dressing with crumbled tortilla chips on top! Serve and enjoy.
This hearty taco salad will delight you!