Taco Salad

You have a pound of ground beef and a craving for tacos, but it's a weeknight and you're feeling like something a little bit lighter… sounds like a good night for an easy taco salad with ground beef. This hearty salad recipe takes all the best flavors, textures, and colors of a crunchy beef taco, and gives it a healthy spin. Plus, it's ready in under 20 minutes!  

The best part of this salad is that it's totally customizable. Canned, frozen, or even fresh corn works great instead of beans. If you have kidney beans, use those in place of black beans. Multicolored cherry tomatoes add even more color to this beautiful salad mix. Plain Greek yogurt is a great sour cream substitute, too. Just pile on your favorite toppings!

How do you make a taco salad from scratch?

Start by making your protein. Cook ground beef in a skillet with a packet of taco seasoning. Next, add a can of drained black beans. These add additional protein and a creamy bite to the salad, while saving a few calories.

Next, build serving bowls for each person. Individual portions of this taco salad work better than a family-sized platter, as this salad is highly customizable. Start with a bed of crisp romaine lettuce cut into bite-sized pieces. Top with the warm ground beef and bean mixture, then a shower of cheddar cheese. The heat of the meat will soften and slightly melt the cheese, which acts as a nice platform for the most important part: taco salad toppings.

Pico de gallo and guacamole are the best, but finely chopping and mixing both of these party dips may not be in the cards on a busy weeknight. Instead, cut the components of each—diced avocado, chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, sliced jalapeño, and cilantro—and top your salad as you wish. A squeeze of fresh lime and a dollop of sour cream give the salad a bright, creamy finish, and when mixed all together, act as the perfect taco salad dressing. Slide a few tortilla chips in the side of the bowl, or a warm, flour tortilla for the final finishing touch. 

What's in taco seasoning mix?

Taco seasoning has spices and herbs such as cumin, chili powder, paprika, crushed red pepper, garlic and onion powders, and dried oregano, plus some salt and pepper. You can stir up your own homemade taco seasoning with spices from your pantry, or take the easy route and buy a packet of taco seasoning from the supermarket.

What kind of meat goes on taco salad?

This recipe uses lean ground beef like sirloin, but you can swap in ground turkey, chicken, or even soy protein if you like. 

Should taco salad be warm or cold? 

A taco salad should be both warm and cold! A warm, saucy meat and bean mixture brings comfort to this weeknight dish, while cool, crispy toppings bring a fresh finish.

What pairs well with taco salad? 

The perfect pairing for a ground beef taco salad is some crunchy tortilla chips, a good queso dip, and a round of margaritas. (Or better yet, a large Marg-a-Ree-ta!)